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I am looking to get me a small 1.3 group. Could I get some Russian keepers to chime in and give me all the advice you can. I have read a lot but its easier to understand when it is directly towards you.
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- Thread starter clintdowns
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what do you want to know? Do you have tortoises now or are these your first?
that is a good group... good ratio.. you will need a large area... with lots of hiding places.. and then still be prepared to separate them due to fighting...
that is a good group... good ratio.. you will need a large area... with lots of hiding places.. and then still be prepared to separate them due to fighting...
Ask us questions. We will answer. I've got a 4.4 group of russian tortoises.
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I currently have 4 Sulcatas outside. I know if I get done Russians I cannot mix species. How big are they when they start to lay eggs? Are they a friendly tort that I can put down in the middle of the floor and let roam around the house? How fast do they grow from hatchlings? Are they an easy tort to raise?
HI
I found this article really useful and more in depth than many other care sheets.
http://www.dght.de/ag_schildkroeten/pdf/ehorsfield.pdf
I only recently got 2 trios(a month ago).So far the changes I have made are pulling males from trios and housing one apart . leaving in one male with 4 females for now and they all got much bigger enclosures.
Mine hide such a lot and I know light levels are really important to keep these active so I have an MVB and two halogens too but still lots of hiding??(not sure what else to do)
Personality wise these are all very different.The 2 males are very shy. One of the females is very shy but all others are fairly easy going and curious.
All needed beak work-seems to be a Russian problem as far as I can see , none of my other species ever needed a beak trim.
Hopefully some Russian keepers will answer here soon.Hope you find the article interesting
(my groups were not hibernated previously but i will definitely hibernate them)
I found this article really useful and more in depth than many other care sheets.
http://www.dght.de/ag_schildkroeten/pdf/ehorsfield.pdf
I only recently got 2 trios(a month ago).So far the changes I have made are pulling males from trios and housing one apart . leaving in one male with 4 females for now and they all got much bigger enclosures.
Mine hide such a lot and I know light levels are really important to keep these active so I have an MVB and two halogens too but still lots of hiding??(not sure what else to do)
Personality wise these are all very different.The 2 males are very shy. One of the females is very shy but all others are fairly easy going and curious.
All needed beak work-seems to be a Russian problem as far as I can see , none of my other species ever needed a beak trim.
Hopefully some Russian keepers will answer here soon.Hope you find the article interesting
(my groups were not hibernated previously but i will definitely hibernate them)
I think Russians can start laying eggs at about 6", but not sure as I am not a breeder. Most are pretty friendly, but it does depend on the tortoise. Growth rates can vary greatly depending on care, so it is difficult to answer that, but www.russiantortoise.net is a great source for information, and they have a picture of tortoises next to each other showing size vs. age. Yes, they are relatively easy to raise, and very forgiving of mistakes.
I'm glad you don't plan to mix species. 
Russians can start laying at about 5 inches, but usually around 5.5-6 inches. Males usually need to be 5 inches, but have sired viable clutches occasionally at a smaller size.
Russians are friendly towards humans, but letting them roam on the floor can be problematic, as they can get tangled in dust bunnies, bitten by the dog etc... and get cold. Supervised on a clean floor without other animals near should be fine occasionally. Do this after they soak, so they already went poop...
It takes them about 4-5 years to grow to 4 inches from hatchling size.
They are comparatively easy, but it always eeks me a little when people call them 'beginner' tortoises. Their metabolism is somewhat forgiving of mistakes, they don't pyramid as many others do. But they roam the largest territory of all tortoises in the wild, and will go bonkers in a small enclosure. They do need supplementation and good dark leafy greens to thrive. Also, enough humidity in the substrate to keep their shell healthy. I love my Russian tortoises (I have 5, one male and 4 females), and they are very interesting. They are always busy, always getting into things. They are little tanks, so don't bother with making their enclosure inside super 'pretty' as they will bulldoze everything! I try to keep things interesting with a big pile of rocks to climb, different substrates and depths to burrow in, etc.
Russians can start laying at about 5 inches, but usually around 5.5-6 inches. Males usually need to be 5 inches, but have sired viable clutches occasionally at a smaller size.
Russians are friendly towards humans, but letting them roam on the floor can be problematic, as they can get tangled in dust bunnies, bitten by the dog etc... and get cold. Supervised on a clean floor without other animals near should be fine occasionally. Do this after they soak, so they already went poop...
It takes them about 4-5 years to grow to 4 inches from hatchling size.
They are comparatively easy, but it always eeks me a little when people call them 'beginner' tortoises. Their metabolism is somewhat forgiving of mistakes, they don't pyramid as many others do. But they roam the largest territory of all tortoises in the wild, and will go bonkers in a small enclosure. They do need supplementation and good dark leafy greens to thrive. Also, enough humidity in the substrate to keep their shell healthy. I love my Russian tortoises (I have 5, one male and 4 females), and they are very interesting. They are always busy, always getting into things. They are little tanks, so don't bother with making their enclosure inside super 'pretty' as they will bulldoze everything! I try to keep things interesting with a big pile of rocks to climb, different substrates and depths to burrow in, etc.
clintdowns said:
I have had some of my Russians for nearly 20 years. They are a great species, but keeping them as they should be kept is a challenge. I often refer to them as mini Sulcatas. They need SPACE and lots of it if you are going to have more than one. They are a very territorial feisty species and will constantly bully one another no matter what your gender mix is. I currently have 2 males(one is a rescue and kept separate from the rest) and 7 females in a very large and very densely planted outdoor enclosure. Even with this much space and sightline barriers I am constantly breaking up fights. The big girls especially will ram into the smaller girls over and over. I can hear it from inside my house! They constantly struggle for territory and right now nesting sites. They are not difficult or expensive to feed. Mine mostly eat the weeds planted in their enclosure, and I suppliment with a few cuttlebones thrown in there and some multi vit on their treats. I am told by my husband that I have a weakness for rascals, so these torts suit me. They can be very naughty and are constantly getting into trouble. Truly their personalities are best observed when they are acting naturally outdoors. My oldest male and female will come right over to me (they know I always have a treat for them) the male will in fact climb on top of my feet and chase anybody else away until he gets his treat. I will not repeat what biochemnerd said is it was spot on and you should read it carefully. But will only add that they are a delightful species that can "survive" in many conditions and situations but will thrive in very few of those. I understand completely that not everyone can give them the space I have. But I can only say that there is a distinct difference between their indoor and outdoor life/personality and health.
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