New owner of Russian Tortoise

[skrick]

[/size][/font][size=medium]Hello! I just brought home a female Russian Tortoise that I got from a friend. She is approximately 8 years old. I got her primarily for my 16 year old daughter who has always wanted a tortoise. She came with a 75 gallon glass aquarium and lights. They used play sand but I'm thinking I want to add something to it. We live in North Idaho with a couple of independent pet stores and a Petco close by.

 

[Ashliewood]

Welcome! If you are interested in changing the habitat of your tort, to make it happier and healthier, there is tons of information on here with some very experienced people here to help I use 100% organic topsoil in my Russian enclosure with an overturned bookcase as an enclosure(lined with shower pan liner and sealed with silicone) also I use and mercury vapor bulb for heat and UVB. I have had a lot of success with these three simple things, also if you can set up an outdoor enclosure you will notice your tortoise will thrive! They love being outside! I'm sure someone will come along an fill in the holes ;-) you are lucky to have found this forum, it's great!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi skrick:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I'm sure your new steppe tortoise will me much happier if you set it up outside. If its big enough to be able to tell its female, then its big enough to live outside. Just build it a safe habitat that it can't climb or dig out of, and plant it with broad-leaf weeds and plants, make a couple hiding places and you and the tortoise will both be happy campers.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! Sounds like you and your daughter are going to be having fun learning together about the new little Russian. Yes, I would immediately add to the playsand. I love (and so do my tortoises) a mixture of about 20% sand to the ecoearth/coir. Sand on it's own, if ingested can cause impaction. By adding the coir, a healthy hydrated tortoise should have no problem passing through it's system any sand it may pick up.Almost forgot... welcome!!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Stephenblock]

I also have a new russian tortoise and just built an outside enclosure. I am deworming him as he had an infection coming in. The vet said pinworms. Hopefully the meds cure him. I did notice that he has not eaten in the last few days and was wondering what that might be?

 

[jerry the tortoise]

Welcome I have a Russian tort to they r great I have only had jerry a few days and I am already in love with him

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Hello and Welcome!

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Hello and welcome!

 

[Julius25]

Welcome