New Russian Owner

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Hello! I am a new Russian Tortoise owner and need help! My tortoise was shipped from Florida.
I had done research for a year and got everything set up, both indoor (for sleeping quarter at night) and outdoor habitat in the garden as another cute decoration.
So the tortoise arrived, and it pooped a lot at first. I thought maybe he was full before he was shipped. A day later, I gave him the greens, dandelions, also he is free to roam in the garden enclosure to soak in sun all day. It didn’t seem to eat a lot. Or maybe I didn’t see? Maybe should I keep him indoor with some food to see if he eats?

I fell in love with the cute tortoise and I want him to start his new life with our family on the right foot!
Thanks for advice!

 

[SinLA]

Welcome from another Los Angeles Russian Owner. There's a number of us on here.

First, make sure you read this. its a LOT, but worth the read: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

Second, it takes along time for them to settle down, especially after something fairly "traumatic" to what they are used to (like a cross country ship). Mine took months before he settled in, and he just got moved from Culver City to Burbank.

How old is it? If its a baby it may not be ready for your yard yet. Can you post pictures of him/her and your enclosure?

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Welcome from another Los Angeles Russian Owner. There's a number of us on here.

First, make sure you read this. its a LOT, but worth the read: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

Second, it takes along time for them to settle down, especially after something fairly "traumatic" to what they are used to (like a cross country ship). Mine took months before he settled in, and he just got moved from Culver City to Burbank.

How old is it? If its a baby it may not be ready for your yard yet. Can you post pictures of him/her and your enclosure?

Thank you so much for your reply! I will read the link thoroughly! The reptile owner said he is 4 years old and is about 4.5” diameter now. I am already at work right now, but I will take a picture when I get home. Right now I’m just keeping it inside in the indoor living quarter since it’s quite cold outside today. My daughter is homeschooled so she said she will take it outside when the sun is out. I will keep it posted!

 

[SinLA]

Do you know if the seller is the breeder? Every Petsmart says their Russians are "one year old" when they are, most certainly, not... in addition to photos let us know the dimensions of the space. Also I know Tom will ask - what "part" of LA are you in? You don't have to get specific, but outdoor situation needs for Redondo is going to be very different than Burbank or Palmdale so the general area/microclimate you are in would also be helpful.

 

[jsheffield]

Welcome to TFO!

I think it's the best place on the WWW to learn about your tortoise.

I live with 5 Russians, 4 craigslist rescues and a foundling, and I recommend reading this guide:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Once you've done some reading, come back with any questions you've got, and the experienced keepers here will be able to help you refine your care regimen.

Jamie

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Hello! Sorry I have been busy. Here is the picture of the enclosure.
Abe is still super super picky with the food. I am so stressed. He will finish the salad I give him (a size of his back) in 2 days. He only loves flowers.
I don’t know what’s wrong?
I am growing tortoise seed mix right now, hopefully in 2 weeks will sprout.
Is there a vitamin that can increase appetite?

 

[SinLA]

Looks like a good start but please get rid of that water bowl ASAP, its a death trap waiting to happen. Water bowl can be a $3 terracotta plant saucer from home depot sunk into the ground... Can you add plants in there? Some spider plants or something to provide cover? You can put down tortoise specific seed and it grew really well for me: https://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41&products_id=590

I will say it took a LONG time for mine to start eating properly, maybe 4-6 weeks after I got him, but he also had a pretty traumatic transition because I didn't know anything and made it worse for him.

Good that he loves flowers, nothing wrong with that. what other greens are you giving him?

What part of LA are you in? how much shade etc you need will be very different if you are in the South Bay vs the Valley.

 

[Cathie G]

Hello 🤗 and welcome 🤗 Sense Abe is only about 4 and 1/2 inches, the previous owners may have told you truthfully the age. Abe is more then likely approaching the teenage years. My tortoise was 5 inches across. I guestimated 4 or 5 years. He actually looked like a teenage tort. Sapphire now is still 5 inches but has filled out nicely. I'm sure he's an adult because I got him in 2007. Like us they grow to their size with the right food and care.😊

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

Yep yep!! I got the seed mix from Carolina pet supply. I made a little wooden box already so I can “protect” the sprout within the soil inside the enclosure (like patches) and I will move around the wooden box to other areas, i hope eventually the whole enclosure will be green.
I went to Home Depot and truthfully I found some plants that are tortoise safe. BUT…. The nice guy at HD said, the soil HD uses is fertilized… not organically. He would not plant it inside the enclosure…. If he wouldn’t, I wouldn’t! That’s why I am trying to grow sprouts.
Other greens: kale, roses, some spring mix salad, mustard greens, timothy hays (cut in small pieces)… varies everyday. I also bought hibiscus tree from HD, I have rinsed it every single day everyday for a week, now it is planted in the garden. Abe eats the hibiscus leaf and flowers too.
He just likes eating flowers *scratch head*
I don’t want him to be sick.

Thank you for the water dish warning! I will buy terracota dish today!

 

[AbeTheRussianTort]

I am in Los Angeles (Pasadena), BTW. we have crazy weather here… cold hot cold hot. Abe has a little house he likes to hide during super hot days, and I am going to make him a little hut for his food stands, so it will not be crispy by the end of the day.

 

[SinLA]

I am in Los Angeles (Pasadena), BTW. we have crazy weather here… cold hot cold hot. Abe has a little house he likes to hide during super hot days, and I am going to make him a little hut for his food stands, so it will not be crispy by the end of the day.

Yes, definitely don’t plant anything from a nursery directly. You can put some more shade in or even fake plants if he doesn’t try and eat it but something just for a little bit more cover until you get some good plant growth yourself you might wanna try some seed directly in His cage just to see what happens. I know some tortoises mow the newly grown seed right away, but mine pretty much let it grow and it might be a little late in the year for you to get it started though my enclosure was really barren this time last year but with all the rain we had it’s pretty crazy right now.

I feel ya about the weather. I was only able to get mine outside for a few hours this afternoon. It’s been crazy.

 

[Cathie G]

Yep yep!! I got the seed mix from Carolina pet supply. I made a little wooden box already so I can “protect” the sprout within the soil inside the enclosure (like patches) and I will move around the wooden box to other areas, i hope eventually the whole enclosure will be green.
I went to Home Depot and truthfully I found some plants that are tortoise safe. BUT…. The nice guy at HD said, the soil HD uses is fertilized… not organically. He would not plant it inside the enclosure…. If he wouldn’t, I wouldn’t! That’s why I am trying to grow sprouts.
Other greens: kale, roses, some spring mix salad, mustard greens, timothy hays (cut in small pieces)… varies everyday. I also bought hibiscus tree from HD, I have rinsed it every single day everyday for a week, now it is planted in the garden. Abe eats the hibiscus leaf and flowers too.
He just likes eating flowers *scratch head*
I don’t want him to be sick.

Thank you for the water dish warning! I will buy terracota dish today!

Wow I'm glad that Carolina pet supply is recuperating.. I used to get some things from them.