new russian, please help!

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missshelbyl

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Okay so I wanted to get a new pet, and someone suggested to me a russian tortoise. I thought about it, did a little (definitely not enough) research and bought one. Now i'm lost.

I have done a lot of research and I keep coming up with different answers to my questions. So i want answers from people who know, and have a russian tortoise and can tell me exactly what i need to do.

The lady at petco told me to keep the humidity level at 70%, but then she said if its too high he ( I named him Donatello) will get shell rot. To me 70% is very moist, and very hard to maintain with the heat lamp, and most websites say between 40 and 65%... so which is it?

Another website told me romaine lettuce was really bad for tortoises and I should keep him on a strict diet of iceberg lettuce. This seemed really odd to me because iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value. So I've been feeding him a base of romaine lettuce, zucchini, green bell peppers, napoles, and carrots and every time I feed him I add something different like collards, hibiscus flowers and leaves, turnip greens, or mustard greens. Is this right? and how often am I supposed to feed my little guy? Right now I make him a fresh bowl of food before I go to work and before I go to bed. He typically only eats the food in the afternoon so do I stop feeding him at night?

I don't understand all the differences between the vitamins and lights either. I've been scraping cuttlebone into his food, and I'm using a light that puts out uva rays, but doesn't he need more vitamins and both uva and uvb rays?

I like to handle my tortoise, but one website told me not to, and another said I should handle him for at least 3 hours a day. How much should I really handle him?

I'm having a turtle table built for him, once I get some advice on how big and deep it should be. I have a spare bedroom where I intend on keeping the table, so I was thin king about the size of the top of a picnic table, and about 8 inches deep. Is this too much for one turtle?

I would greatly appreciate any advice and help anyone can give me. I've grown to love my little guy, and I want to be the best "mommy" I can be for him!

thank you!
 

egyptiandan

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Hi,
Welcome to the forum :D
Russian tortoises can take just about any air humidity % as long as it's not dripping wet like the rain forest. You just don't want to keep them on a damp substrate as that can cause shell rot.
I would stop the feedings at night as he's just going to be sleeping at night. Your diets not bad, but could use some more weeds and greens in it. Yes iceburg lettuce would only be used to give extra water to a tortoise, as like you said it has very little nutritional value.
Yes you do need a light that gives off UVB.
A table as large as possible is just great. You will though need to make it deeper as Russians love to dig. I would say 16" to 20" deep, so you can have the substrate 6" to 8" deep.
If at all possible an outside enclosure would benefit him greatly. :D
If you haven't found it yet here is a great site for Russian tortoises
http://www.russiantortoise.org/

Danny
 

Redfootedboxturtles

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I would just like to add that hibiscus flowers and leaves are great and can really be the bulk of your russians diet along with dandylions.

Also humidity is good for russians. If you are having a hard time keeping the cage humid try making a humid hidding box. I use solid color plastic container turned upside down with a door cut in it. Under that I use damp cypress mulch.
 

RTfanatic

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If there is moisture in the substrate there will be more humidity when they dig into it to rest or nest than there will be above it. I try to keep my humidity reading around 50% because it is a few inches above the surface. Right after I wet it I can usually see a rise to 55% or so, but it drops within a day or so. But wetting and mixing it every 3-4 days tends to keep it around 50% most of the time. I would tend to think a 70% humidity in the air would mean the substrate is too moist and could cause shell rot in an RT.
 

agiletorts

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If you have time you could read all of the old postings in this forum and I think they provide very good information and directly from the people who keep RT as a pet. Just remember that there is no one correct way of raising your pet, so don't worry about little differences.
 

Jenn1

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I have 3 rt,s.
My tort table is 3x6 and 12 inches tall.
I use a t-rex bulb.It has uva/b and heat all in one.On the hot side it should be at 90 to 95 degrees.And cool side at 65 to 70 degrees.The best way to take the temps is with a probe thermometer.You take the temps under the light on top of the substrate.They dont need humitity in the air,they get it from the miost substrate.
For substrate I use bed a beast,eco earth or cocunut coir,mixed with play sand.I stir it up everyday and add water when needed.Just enough to make a ball in hand,no drips.I also provide them with a dry spot full of timithy hay on the cool side.
Your tort is new so I would suggest doing a vet check and taking a fecal sample.Most pet stores have wc torts and most carry worms and perisites.
Also soak yout tort everyday for 20 minutes,and there after 3 times a week.Luke warm water and undkeep water under the neck.This will keep him hidrated and most torts will poo and urate in the water.Good way to get a sample and also a good way to keep an eye on poo and urates.
I use this care sheet http://www.russiantortoise.org/care_sheet.htm
 

sushisurf13

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I would agree that 70% seems quite high. You seem to be feeding a good diet but more grass and weeds/dandilions would be better. Variety is the spice of life!
My russian (Beeker) lives out in my backyard in a 25' X 15' pen. I have plenty of grass and weed back there so I have to water it almost everyday. Of course this raises the humidity, but it dries out pretty quick. He loves to dig and bury himself. I live in Southern California, near the beach and the humidity is about 30%-40% give or take. I never bring him inside, he has a rainproof "house".
He loves his grass/weeds and is very fond of dark leafy greens (kale, escrole, endive, arugula ect..)
These guys are pretty easy to make happy and it sounds like he will have a great life with you. I'm glad you found this site, you will find TONS of people that will give you great advice.
And, stay away from the Iceberg lettuce!
Take care and good luck.
 

sushisurf13

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And,
Some dont mind being held and some hate it. Your guy will let you know.
I do think they get a bit stressed if they dont like it. I can hold my Beeker for about a minute before he tries to get down.
 
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