New To the Tortoise game

[LostEd]

Well The Girlfriend talked me into it the other day....ok well I mean I have always wanted an other Turtle/Tortoise since I was little when my last one ran away ( found him year later in the lake I lived on lol let him stay )

We plan on getting two Russians in the next week or so, shes going to school to be a vet Me I am just good a following directions haha and taking advice on things Reasons why I am on here

But any way so we went to the Home Depot and got one of those nice large roughneck buckets 54 gals I think it was, and a clamp light for the UVB/Basking light 100w we picked up, have a few temp gaugues and humidity ones as well .... Figured I would build a little ramp and do a little 2 floor thing for them I heard they like to climb?

for the subtrates have a bag of Zoo Med Premium Repti Bark and some Zoo Med Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate,


I guess the only questions are I have the stuff I just don't know how to go about setting up in the correct way for them to enjoy them selfs and be happy also If you recomend me getting something else or more of something that would be great

Thanks for the help guys can't wait

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi LostEd:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I don't think that container is big enough for two Russian tortoises. Is there any way you can set them up outside? Steppe tortoises (Russians) are wanderers. They won't do well in a small container in the house. They will drive you crazy with their scrambling to get out - constantly.

Also, if you should happen to end up with two males, you will have constant fighting. If its a male/female pair, then the male will pester the female all the time trying to breed her. Two females might be ok.

These things are very stressful for the tortoise, but are minimized in a large outdoor enclosure.

May we know your name and appx. where in the world you are?

 

[LostEd]

Thank you for the welcome My name is Ed Cash, living in the Seacoast Area of New Hampshire

yeah we were not to sure if it was big enough for two, right now we are just setting up an area for one to live in and then we will be going to go out and getting one


as for outside set up unfortually that wouldn't work kind of have alot of local cats always running around and other wild animals running around that wouldnt mix well and the amount of trees just block most of the sun