New Tortoise Owner from CO

[RaeY]

Hello! My name is Rae and I live in Colorado. Me and my boyfriend recently took in a Russian Tortoise we named Speedy Tortellini (we call him Torti) because he needed a home.
My bf has always wanted a tortoise so we have done a good amount of research, but we weren’t 100% prepared for Torti. His first owner sadly passed, and while we didn’t know her, a mutual friend did so he asked us to take him in since no one else could. We don’t even know his original name so we gave him one ourselves. We have had him for about three weeks now. We have ofc done so SO much research since getting Torti and I found this forum which has been so great. I have read all the other introductions and all the comments and links under them. And I’ve read so many other posts and threads on this forum about everything.
We still have him in his original enclosure, but we do not know how long he’s been in this one. After research we know he needs a bigger one. And we want to make it way better for him. We will be getting all of that soon.
I will post some pics of his current enclosure and Mr. Torti himself for some advice about what to get Sorry they aren’t great pics.
But since we didn’t know his original owner we do not know anything about how old he is exactly, or how his life was like before.
We also worry about him getting too cold her in Colorado since our house heater goes up and down. We did just buy him a new ceramic heat emitter from recommendations i’ve read on here which will come in a few days.
I also know his water bowl isn’t right and he needs a lower one, which we also ordered. But please give any advice you have! I’ve read a lot, and so has my boyfriend, but we could always use more
So happy i found this forum!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello and welcome! Great, that you've taken care of this guy and do your best to make him thrive!

Here is a few posts which provide "concentrated knowledge" and care overview (if you haven't seen them already):
1. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/
2. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

And some suggestions on current enclosure:
1. Lightning:
* to keep him active through the winter you will a need bright ambient light through the day (13-14 hours), over the whole enclosure. A simple LED lamp or a LED strip will work (get a "cold day light" one, with color temperature of 6000-6500K).
* he needs a "basking spot" - bright lit and warm spot. An incandescent (tungsten) 65watt flood lamp is a simple way to make it. Keep it on for 14 hours a day too. Also you can place a flat rock or slate under the bulb.
* A good UVB source at the basking spot is required. Only flourescent tube lamps should be used. You need T5 HO lamp with fixture such as ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia proT5 Kit Desert 12%. Minimal available length (e.g. 22") is okay. UVB should be on for 4 hours around midday.
* It's not clearly seen on photo, but if you use a clamp lamp - remove the clamp and hang on stand or something like that. Clamps are *very* unreliable and sooner or later the lamp will fall into the enclosure.

To turn on/off the lights you can use timer or "smart" sockets. For use with CHE a thermostat is required. Also you need a digital thermometer/hygrometer with probes (don't get "gauges" which stick to the glass), you can get a "smart" one if you want.

With some luck everything but the UVB lamp could be found in DIY/hardware stores.

Welcome once again! Please ask questions if you feel overwhelmed or confused, we will try to help and sort the things out.

 

[SuzanneZ]

Hello! My name is Rae and I live in Colorado. Me and my boyfriend recently took in a Russian Tortoise we named Speedy Tortellini (we call him Torti) because he needed a home.
My bf has always wanted a tortoise so we have done a good amount of research, but we weren’t 100% prepared for Torti. His first owner sadly passed, and while we didn’t know her, a mutual friend did so he asked us to take him in since no one else could. We don’t even know his original name so we gave him one ourselves. We have had him for about three weeks now. We have ofc done so SO much research since getting Torti and I found this forum which has been so great. I have read all the other introductions and all the comments and links under them. And I’ve read so many other posts and threads on this forum about everything.
We still have him in his original enclosure, but we do not know how long he’s been in this one. After research we know he needs a bigger one. And we want to make it way better for him. We will be getting all of that soon.
I will post some pics of his current enclosure and Mr. Torti himself for some advice about what to get Sorry they aren’t great pics.
But since we didn’t know his original owner we do not know anything about how old he is exactly, or how his life was like before.
We also worry about him getting too cold her in Colorado since our house heater goes up and down. We did just buy him a new ceramic heat emitter from recommendations i’ve read on here which will come in a few days.
I also know his water bowl isn’t right and he needs a lower one, which we also ordered. But please give any advice you have! I’ve read a lot, and so has my boyfriend, but we could always use more
So happy i found this forum!

View attachment 362983View attachment 362982View attachment 362981

Welcome! I'm new, too, and have a male and female Russian.I've taken in so much information that I'm just trying to digest it. Then I read something new. He's handsome. Have you picked up thermometers yet? It's important to know temperatures in several places. I'd say read the collected info on here, but it sounds like you already have.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Rae!

 

[SinLA]

Welcome! Please remove that water bowl right away, it is a potential drowning hazard. They should use something flat like a saucer that is pushed down into the substrate a bit. They can actually flip in that bowl and end up underwater.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

When new forum members don't reply for a while after their introductory post I'm getting really worried that we have scared them off...

 

[Ink]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[RaeY]

When new forum members don't reply for a while after their introductory post I'm getting really worried that we have scared them off...

nope haha i just slept and then went to work 😂

 

[RaeY]

Welcome! Please remove that water bowl right away, it is a potential drowning hazard. They should use something flat like a saucer that is pushed down into the substrate a bit. They can actually flip in that bowl and end up underwater.

Ok will do! we just ordered him a new saucer for water a couple days ago

 

[RaeY]

Welcome! I'm new, too, and have a male and female Russian.I've taken in so much information that I'm just trying to digest it. Then I read something new. He's handsome. Have you picked up thermometers yet? It's important to know temperatures in several places. I'd say read the collected info on here, but it sounds like you already have.

Yes we just got a thermometer! Been buying so many new things for him

 

[RaeY]

Hello and welcome! Great, that you've taken care of this guy and do your best to make him thrive!

Here is a few posts which provide "concentrated knowledge" and care overview (if you haven't seen them already):
1. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/
2. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

And some suggestions on current enclosure:
1. Lightning:
* to keep him active through the winter you will a need bright ambient light through the day (13-14 hours), over the whole enclosure. A simple LED lamp or a LED strip will work (get a "cold day light" one, with color temperature of 6000-6500K).
* he needs a "basking spot" - bright lit and warm spot. An incandescent (tungsten) 65watt flood lamp is a simple way to make it. Keep it on for 14 hours a day too. Also you can place a flat rock or slate under the bulb.
* A good UVB source at the basking spot is required. Only flourescent tube lamps should be used. You need T5 HO lamp with fixture such as ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia proT5 Kit Desert 12%. Minimal available length (e.g. 22") is okay. UVB should be on for 4 hours around midday.
* It's not clearly seen on photo, but if you use a clamp lamp - remove the clamp and hang on stand or something like that. Clamps are *very* unreliable and sooner or later the lamp will fall into the enclosure.

To turn on/off the lights you can use timer or "smart" sockets. For use with CHE a thermostat is required. Also you need a digital thermometer/hygrometer with probes (don't get "gauges" which stick to the glass), you can get a "smart" one if you want.

With some luck everything but the UVB lamp could be found in DIY/hardware stores.

Welcome once again! Please ask questions if you feel overwhelmed or confused, we will try to help and sort the things out.

thank you so much for this!

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Welcome Rae....to the wild wonderful world of torting! Great group of people here to help you along.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome Rae!