Omg

[Anyfoot]

The heart rate is through roof again.

Number 3 is completely out now. All 3 took about 24hrs to hatch.
Just checked on number 4 in that clutch and no signs of any action.
However number 5 has pipped. This is in a clutch of 3 from a different female. This clutch was 8days later than the 1st clutch of 4.
I'm curious to see if there are differences between the different clutch hatchlings. I have clutches from all 4 females that could be a combo of 2 males.
The adults have such different carapace and skin colors. One male has been Nick named voldemort, cause of the nearly white neck. Others are yellow or brown.

 

[Anyfoot]

Keep forgetting to ask, what's the best thing to use to mark these guys for IDing?

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

How much do they go for? I'm trying to restrain myself from getting one...

 

[Anyfoot]

How much do they go for? I'm trying to restrain myself from getting one...

Not got a clue, I've never seen one for sale.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

How much do they go for? I'm trying to restrain myself from getting one...

I was thinking the same as tortoisewarrior ! But I believe they go for pretty high if you dont usually see them sold.
But congrats!! How exciting! And how cute!
I may want to try breeding my russians in a few years, but im not sure yet.

 

[N2TORTS]

Sweeett...........................Great job buddy...congrads!

 

[Anyfoot]

Just made up a small enclosure for these guys. I managed to get a 2nd hand viv for £50.
Uvb is 5.0 , I've also put some fake ivy around the tube to dim the lighting even more. These are an African rainforest species and don't like it bright.
I gunned the tube and gets to 50°c at the most, so is safe. CHE is on a stat, tube on a timer.
Lined the enclosure.
Put a 3" layer of coir in. Then loads of moss, these guys like it super moist, with very wet areas. At the back is a pond I got with viv, it's about 1.5" deep, so packed it full with moss and filled with water, this acts as a marsh. For the hides I wanted to try and go more natural looking, so cut some roots off of the trees I dug up like last year, sort of interlocked them together and sunk them into the substrate, then piled moss on top. So although they look to be taking alot of room up they can dig in and around the roots. One on left also stops them sitting directly under the heat.
Water dish and slate for feeding. Not sure about slate though, these eat worms, so may need a dish with a lip on it. Will see how we go.
I'm aiming for 86f down to 78f. Not sure if that's to hot or not, my adults seem to prefer it in the low 70's.

 

[Anyfoot]

I've moved the 1st 3 into new enclosure, 3 times today I've found one roaming in the incubator, can't believe how active they are, they were using a dandelion leaf as a ladder to get out.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Looks like you've got some pretty creative and smart hatchlings! & i really cant get over how cute they are!!

 

[cdmay]

That is just great!
Very cool.

 

[Anyfoot]

The 4th one is out, again pip to hatch is 24hrs.
This one is still folded to shape of the egg. Looks like this female produces darker hatchlings.
Not very good photos, was rushing to much.
I'll take some better shots when I transfer him to the enclosure.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Very cute. Congrats!

 

[cdmay]

I would assume that mushrooms would be a favorite starter food for these guys?
Maybe hibiscus flowers too. Is that right?

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

Man, I am stuck on these guys. like hypnotized. I can't get enough.uuuggghhhhh..........

 

[Anyfoot]

I would assume that mushrooms would be a favorite starter food for these guys?
Maybe hibiscus flowers too. Is that right?

Carl, glad you mentioned diet. I'm a bit concerned on what to feed, this morning I put some mushrooms and weeds in, Although I'm not expecting them to eat anything yet, and probably never weeds.

My adults will not eat greens or weeds, very very occasionally Ive seen them eat kale. Ive tried starving them into eating greens, I just think these guys eat majority of diet as protein. I know tortadise reckons as high as 80% protein in diet. With what I'm experiencing with these adults, I think he's right.
Main diet for my adults is worms,snails,slugs,fruit and mushrooms, lots of mushrooms.

I've tried to find out more about there native habitat regarding foliage, but that's hard info to come by.
One article I read mentioned they live on marsh lands, this would tally up with what I'm experiencing regarding the high protein requirements.

Do you think I should go straight in with the high protein levels with these guys?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Just mail me one by mistake!

 

[juli11]

Carl, glad you mentioned diet. I'm a bit concerned on what to feed, this morning I put some mushrooms and weeds in, Although I'm not expecting them to eat anything yet, and probably never weeds.

My adults will not eat greens or weeds, very very occasionally Ive seen them eat kale. Ive tried starving them into eating greens, I just think these guys eat majority of diet as protein. I know tortadise reckons as high as 80% protein in diet. With what I'm experiencing with these adults, I think he's right.
Main diet for my adults is worms,snails,slugs,fruit and mushrooms, lots of mushrooms.

I've tried to find out more about there native habitat regarding foliage, but that's hard info to come by.
One article I read mentioned they live on marsh lands, this would tally up with what I'm experiencing regarding the high protein requirements.

Do you think I should go straight in with the high protein levels with these guys?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Great job! I fed my hatchlings 3 years ago very much protein. The main diet were earthworms. I also feed much mushrooms with vitamin powder and some fruits..( mango etc). That worked really well. If my spekes hatchling will hatched I'll feed the same diet to them!

 

[Pearly]

I love how you fixed their viv with the tree roots and the marsh-pond. They are soooo cute! You might be in better shape as for sourcing mushrooms over there than me over here. I'd be in some trouble! How about Mazuri or any commercial diet? Is there any formula that's designed for them especially to supplement the shrooms, worms etc?

I have found 4 or 5 different brands of Forest Tortoise dry formulas for my baby RF's. They each are little different in added ingredients (the main ones are pretty similar), texture, color, smell and I guess they differ in flavor. I soak them and add little to their morning feeding rotating brands daily. They comprise about 1/3-1/4 of their breakfast. The afternoon feeding is all fresh stuff but the babies love it especially my little Tucker, he always goes straight for that food. Most of the time I mash it and stir into the fresh food to encourage him to eat that.

I know nothing about your babies' species, just throwing random ideas. The sure are very cute!

 

[Anyfoot]

I love how you fixed their viv with the tree roots and the marsh-pond. They are soooo cute! You might be in better shape as for sourcing mushrooms over there than me over here. I'd be in some trouble! How about Mazuri or any commercial diet? Is there any formula that's designed for them especially to supplement the shrooms, worms etc?

I have found 4 or 5 different brands of Forest Tortoise dry formulas for my baby RF's. They each are little different in added ingredients (the main ones are pretty similar), texture, color, smell and I guess they differ in flavor. I soak them and add little to their morning feeding rotating brands daily. They comprise about 1/3-1/4 of their breakfast. The afternoon feeding is all fresh stuff but the babies love it especially my little Tucker, he always goes straight for that food. Most of the time I mash it and stir into the fresh food to encourage him to eat that.

I know nothing about your babies' species, just throwing random ideas. The sure are very cute!

No shortage of mushrooms here, EVER.
I go in garden after dark most nights collecting worms and slugs for the adults.

I don't think they are ready to eat yet, egg sack only just been absorbed, so they have some nutrients in them from that.
My concern was that I'm of the opinion these eat mostly protein. But at the same time is that the correct thing to do(feed high protein)
There's obviously some very experienced herps on here that must know of other species that have similar high protein needs?

 

[cdmay]

I would try the mushrooms to start with, and chopped night crawlers. Avoid high fat protein like chicken and beef. Stick with the night crawlers, crushed snails and stuff like that.
Not an expert here, but I would treat them essentially like neonate box turtles.
So strawberries might be good too.
Avoid Mazuri too except as an occasional variation. And I do mean occasional.