Our new baby, Ducky T.

[Casie A]

Hello! We are the proud owners of what I belive is a Russian baby tort. Never owned one before, and I must admit to being confused on several topics. I will say this site has helped a lot. She is about 3.5 inches long but so gosh darn cute! Right now, she is in a 40 foot tank but we are actively building her an outdoor resort, and will follow that up with a torty table asap. We have crazy dogs, so that is a consideration with her housing.

My biggest questions are around food and potty. She is a good eater. Loves some cucumber in the morning. After she eats, we take her outside for about 30 minutes. We live in Florida, so heat is easy. After that, she sleeps most of the day. I have not seen her poop, and I think she peed once. She moves around really well and seems bright eyed. Is this normal? She has an appointment Tuesday with an exotic vet.

Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Cherryshell]

Welcome to the forums! Please take a look at the care sheet here: https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

This will provide you with answers to your food question. For the potty issue try soaking her in warm water that comes up to just about where the top and bottom of the shell meet.

 

[Casie A]

Welcome to the forums! Please take a look at the care sheet here: https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

This will provide you with answers to your food question. For the potty issue try soaking her in warm water that comes up to just about where the top and bottom of the shell meet.

Thank you! We did a soak the other day but I am not sure the water was warm enough. We will do another one tomorrow!

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Thank you! We did a soak the other day but I am not sure the water was warm enough. We will do another one tomorrow!

Welcome!!!
He is gorgeous!!
You will LOOOOVVEE THIS site.
You will get all the RIGHT information here I promise you that.
Best of luck and talk soon!!
❤️??

 

[Cherryshell]

Thank you! We did a soak the other day but I am not sure the water was warm enough. We will do another one tomorrow!

Soaking should be a daily ritual, helps the tort stay hydrated

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Casie, and welcome to the Forum!!

I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed if you feel your new "baby" is going to grow and get bigger. You have a russian tortoise (Testudo horsefieldii). It's a small species and your tortoise is full grown. There's no way to know for sure, but my guess is he's about 10 years old.

 

[Casie A]

Soaking should be a daily ritual, helps the tort stay hydrated

Thank you! We just gave her another soak for about 20 minutes. There were bubbles coming out of the bottom of her shell!! She farted! I love her even more now... ? ?

 

[TaylorTortoise]

What a beautiful Russian! I own a Male Russian. What are you feeding your little girl?

 

[Casie A]

What a beautiful Russian! I own a Male Russian. What are you feeding your little girl?

Hello! She gets romaine lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and carrots tops. Yellow squash, and hibiscus flowers as treats. We will feed her roses to but we have to grow those ourselves. What do you feed your gentleman? Can you send a picture?

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Hello! She gets romaine lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and carrots tops. Yellow squash, and hibiscus flowers as treats. We will feed her roses to but we have to grow those ourselves. What do you feed your gentleman? Can you send a picture?

From a local produce junction:
Escarole, Red Leaf, Dandelions, I forget the other ones name. But all safe from a locale produce store who gets them fresh. I have to hand wash them to get additional dirt off.

 

[Casie A]

From a local produce junction:
Escarole, Red Leaf, Dandelions, I forget the other ones name. But all safe from a locale produce store who gets them fresh. I have to hand wash them to get additional dirt off.

Hello! We get her food from a local health market, all organic. She eats better than we do! She did go to the vet... healthy, 4ish year old.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Hello! We get her food from a local health market, all organic. She eats better than we do! She did go to the vet... healthy, 4ish year old.

? hahaha…. She looks like she has a
New Jersey attitude. ?

 

[Casie A]

? hahaha…. She looks like she has a
New Jersey attitude. ?

I have to agree with you on that... she is a bit sassy! ?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

I have to agree with you on that... she is a bit sassy! ?

Gorgeous non the less.. ☺️?

 

[Casie A]

Gorgeous non the less.. ☺️?

Thank you! She has recently discovered how much she likes roses and hibiscus.. home grown of course! What kind of tortoise do you have?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Thank you! She has recently discovered how much she likes roses and hibiscus.. home grown of course! What kind of tortoise do you have?

???…. She looks like she has teeth!
?????????

You’ll be sorry you asked…
I have a 120lb female Sulcata.
But she has lost weight so I think now she is about 100lbs. ..easy.
But I think my back will tell you she is 1,000 lbs DEAD WEIGHT….??
Well loved though….
And I have to throw in that I have a little garden snail. He was found in a head of lettuce that I bought to feed my tortoise.
His name is….Gary.
And as snails go…. He is very proud of himself. (Almost a little cocky if you ask me.
?
Well loved too!

 

[Casie A]

???…. She looks like she has teeth!
?????????

You’ll be sorry you asked…
I have a 120lb female Sulcata.
But she has lost weight so I think now she is about 100lbs. ..easy.
But I think my back will tell you she is 1,000 lbs DEAD WEIGHT….??
Well loved though….
And I have to throw in that I have a little garden snail. He was found in a head of lettuce that I bought to feed my tortoise.
His name is….Gary.
And as snails go…. He is very proud of himself. (Almost a little cocky if you ask me.
?
Well loved too!

My son has now started calling her The Vampire Ducky. ? she decimated that rose and got petals all over her face!

OMG! That is awesome! I would love to get a sulcata but I have three dogs. Also, I think I need to get a bit more experience first.

Does she come when you call her? What's her name? What do you feed her? Is she free range in the yard? How old is she? Can you send a picture? Sorry so many questions but I'm new to this tortoise love and I want to know everything!

Well, of course his name is Gary! Just like my Chihuahua is named Taco. That is so cute!

 

[Krista S]

My son has now started calling her The Vampire Ducky. ? she decimated that rose and got petals all over her face!

OMG! That is awesome! I would love to get a sulcata but I have three dogs. Also, I think I need to get a bit more experience first.

Does she come when you call her? What's her name? What do you feed her? Is she free range in the yard? How old is she? Can you send a picture? Sorry so many questions but I'm new to this tortoise love and I want to know everything!

Well, of course his name is Gary! Just like my Chihuahua is named Taco. That is so cute!

Welcome to the forum @Casie A You already fit right in!

@Chefdenoel10 you've got to include a picture of Gary for @Casie A as well. Gary is a pretty cool little dude and kinda cute too! ?. And of course, we now need to see a picture of Taco if you don’t mind sharing. By the way, your little Vampire Ducky is pretty stinkin’ cute! I love that pic of her with her mouth open revealing her little vampire fangs. ?

 

[Casie A]

Welcome to the forum @Casie A You already fit right in!

@Chefdenoel10 you've got to include a picture of Gary for @Casie A as well. Gary is a pretty cool little dude and kinda cute too! ?. And of course, we now need to see a picture of Taco if you don’t mind sharing. By the way, your little Vampire Ducky is pretty stinkin’ cute! I love that pic of her with her mouth open revealing her little vampire fangs. ?

Hello Krista S! Thank you for the welcome! I love this site already. I would love to share pictures of my pups... ? here is one of my Taco and his Labrador, Cherry Banana. Also, Taco as a masseuse! Cherry won a spot in the Humane Society of Tampa 2022 calendar. We are very excited about that! And I included a picture of my Hank!

What kind of tortoise do you have? Will share a picture?

Chefdenoel, please share a picture of Gary!

 

[Krista S]

Hello Krista S! Thank you for the welcome! I love this site already. I would love to share pictures of my pups... ? here is one of my Taco and his Labrador, Cherry Banana. Also, Taco as a masseuse! Cherry won a spot in the Humane Society of Tampa 2022 calendar. We are very excited about that! And I included a picture of my Hank!

What kind of tortoise do you have? Will share a picture?

Chefdenoel, please share a picture of Gary!

That’s the cutest masseuse I’ve ever seen! All your pups are beautiful!! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

I have a 2 year old Eastern Hermann’s tortoise named Dozer. I’ve had him since he was 3 months old and he has completely taken over my life. I had no idea how much personality a tortoise could have. He’s completely captured my heart and is spoiled rotten. Here’s a couple recent pictures.