Our story

[Pailiry]

So we've had our Russian torts for about 8 years now. When we bought them from Petco they had been there for over a year and my wife and I had visited them often. It just so happened that my wife was taking a class with the manager of the store and she had mentioned how interested we were in getting them and he said he'd give them to us at cost since he wanted to replace their display with hermit crabs. So they became our discount torts. He had mentioned their breeder only produced females (judging by the temperature they incubated the eggs at) so we went 7 years thinking we had 2 female Russian torts.

Last August I got a job in Washington State, a very different climate from Florida, and along the way it became very apparent that we do not have two female torts. After hearing some squeaking from the back we pulled over to find the smaller of the two (Anya) performing some very male behaviors. After some quick research we realized that we should separate them for Star's (the real female) sake.

Since it is so cold here I have been keeping them together and only separate them when Anya gets frisky. He is only 4 inches long so I don't think is big enough to be fertile yet but he definitely does a good job of stressing Star out. Today I came home for lunch to find Star has split her beak some how. From what I gather from the forums here she likely bit her dish. Generally I feed them carrots and collard greens so I think they should be getting enough calcium but since this happened I will be getting some supplements for them. I know she might be going a little stir crazy since I haven't been able to let her outside in several months because it is so cold.

The break doesn't look like it will get infected, I inspected it pretty well with a flashlight and it doesn't lead up to any soft bits. I will keep an eye on it for sure.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep her from biting things she is not supposed to during winter, or really any tips about torts in winter period? I do have a UVB and heat lamp so I think she should be getting the light she needs. Also should I feed Star some softer foods until the beak looks better, she was eating fine when I noticed the break. Compared to some of the broken beak pictures on the forums here it does not look that bad, and again she was eating carrots when I noticed it.

Thanks for any help!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! i really do think they should be separated even if the male is not mating her its still very stressful for her to share a enclosure with a male. the male can even injure the female. can you post some enclosure pics? also pics of the injury.

 

[Pailiry]

here is the injury I had to go back to work after lunch but they are in usually in a 40gallon tank with a log to hide under, water bowl, food dish, and a fake plant. I have been keeping them together because when I separate them they both act very stressed.

I do not have 2 terrariums so I have been alternating them in a shallow but long 35 gallon storage bin. The kind that fit under your bed. I have 2 inches of bark substrate, a plant, and a food dish in that one, but again I don't leave either in there very long because when they are not in the same enclosure they both pace nonstop, regardless of which is where, and Star doesn't eat if Anya isn't around.

 

[tortadise]

Welcome

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ. Russians Rule ! They said you had 2x females . And they were still wroug I male and one female ! Yap that's a pet shop !

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Pailiry]

Thanks for the "welcomes"

just an update since i posted, I now realize that they both have overgrown beaks and will be picking up file on my way home. I would still like to know if I need to feed Star some soft food until her beak fills in a little bit

 

[Yvonne G]

Also, notice the front legs in that picture. That's a pretty skinny tortoise. There should be a lot more 'meat' on the upper legs.

Take a look at the Russian tortoise care sheet that we have pinned at the top of our Russian section. He gives you a whole list of different foods to feed your two. Carrots should not be one of the food items unless it is used sparingly. They eat mostly broad-leaf plants and weeds.

Welcome to the Forum! Talk about culture shock - from Florida to PNW? Wow!

 

[Heather H]

Hi and welcome

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. The proper food, the broad leafy greens is soft, so no problem with normal feeding. The aquarium is way too small for two adult russians. Even though they are a smaller species, they cover more ground in the wild then some of the larger tortoises. They really do need a larger enclousre and better yet, their own. Not sure if you said that you feed them on a flat rock or tile, but if you do, this will help to keep their beak filed

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[panaintevasile57]

Welcome

 

[lismar79]

At four inches they could be adults and old enough to breed.....Look at the diet pages variety is key to a healthy tort. If you are stuck with store greens try : endive, escrole, collard, turnip and mustard greens, romaine, spring mix, squash once in a while, prickly pear cactus and muzuri tort diet. Add a multi vitamin such as miner-all from sticky tounges. Seperate them as soon as you can and make re you have a good uv light inside for the winter months.

& welcome!