owner needs help - care info please

[spartacus1995]

Hey everyone I'm new here and I need some help with my Russian tortoise. I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl but I call it a him and named him spartacus. I'm worried that I may not be caring for him right. I only feed him spring mix and I spray it with calcium spray. He is on a bedding of sand and coconut shaving mixture. I have a day bulb with UVA properties but not UVB. He use to go outside but he was attacked by a dog so now I keep him inside. I'm worried that he may be dehydrated because it doesn't seem very moist in his cage. Should I switch his bedding? He seems healthy he eats and drinks and digs and sleeps normally. I soak him once a week and clean him with a tooth brush. I give him fruit every now and than. His skin seems dry though. Am I doing anything wrong??? I'm worried his cage is to small because it is only a 55 gallon tank! Please any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! A pic of him is attached.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! i would replace the substrate because sand can get in his intestines and cause harm. use cyprus munch or the coconut shavings. i would bump up the soaks to 2-4 times a week.UVB is a must for reptiles.your tort needs a diet of variety i feed my russians mostly weeds grasses and some lettuces. also i would replace the water bowl cause the one you have now is a flip hazard, use a flatter bowl. how big is the enclosure is he in now?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ read this entire care sheet.

pic of my russians enclosure

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

sorry about the picture of the plant i accidentally posted it lol

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum! I love that pic of your cute tort. Personally I give my beloved Greek tort a soak almost daily in warm water. Please make sure that the water isn't too hot/cold. Torts, I know need...humidity. Take care of cats not only dogs....when it is nice and sunny I take my tort for a "walk." And...my GOD, you wouldn't believe it..cats try to approach but once they realize that my tort has a...bodyguard i.e.me they disappear within seconds! Good luck.

 

[Gillian M]

welcome to the forum! i would replace the substrate because sand can get in his intestines and cause harm. use cyprus munch or the coconut shavings. i would bump up the soaks to 2-4 times a week.UVB is a must for reptiles.your tort needs a diet of variety i feed my russians mostly weeds grasses and some lettuces. also i would replace the water bowl cause the one you have now is a flip hazard, use a flatter bowl. how big is the enclosure is he in now?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ read this entire care sheet.

pic of my russians enclosure

Hi. I totally agree that sand can be very harmful to torts, but as for soaks don't you that 2-4 are not enough? Appreciate an answer.Thanks in advance your help.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

for baby torts you need to soak them a lot but as they get older you can cut down on the soaking.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

also read the soaking part of the russian care sheet i posted a link to Gillian

 

[leigti]

Welcome to the forum. If you feel your tortoise is dehydrated you can soak him every day for a week or so. By the way I love the name if your tortoise cannot get outside for at least a few hours a week you definitely need a UVB bulb. And he will need a Basking area, you can use a regular lightbulb for that. Or you can get a combination MVB bulb for UVB and heat together. I use a mixture of orchid bark and coconut coir for my indoor enclosure. You can use a terra-cotta plant saucer as a waterbowl. Check out the Russian tortoise section of this for him and all of this is explained in detail. Spring mix is fine but try to mix in some variety like dandelion greens, turnip greens, and I've, escarole, my tortoise loves cactus pads with the spines scraped off. There are numerous options for substrate and lighting as well as enclosures. There are a lot of helpful people that will answer your questions. The Russian tortoise section is great and you should be able to find your answers there, if not just keep asking.

 

[smarch]

He's looking pretty good. You've already been sent to the basic care sheets and all that so I wont repeat any of that info, but from someone who started with a straight sand substrate back 2.5 years ago, I know first hand sand can destroy humidity, so when you fix the substrate this may also help general humidity in the enclosure.
Welcome by the way

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Welcome! Everyone's already given you to basics, but here's an awesome edible weed and plant list- http://russiantortoise.net/edible_plants.htm -also going to say 55 gallons is small. an adult russian (8-10'') needs a 4x8' area indoors, and at least that outside! Russians looove to wander!