Rescued this baby!!!

[Jesswelch]

Also. Since i keep my home at about 70 lowest. does he need his heat lamp on at night? I read that if it’s no below 60 it’s okay but just don’t want to make a mistake.

 

[wellington]

Thank you so so much! He is roaming his enclosure today!!. And enjoys the red light vs the daytime one he has. Now as far as his meals i tried a simple variety of options to see what he would eat & what he doesn’t prefer & he hasn’t touched it. I know it will take him time to adjust. Since i rescued him i want to take him to the vet asap. Hopefully they can give me some info on him. Thank you sooooo much! i’ll reach back out w further questions. Seriously appreciate you 💗

No red light. Tube fluorescent for uvb, incandescent flood for basking and ceramic heat emitter for added heat if needed and night heat. When more light is needed, add a regular bulb, not coil.

 

[Tom]

I wish Seemed as though his previous “owners” only fed him carrots. Thought he was fine & He was sick till i got him to the vet. That’s the problem w animals. They can’t tell you what they’re going through. Me as well thought when i found him he was healthy. But that wasn’t the case. Don’t judge a book by its cover. My dog & I found him dehydrated and malnourished and I grabbed and found every way to take care of him. Don’t hate on animal lovers. We’re only trying to help them. Whoever owned him didn’t give a **** about his diet maintence or simply love him. Which i will do. he is need of proper care which i will do everything i can to make sure he NEVER lives the way he had too again.

Don’t hate on beginners. I’m doing my best. He’s not my first baby to rescue. He’s my first i won’t let go of.

If you found him, how do you know he was only fed carrots?

Yes thank you! His enclosure is 50 gal but obviously no water. he fits in my hands. Should i get a bigger one? Is it okay to do a soak this soon?

50 gallons is WAYYYY too small. He needs at least 4x8 feet.

It is okay to soak anytime. If he was dehydrated when you found him, you should be soaking him daily for two weeks. Use warm water in a tall sided opaque tub that he can't see out of or climb out of. Leave him in for 30-40 minutes and keep the water warm the whole time. Soak him in a warm area, and replace the warm water as needed as it cools. If he acts like you dropped in a vat of acid and he's melting like the wicked witch of the east, don't worry. That is normal. Many Russians act like they hate water, but like a child having to eat their vegetables, it is good for them and necessary. When they try to climb out, we call that the tortoise treadmill. Its good exercise for them and helps to keep them fit and keep their GI tract moving.

Also. Since i keep my home at about 70 lowest. does he need his heat lamp on at night? I read that if it’s no below 60 it’s okay but just don’t want to make a mistake.

The tortoise does not need a heat lamp on at not and should not have one. Also, colored bulbs should not be used for tortoises. They have better color vision than we do and these bulbs mess with their circadian rhythms and make the world look funny to them. Sometimes they eat their substrate or other inappropriate things that are strangely colored by these lights. They need it dark at night and 70 is plenty warm for a Russian. Arguably, 70 at night is too warm for an adult Russian.

You do still need all the correct lighting elements, spelled out into threads I linked, for day time, and you need a much larger enclosure.