Russian Tortoise

Squiggles

New Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington heights Illinois
Hi, I'm new to this forum but have had Speedy, a Russian tortoise for a few years now. I feel like I should be doing a much better job than I am because the vet has given me much information,but the poor little guy isn't eating much and if I add the calcium or vitamin d that is recommended he doesn't touch food at all. I give him a bath everyday but I wasn't drying him off until I started reading this I also wasn't changing up his cage with new and exciting things until I read this, but the most exciting thing I've come up with now are pebbles. I had a dig box in there with dirt I bought from home depot but after reading this I took it out. When I got him he came with no water because he got his water from his food. He was very thirsty. He was also on rocks and nothing else. He is now on hay and newspaper. I was putting his food on the hay and not in a dish, I will address that today. his cage is quite small considering all the things i've read but apparently a tortoise table is not something you use indefinitely so I probable won't start with one. I live in the Chicago area so i cant put him outside but I take him out. He finds a bite or two of weeds out there but mostly just wants to hide. If anyone has a good description or picture of an indoor cage that would be very helpful, and any other ideas to get him to eat. One last thing, do there beaks (nose) grow like a bird, I might just be imagining it?
 

wellington

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Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Hay and paper is not a proper substrate. Coconut coir or orchid bark is. He needs a 4x8 foot minimum enclosure.
I live in Chicago and yes, he can live outside from spring to fall. 60 at night is not too cold for a Russian. I have a Russian outside. He comes in for wintet. I have leopards too who also lives outside for the same time with a heated shed for night time as they can't handle as cold as a Russian can. When you soak a tort you don't dry them off.
Most vets don't have a clue about tortoises. Read our caresheet and make changes.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Hi, I'm new to this forum but have had Speedy, a Russian tortoise for a few years now. I feel like I should be doing a much better job than I am because the vet has given me much information,but the poor little guy isn't eating much and if I add the calcium or vitamin d that is recommended he doesn't touch food at all. I give him a bath everyday but I wasn't drying him off until I started reading this I also wasn't changing up his cage with new and exciting things until I read this, but the most exciting thing I've come up with now are pebbles. I had a dig box in there with dirt I bought from home depot but after reading this I took it out. When I got him he came with no water because he got his water from his food. He was very thirsty. He was also on rocks and nothing else. He is now on hay and newspaper. I was putting his food on the hay and not in a dish, I will address that today. his cage is quite small considering all the things i've read but apparently a tortoise table is not something you use indefinitely so I probable won't start with one. I live in the Chicago area so i cant put him outside but I take him out. He finds a bite or two of weeds out there but mostly just wants to hide. If anyone has a good description or picture of an indoor cage that would be very helpful, and any other ideas to get him to eat. One last thing, do there beaks (nose) grow like a bird, I might just be imagining it?
I made my Russian a plant terrarium cage. I basically sealed a glass table with windows together to keep it waterproof. the top of the enclosure is closed in on the basking side with a screen. My Russian loves to be able to look out his cage to see what is going on. I introduce him to new things every now and then. Switching things up when he seems bored. I added a second level which has a hide underneath and a safe deck with walls and a latter to go up and down. His basking side has a fake plant to hangout in with rocks around it. Under the latter I put a flat rock for another hide it's a tight hide it makes him feel very secure.
He really loves his castle mancave that is his little hut that my boyfriend built with the 2nd level addition.

I recommend wooden garden enclosures for tortoises. Home depot, Lowes, A garden center can carry these things. You can add levels if you do not have the space to adjust/ make more space by building a second small level using wood and a latter. ideas on pinterest and etsy.
 

Krista S

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Platinum Tortoise Club
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Aug 4, 2019
Messages
1,364
Location (City and/or State)
Saskatchewan
Hi, I'm new to this forum but have had Speedy, a Russian tortoise for a few years now. I feel like I should be doing a much better job than I am because the vet has given me much information,but the poor little guy isn't eating much and if I add the calcium or vitamin d that is recommended he doesn't touch food at all. I give him a bath everyday but I wasn't drying him off until I started reading this I also wasn't changing up his cage with new and exciting things until I read this, but the most exciting thing I've come up with now are pebbles. I had a dig box in there with dirt I bought from home depot but after reading this I took it out. When I got him he came with no water because he got his water from his food. He was very thirsty. He was also on rocks and nothing else. He is now on hay and newspaper. I was putting his food on the hay and not in a dish, I will address that today. his cage is quite small considering all the things i've read but apparently a tortoise table is not something you use indefinitely so I probable won't start with one. I live in the Chicago area so i cant put him outside but I take him out. He finds a bite or two of weeds out there but mostly just wants to hide. If anyone has a good description or picture of an indoor cage that would be very helpful, and any other ideas to get him to eat. One last thing, do there beaks (nose) grow like a bird, I might just be imagining it?
Welcome to the forum. It’s great that you’re researching more now and wanting to give your tortoise a better life. You said that you’ve read a tortoise table is not something you use indefinitely but I completely disagree. If its large enough and has everything a tortoise needs, there’s no reason why a Testudo can’t live in a tortoise table for their whole life. I’m in Canada and most the year has unsuitable weather for me to take my tortoise out. I take him outside when I can, but other then that, he lives in his “tortoise table“.

You’ve asked for good descriptions and pictures on indoor enclosures, so I’ll include a link to the thread I posted on the enclosure I moved my 2 year old Hermann’s into earlier this year.


Also, there really is a lot of misinformation out there for tortoise care and vets generally aren’t much better. Incase you haven’t seen it, here is a link to the most complete and up to date care sheets for your tortoise. It was written by one of our members, based on his decades of experience.

 

Squiggles

New Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington heights Illinois
Hay and paper is not a proper substrate. Coconut coir or orchid bark is. He needs a 4x8 foot minimum enclosure.
I live in Chicago and yes, he can live outside from spring to fall. 60 at night is not too cold for a Russian. I have a Russian outside. He comes in for wintet. I have leopards too who also lives outside for the same time with a heated shed for night time as they can't handle as cold as a Russian can. When you soak a tort you don't dry them off.
Most vets don't have a clue about tortoises. Read our caresheet and make changes.
Thank you for the info, I will find the care sheet and read it. I read someone else's post and they said make sure you dry them off everywhere, he seemed to be bothered by that. If you live in Chicago, are you not worried about all the skunks, raccoons, coyotes and fox that are very wiley and would like a tasty turtle treat and have eaten all the neighbors chickens no matter what kind of cage they put them in. It would be sad.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Thank you for the info, I will find the care sheet and read it. I read someone else's post and they said make sure you dry them off everywhere, he seemed to be bothered by that. If you live in Chicago, are you not worried about all the skunks, raccoons, coyotes and fox that are very wiley and would like a tasty turtle treat and have eaten all the neighbors chickens no matter what kind of cage they put them in. It would be sad.
Whoever said that on here is either wrong or was for a specific reason, like helping to keep substrate from sticking. But no, you do not need nor should you dry them off. Always pay attention to the amount of time a member has been on the forum. If they are fairly new, keep searching to see if the long time members say the same thing. Some times new members jump on here posting bad info because they haven't searched the forum for correct info first.
No, I don't worry about the animals. I have had skunks, opossum, fox, and hawks so far that I have seen. I also own a couple chickens. My animals get locked up every night unless we are gone, which happens only once or twice a summer. I have never had my chickens or torts bothered. The roam/grace all day and locked up inside their night box or shed every night.
 

MenagerieGrl

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Nov 11, 2020
Messages
1,163
Location (City and/or State)
El Sobrante, CA.
If I may piggy back on what Wellington had said, Your Tort can stay outside, in a suitable & strong enclosure, But as he had mentioned with his chickens, the enclosure MUST be lock up at night. ( I do this with MY Chicken's and Ducks) Doing so, the Raccon's, Skunk's, Opossums, foxes and what ever will not bother your lil buddy.
Wellington, correct me if I'm wrong....
 
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