Seeking Russian Advice

[bextort]

Hi everyone.
I've only had my girl, a horsefield, for a few weeks now and unfortunately I know little about her past which is frustrating.

Could anyone give me and advice on bathing please?
Currently I am bathing her everyday maybe once every other day in Luke warm water, however she doesn't seem keen and starts looking for a way out. I don't want to stress her or make her anxious so i take her out but she is literally in the water for a minute or so.
I don't see her drink when she's in there either which is worrying me, as she turns her water dish over too during the day so I know she's not drinking that. The only way I can get her to have fluids is by soaking her food.
Any advice for this newbie would be much appreciated. I live in the uk (not sure that makes any difference).
Also I've heard of the calcium supplements, would you recommend getting some?
Thank you

 

[WillTort2]

Check your water temperature for soaking. I've decided that my torts prefer 94 degree water as their definition of luke warm.

Use a deep side not clear dish tub; room for them to walk around but impossible to climb out of.

Put about an inch of water in the tub; maybe a little deeper for larger torts.

Then try for a 20 minute soak; you may need to refresh the water for cleanliness or temperature.

Try soaking when their shell feels cool, this way they will enjoy warming up rather than worry about overheating.

Good luck.

 

[bextort]

Thank you, will deffo test the water temp.
Such a scary but exciting journey, I'm becoming so paranoid over everything, I just want her to be happy and to know I am doing my best to keep her happy as can be, and healthy

 

[stinax182]

them trying to get out is good exercise and usually works a bowel movement out (gross, but always better in the water than smeared on some rocks) at some point she may or may not get use to it and stop the climbing....mine hasn't yet, ha. i also like to keep the water warmer than luke warm, they are cold blooded, after all. but nothing that would hurt you or too shocking compared to their current body temperature.

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[tinkerbell1189]

My Russian isn't particularly keen on bathing either. I use warm water I test it on the back of my wrist first before putting him in. I tend to soak him first thing before he has woken as this way he's not constantly trying to escape! You will prob have to change the water half way thru, to keep temp warm enough.

 

[bextort]

How long would you recommend soaking for then? I just don't want her to become distressed

 

[nate.mann]

because you just got her, go ahead and start at about five minutes, and gradually increase (i went up a minute per day after the first week) to twenty minutes or so. ive had mine for just over two months, i soak her at least three times a week, and she still climbs at the sides. she'll be just fine, its not as stressful as youre thinking it is.


0.1.0 Russian Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
Chive On!

 

[bextort]

Thank you for your help, will start with a few minutes then slowly increase it

 

[Tom]

I have been soaking tortoises of every commonly available species since 1986. Sometimes they are the picture of health, and other times they are on deaths door when they are dropped in my lap. I have never once been concerned about whether or not they "like" it. It is good for them. It is sometimes necessary for them to maintain good health. They might not "like" it when I have to give them medicine either, but they still get it. Just put your tortoise in an appropriate tub in a warm area and walk away. Check on him frequently to make sure he hasn't flipped, soiled the water, or the water hasn't cooled too much, but other than that, leave him be. A little bit of exercise in the tub will do most captive tortoises some good.

The other related issue here is your water bowl and his ability to flip it. Whatever you are using needs to change. I recommend a terra cotta saucer that is larger in diameter than your tortoise. Sink this down into the substrate so the rim of the dish is level with the surface, or close to it. This will be too heavy for him to flip and too difficult to get under. I would them put him in it a couple of times a day for a while to show him how nice, easy and safe it is, and just allow him to walk right out of it at will. Once he has a water bowl he feels comfortable with and you know he's using it and drinking from it, all the tub soaking won't be as necessary.

Now why do you think he is trying to get under it? Are there other places to seek shelter and cover? Do you offer a humid hide? If your hide is one of those half logs, you might need something more substantial.

 

[Jacqui]

If this is an adult, why are you forcing her to be soaked? There is no reason to be stressing her in such a way. Folks on here will tell you how a tortoise wil not starve itself to death, but yet think this same animal which has survived for so long, will kill itself by not seeking water when it needs it. Tortoises in captivity ace enough stress wihout keepers forcing more upion them.

I have been keeping a very wide variety of tortoises (some common and some not so common) for many many years (this also includes keeping Russians for over 15 years) and I only soak a) newly shipped animals, b) sick animals, and c) very young hatchlings. I try to raise my animals as stress free as possible and have no sick animals as a result. Who knows, it may also be why I also do not have all the issues some folks seem to have with keeping pairs (both male/female and male/male). I think it shows disrespect to be forcing tortoises to soak when we humans think they should and for as long as we think they should.

 

[Tom]

Here we go again...

I don't say they won't starve themselves. Sometimes they will. And it's all well and good that YOUR tortoises drink from their provided water bowls, but some of them don't for a wide variety of reasons.

Soaking harms nothing, and can save the life of a tortoise who is not drinking enough on their own for whatever reason.

---

bextort, We have two groups on this forum when it comes to soaking. There are a few individuals who like to come on and say how tortoises have survived for millions of years without "forced" soaking and that their tortoises drink just fine, and they seem to want to discourage people from taking this simple step that will insure the tortoise remains hydrated. This disregards the FACT that some tortoise don't drink on their own, or live in very dry areas with low humidity and little rain.

Then there are those of us who think that its cheap insurance, and if it is truly not needed, then it does no harm anyway.

There is no one-size-fits-all way of tortoise keeping. We must each decide what is best for our own animals in our own environments. If you have a proper enclosure, moderate humidity, mild weather, and see your tortoise drinking regularly, then you probably don't need to soak all that often, if ever. However, if you don't meet all of those criterion, regular soaks will help keep your tortoise hydrated and healthy. And even if you DO meet all those criterion, soaking the tortoise regularly won't hurt a darn thing.

 

[Jacqui]

Just keep in mind, stress can kill. Forced soaks is unnatural and very much against what most Russians enjoy (or need) and will create unneeded stress on the animal. ...enough said.

---

This is what GB had to say about Russians and water (your new here so I will let you kow that Gary is the go-to guy here on the forum as the expert on Russians):

"Russian tortoises in general are not big drinkers. While soaking is an option, but tortoises are smart enough to drink on their own when they need to as long as they have an easily accessible water source available at all time. Many tortoises do not take well to being placed in a container of water. Russian tortoises in particular are a species that are not fans of being placed in water. While a few are fine with it, the majority will often immediately attempt to climb out. If yours is one that is okay with being placed in water, good. If it is not, panics and immediately begins trying to escape the water forcing it to stay in the water for long periods or continually placing the tortoise in water over and over can be stressful to the animal and then becomes counter productive.
Tortoises know they need water to survive, they know when they need water and they're smart enough to find it as long as they have it available."

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't soak any of my adult tortoises. They all have access to water and can get it on their own if and when they need/want it. However, all my tortoises live outside. Does your tortoise live outside, Bextort? If your tortoise is a full grown tortoise, I would not be force soaking. If it is an indoor tortoise, and you're worried that all the lighting and heat is causing the tortoise to become dehydrated, you can add water, lots of water, to the food when you feed. Place the food in a plastic lid from a cottage cheese tub (or something similar), then pour water over the food. You must also have a waterer in the habitat. A plant saucer works for this.

There was a good post by GBTortoises yesterday. See post #5 here:


http://www.tortoiseforum.org/post-735281.html#pid735281


GBTortoises raises all kinds of mediterranean tortoises, including Russians, and is working on writing a care sheet on them for our Forum. You can trust what he tells you.

 

[Jacqui]

Here we go again...

.. and Tom, there is no "here we go again..." I am sorry that your opinions and mine (along with many others who happn to agree with me) is different then yours on the subject. I only was offering another side to the same problem, so this new owner can make an informed choice with all the information given. Sorry you seem to want to make sharing information into some kind of a war, when folks happen to differ from you. It is not my intention and I will not be dragged into one.

 

[bextort]

She lives inside although does spend plenty of time outdoors too.

I give her a warm bath this morning and I'm not 100% sure if that is why but she had definitely been more active throughout the day and even now she is climbing up and down over rocks (it's 1am here in the UK now).

There seems to be a very wide mix of opinions, hope I've not caused brought up an old heated discussion.

 

[stinax182]

i say, it's in your hands, it's your pet. when your tort struggles to get out, does she look stressed? they all do at first but i notice my Leo does it kinda lazily now.....and sometimes only when i check on her (she's smart ) give it time and decide. with an adult Russian that's eating, pooping and otherwise healthy, i wouldn't soak often if she seems to hate it. when i bring mine in at night sometimes i soak him because he's cool. or if i want to stimulate him to eat. you can tell if they're dehydrated if their eyes are sunken in.

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