Setting up for a Russian Tortoise - Constructive comments welcome

[Alex and the Redfoot]

@Tom

Not sure if you seen my previous post.

Forum I plan on attaching a hide for Sandy. To make more room to roam in the current 48"x72" enclosure. What would be a comfortable hide size be for an adult Russian? I could do a 24"x48" hide but do not think it needs to be that big. Also what size would the opening need to be for a adult Russian to get into hide? I am thinking 8"x8" opening.

Location of hide below.

Will be 2x framed, attached to enclosure with a skin of white vinyl sides like the enclosure. Will have a latched door on top for easy access for cleaning.

View attachment 378043

It would be outside the closed enclosure. Would the hide need to be heated? Or would the 80 degree temperature and 50+ humidity flow into hide via the closed enclosure? At worst during winter our basement never goes below 65 degrees at night. Usually the room is 70 degrees.

Everyone's thoughts.

Maybe, it's better to build an extension for the current enclosure? Just a walking area, not a box. You may want to experiment with growing live edible plants there.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Maybe, it's better to build an extension for the current enclosure? Just a walking area, not a box. You may want to experiment with growing live edible plants there.

Yeah, maybe an area that can be closed of temporarily to let the plants grow and then reopened?

 

[Tom]

@Tom

Not sure if you seen my previous post.

Forum I plan on attaching a hide for Sandy. To make more room to roam in the current 48"x72" enclosure. What would be a comfortable hide size be for an adult Russian? I could do a 24"x48" hide but do not think it needs to be that big. Also what size would the opening need to be for a adult Russian to get into hide? I am thinking 8"x8" opening.

Location of hide below.

Will be 2x framed, attached to enclosure with a skin of white vinyl sides like the enclosure. Will have a latched door on top for easy access for cleaning.

View attachment 378043

It would be outside the closed enclosure. Would the hide need to be heated? Or would the 80 degree temperature and 50+ humidity flow into hide via the closed enclosure? At worst during winter our basement never goes below 65 degrees at night. Usually the room is 70 degrees.

Everyone's thoughts.

The added wing sounds great. I'm trying to visualize the hide box area, and I think it is fine to do, but not probably necessary. I'd probably make something much smaller and leave all that space for more wandering.

 

[David Steere]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT

Sandy's hatch date was sometime in August or September of last year so I split the difference.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY!!!!! One Year Old today

I hope I am taking real good care of you!

Monthly Checking: Sandy gained 51.5 grams and 1/2" inches in length last month.
Weight: 211.5 grams
Length: 4" +/-

 

[_The_Beast_]

Happy Birthday Sandy

 

[wellington]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT

Sandy's hatch date was sometime in August or September of last year so I split the difference.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY!!!!! One Year Old today

I hope I am taking real good care of you!

Monthly Checking: Sandy gained 51.5 grams and 1/2" inches in length last month.
Weight: 211.5 grams
Length: 4" +/-

View attachment 378351View attachment 378352View attachment 378353

Beautiful!

 

[SinLA]

I’m glad she is bringing you so much joy!

 

[Ink]

She is a very pretty tortoise happy birthday

 

[David Steere]

Monthly Checking: Sandra gained 35 grams and 1/4 inches!
Weight: 246.5 grams
Length: 4 1/4 inches +/-

 

[David Steere]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT

Long time since I posted any videos. Here is a couple of video's.

Gaining weight each month, going to bathroom during soaks each morning, eating each day, actively moving around entire enclosure. Think I am doing a good job. If anyone notices any issues please let me know.

 

[Ink]

Sandy is looking good. Great job.

 

[Daffodil]

Hi, I'm a new Russian tortoise owner. Mine is 5 months old. What is the brown stuff your RT is eating? He seems to really like it.



Long time since I posted any videos. Here is a couple of video's.

Gaining weight each month, going to bathroom during soaks each morning, eating each day, actively moving around entire enclosure. Think I am doing a good job. If anyone notices any issues please let me know.

 

[David Steere]

Hi, I'm a new Russian tortoise owner. Mine is 5 months old. What is the brown stuff your RT is eating? He seems to really like it.



Long time since I posted any videos. Here is a couple of video's.

Gaining weight each month, going to bathroom during soaks each morning, eating each day, actively moving around entire enclosure. Think I am doing a good job. If anyone notices any issues please let me know.

Yes Sandy does. It is Mazuri. I mix it really good with the other food so Sandy eats the other food also. That way I can try to get Sandy to eat a well balanced diet. Seems to do the trick.

 

[Daffodil]

Yes Sandy does. It is Mazuri. I mix it really good with the other food so Sandy eats the other food also. That way I can try to get Sandy to eat a well balanced diet. Seems to do the trick.
View attachment 381119

Thank you! I've seen that mentioned. I'll have to try some with my Agamemnon!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT

Long time since I posted any videos. Here is a couple of video's.

Gaining weight each month, going to bathroom during soaks each morning, eating each day, actively moving around entire enclosure. Think I am doing a good job. If anyone notices any issues please let me know.

She looks great! Thank you for the update!

 

[_The_Beast_]

Love the updates! Sandy is looking wonderful

 

[David Steere]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT @Daffodil

Need some advise on feeding my tortoise over the winter. Leaves are starting to drop in Rhode Island. This will be my first winter.

My first attempt to grow food in pots indoors did not work as well as I had hoped. I need to reseed. So my questions.

1. Do I spend the money, more grow lights, watering to perfect indoor plants or rely on grocery produce over winter?
2. I have Grapes, Forsythia, Hosta, Spiraea. Does putting them in a dry place in a bag work for the winter? Is dried leaves a good supplement for a tortoise?

Any advise or ideas welcome.

 

[Tom]

@Tom @SinLA @wellington @Alex and the Redfoot @Ink @Cathie G @Yvonne G @jaizei @Pippen's Pal @Kala @ecachuh @The_Four_Toed_Edward @TechnoCheese @_The_Beast_ @EppsDynasty @LanaJoy @Jillgp @Anastasia 22 @SocialD @ZEROPILOT @Daffodil

Need some advise on feeding my tortoise over the winter. Leaves are starting to drop in Rhode Island. This will be my first winter.

My first attempt to grow food in pots indoors did not work as well as I had hoped. I need to reseed. So my questions.

1. Do I spend the money, more grow lights, watering to perfect indoor plants or rely on grocery produce over winter?
2. I have Grapes, Forsythia, Hosta, Spiraea. Does putting them in a dry place in a bag work for the winter? Is dried leaves a good supplement for a tortoise?

Any advise or ideas welcome.

View attachment 381286View attachment 381287

Crumbling the dehydrated leave and mixing with a wide variety of grocery store greens works. There are also LOTS of supplements available now to add in.

Mulberrific
Arcadia Optimized 52
Mazuri LS, or orginal 5M21
Food Fixer from tortoise supply
Herbal hay
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food, or Flower Topper
Purina Organic Lay Crumbles for chickens
Soaked horse hay pellets for adding fiber
and there are loads of dried leaf option and other good stuff at Kapidolofarms.com

I literally use all of the above and whatever else I can scrounge up to mix in, you can also look for an opuntia source on line or near you.

 

[David Steere]

Crumbling the dehydrated leave and mixing with a wide variety of grocery store greens works. There are also LOTS of supplements available now to add in.

Mulberrific
Arcadia Optimized 52
Mazuri LS, or orginal 5M21
Food Fixer from tortoise supply
Herbal hay
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food, or Flower Topper
Purina Organic Lay Crumbles for chickens
Soaked horse hay pellets for adding fiber
and there are loads of dried leaf option and other good stuff at Kapidolofarms.com

I literally use all of the above and whatever else I can scrounge up to mix in, you can also look for an opuntia source on line or near you.

Thanks Tom!

I currently use "Mazuri" and "ZooMed" every day mixed in with the greens. Will check out the others you mentioned.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I use the Agrobs brand available here in Europe. They have pellets low in protein that have over 60 diffrent plant species. I think Arcadia also makes toppers with high variety but haven't tried them myself.

For the grocery store greens vs indoor grown plants, I would go with both. Supplement with your indoor plants when you can.

On top of drying food, you can try freezing too:

These can be frozen, thawed, and retain good texture!

I live in a very cold climate. In an effort to increase variety in our Sulcata's winter diet, I've been experimenting with both dehydrating and freezing foods. I tested freezing plants that I have seen survive a few early snow storms in the past. I picked leaves from plants that have survived...

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