New Russian Tortoise

Well today as my hubby is on his way out the door to go out of town for the weekend, he tells me he found a tortoise on CL and made the arrangements for me to get him. Seeing how I have been telling that some day I would like to have a Torti. Well I really don't know a lot about them and have done research about them talked to a friend that knows a lot about turtles and tort's, but still feel really lost. :confused: I bought a book on them as well. THe people gave me this stuff called Turtle Vita shell and said that they would do it weekly on him. Should I continue to use it or stop and just toss it out. Here are pictures of him, NOTE the white on his shell is calcium powder that had gotten on his shell from the people I got him from not something else, also he is on paper towels only becuase there is a whole in the bottom of the tank and they had him on news paper and had no hide for him. I cut out the box for him and put the paper towles becuase I didn't have news paper and all the pet stores where closed by the time I had picked him up tonight. He didn't even have a water or food dish so I put in the small dessert plates for him to have some water and gave him some Romane (sp?) lettus and some spring mix ( 2 types of green leaf and a red leaf lettus no iceburg). Anyway here are the pictures.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...1/9/tort_2.jpg

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...1/9/tort_1.jpg

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...1/9/tort_5.jpg

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...1/9/tort_7.jpg

Any info would be wonderful, just remember this was no my idea but am going to go with it. Just trying to do it the right way.

I don't know anything about them so I can't give you any advice but... he sure is cute! :D Congrats and good luck!

Just a couple comments on your post. Don't use the vita shell, just keep the shell clean. The tort also needs more than greens. I have had oustanding luck with Mazuri Tortoise chow. Your local feed store should be able to get it.

I read that the Commercial stuff dry stuff was not good for them, I was able to get Grasslands Tortoise Yummies, it's like a paste of sorts and the box has Hibiscus/cactus fruit, Cactus, and grass in it. Each is in a different tube. I put some on a plate and he didn't touch any of it. I have Hosta in my flowerbeds that are also blumming, I have Rose as well but no flowers (darn hubby), Butterfly bush, we are growing some veggi's but they are not ripe yet, soon will have some Tomatoe's just waiting for them to get Red. When I go to the store again in a few days I plan on getting a piece of prickly pear. I know the people I got him from where only giving greens, and then would sprinkly once a week the repti Cal on his food. I have a cutle bone in his tank for him instead but because I have a gecko have the powder that is from oyster shell.

You should do a little more research. All of the major zoo's use Mazuri for their tort's to supplement the greens. Just wet it down a bit.

That's why I'm pn here, because stuff that I am reading will say do this then another site will say don't do that. Seeing how most everything is conflicting I figured that I would come here and ask the people that really do know. This way I can get it right the first time around and not cost the animal anything.

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Originally Posted by bityrock24

That's why I'm pn here, because stuff that I am reading will say do this then another site will say don't do that. Seeing how most everything is conflicting I figured that I would come here and ask the people that really do know. This way I can get it right the first time around and not cost the animal anything.

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Take a look at this link and click on the Tortise specifications.

https://www.mazuri.com/Home.asp?Products=2&Opening=3

When I click on the link it puts me back into to thread and when I paste it it won't open up at all.

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Originally Posted by bityrock24

When I click on the link it puts me back into to thread and when I paste it it won't open up at all.

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Products
Animal Groupings
Reptile
Tortoise Chow
:D

Ok another question, I was telling my friend that has a Eastern Box turtle about this food and she was wondering if it would be good for her turtle? Or if not what would.

I just sold off all of my turtles/tortoises, except for my wifes russian female tortoise. We feed her mazuri tortoise chow, wet it down dont make it soggy but the dampness makes it alittle bit easier for them. Also greens like spinach, and baby greens are great for them. They love berrys like raspberrys. Also as far as their habitat goes, make sure you have plenty of substrate for them russian tortoises are diggers, they love to dig. This will make them feel more at home. As far as your friends ebt goes I would probaly just stick with box turtle food, possibly some greens and berrys here and there. Im sure that Mazuri has box turtle food. Goodluck to you and your new friend.

I feed my russian tortoise a mix of greens and butternut squash. The butter nut squash is the highest in calcium.
Their favorite are dandelion leaves and they will feast on them till they explode.
I buy all my greens and squash in bulk then chop it up,mix it then frees it in ziplock bags. So i just have to scoop out the right amount every day.
The only other things i add are calcium with d3 and a dash of tortoise topper.

The funny thing is i found this tortoise walking down my street. And nobody claimed it so im keeping her. I set her up in a 90 gallon aquarium with 6 inches of dirt/sand mix and some bricks that make an underground cave where she spends all her time. I have under tank heating and a ceramic heat bulb because she likes to bask after eating. The aquarium sits in my basement window where she gets full sunlight all day.

They will recognize the shorter daylight hours and this will kick off hibernation and they might stop eating. I use a uvb light and timer and give her an extra few hours of daylight every day. Works out great

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Originally Posted by Darkice

I feed my russian tortoise a mix of greens and butternut squash. The butter nut squash is the highest in calcium.
Their favorite are dandelion leaves and they will feast on them till they explode.
I buy all my greens and squash in bulk then chop it up,mix it then frees it in ziplock bags. So i just have to scoop out the right amount every day.
The only other things i add are calcium with d3 and a dash of tortoise topper.

The funny thing is i found this tortoise walking down my street. And nobody claimed it so im keeping her. I set her up in a 90 gallon aquarium with 6 inches of dirt/sand mix and some bricks that make an underground cave where she spends all her time. I have under tank heating and a ceramic heat bulb because she likes to bask after eating. The aquarium sits in my basement window where she gets full sunlight all day.

They will recognize the shorter daylight hours and this will kick off hibernation and they might stop eating. I use a uvb light and timer and give her an extra few hours of daylight every day. Works out great

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sounds like you got her diet pretty well dialed:gj:

Russians are the easiest as far as care....they do not need the higher temps like most, and do very well in cooler climates for longer outdoors. Mine stay outside year round and go into their burrow when the time is right.

Diet:
Mixed greens and veggies, squashes, fruit here and there. I use cuttlebones for calcium, they are 100% calcium and make a fine dust when rubbed together. The tort chow is good stuff, but most russians and others are wc imports and have no idea what it is, with time they will usually start taking it if you mix it in with some greens and such. You can collect up dandilion greens and flowers in the summer and they love em!

For those that use tanks to house them, the window trick does nothing for uv rays from the sun, glass filters out almost all uv....If you plan to keep them indoors year round a tort table is in order for the longterm. Russians stay smaller so a smaller table will work fine. Basically a short sided long box with uv lamps and heat from above with kitty litter pans recessed into it with grasses planted in em. Couple of caves and areas to dig around in. Shallow water dish for drinking and such.

Congrats on the new tort! They are a ton of fun!

Ok, you're doing good and what a beautiful tortoise! For a brunette he has some beautiful markings. Both of mine are wild caught and the brunette male i have has scars all over fom shell rot.
Ok, anyway, don't keep it in a glass enclosure, you want something they cannot see through. All the visual stuff freaks them out and they become HIGHLY stressed. Make sure you have UVB on them during the day. I use a UVB and heat bulb from Zoo Med. Works well and they always bask in the light.
Carolina pet supply has as suppliment called TNT which is great for grassland tortoises. It can be full of probiotics or be lacking probiotics, up to you. It also adds ALOT of calcuim to their diet. If you feed them spinach you need to add calcium in LARGE quantities. I have read that spinach in RT's does the same thing as Bearded Dragons and binds the calcium not allowing them to digest and use it properly. I could be wrong but i have had no issues, so far.
www.russiantortoisepictures.com/forum/index.php is a great resorce for any questions, suppliments, or advice but it's nowhere near as good as ball-pythons.net :P
I tried alot of things with my guys: cuttlebone, calcium powder, commercial tortoise mix, etc. They only like the stuff i buy at the store. I get an organic veggi mix. Some Iceburg is okay, but not in large quantities. It has no nutritional value to it literally starves them. Remember, variety is important because they like to try new things. My guys will pick at everything and ignore anything with powder, anything commercial, or anything out of the ordinary especially cuttlebone. They are good torts, though.
Food for RT's is not the same as food for box turtles or any other type or land turtle or tortoise. Why? Because their nutritional needs are different. Bod turtles, red foots, really mopst types of tortoises need some sort of protien and they usually get it from their caretakers giving them pinkies. This is bad for RT's and can causemassive problems. RT's are herbivors and digest certain things and need alot of fiber. Other types or tortoise don't need as much fiber and are mostly concerned about protien. I have has a cherry head and Russians so i'm not sure about ALL other species or tortoise or land turtle.

Oh and to add to RicharA, a tort table is a must! I will use and old bookshelf laying on its back filled with a 50/50 mix of play sand and eco earth. Add a gallon of water once a week to the entire thing and mix it all up. I never tried the kitty litter pan thing, great idea! I will use than next! If using a mercuy vapor UVB/heat bulb that should amke grasses grow really well.
Out of curiocity Rich, what do you use to pot the grasses in the kitty litter pans?

Aaaand, sorry, to hijack but here is a thread with a good suppliment for RT's
http://russiantortoisepictures.com/f...pic,328.0.html
and the actual product from Carolina Pet Supply
http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/cat...c950abb8d4ef0a
Great stufffff, i'm tellin ya.
Ok, i promise to stop posting, now.

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Originally Posted by Darkice

The only other things i add are calcium with d3 and a dash of tortoise topper.

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You don't want the added D3 if you are (and you should) providing the correct UVB and\or natural sunlight. Could lead to calcium overdosing...

I have a baby Russian Tortoise also. Her name is Lilly. She sure is alot of fun. I use half play sand and half bead a beast for her bedding. She has a hide which I need to get another one for her. She has a UBV light and a heating lamp. She eats Mazuri pellets and her greens. She LOVES dandilion flowers and the leaves. She loves flowers and weeds also. I feed her spring mix that you can buy at the grocrey store. I have not tried butternut squash so I think ill try that also. She also loves grape leaves from the grape vines that we have. Ill have to post a pic of her here :D:banana:

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Originally Posted by wafisherman

You don't want the added D3 if you are (and you should) providing the correct UVB and\or natural sunlight. Could lead to calcium overdosing...

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I dont use it very often. Maybe once every couple of weeks. The fresh diet i provide is working out great. And she will spend most of the summer in my backyard. I built her a nice big pen 8x8 foot and i am planting things in there she can graze on.

Try www.chelonia.org they've got info on just about any turtle/tortoise....