New Owners

[4kids]

Hi.  My daughter (she's 7) purchased her Russian Tort 2 days ago after saving her money for months.  (She's SO excited!!  And so is Mom!)  We have her (Lilly) in a temp 50 gal. rubbermaid container until Daddy can build the table.  The man who helped us at Petco recommended (for temp use only) newspaper bedding, a clamp on light with a red bulb and a shelter.  He told us to leave the light on 24 hours.  Is this OK?  Also, I'm having trouble keeping the humidity up.  I keep sprinkling the paper, but it keeps drying up so fast.  Should I just put in the substrate anyway?  And should I turn off Lilly's light at night?  My daughter is so thrilled!  We want to make Lilly's new home healthy for her.

Thanks for any help!

[KayMarie]

I'm a new tortoise owner myself so i'l try my best to help but i'm sure some more experienced owners will answer soon enough 

I have Oscar in a vivarium, one end is 90-100 (about 95) and the cool end is 70-80 (about 70-75 most days). I have his lights set to come on at 10am and go off at 10pm, you should only have his lights on 10-12 hours a day.

I have a basking bulb and a uv strip light. The UV strip light supplements the sun and vitimians he would get from it (while its winter and he can't go out) and the basking bulb for him to bask under! I know you can get an ultimate bulb that does all of this but is just one bulb but i'm sure others will tell you about that or you can have a search around the site about it!

For the substrate, i don't think its wise to keep her on newspaper too long, i've noticed people on here only do this if absolutely need be! On here most people us 50/50 bed-a-beast and sand. I used a grass substrate, its like compressed grass nuggets which eventually break down, and i spray it a couple of times a day. He seems to like it 

The humidity should be between 40 and 50 but i think its ok to go nearer 55-60 i think, mine is at 58, which is slightly high but i have his doors set open all the time and he seems fine 

Like i say, i'm new to all of this and still have a lot to learn but that is my 2 pence worth 

[Jules]

First of all welcome to this site.  Have you read the information on the home pages of this forum?  www.russiantortoise.net 

Please look it over, then come back for more information.  The "webmaster" has been an owner and breeder for over 20 years.  Personally, I follow everything he recommends.

re: humidity - they live in the wild where they burrow into areas of 70% humidity.  As Kay Marie said we recommend the coconut coir (at the pet store ask for "the stuff that comes in a brick to soak"  and play sand mixed together.  It should be kept moist so that if you squeeze a hand full it sticks together, but water does not come out.  Dehydration is a big worry with RTs.

Lighting: recommended is a T-REx or the such which has both basking heat and UVB  which are very important to your torts health.  You will also only have one cord that will be good with a child.    This bulb also last at least one year, which is longer than those other ones.  You can get this at http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=44&osCsid=08cef7693da3d86780b56f6b9a297039  I started with something else and returned it all for this great bulb.  Lights on only for 12-14 hours a day.

If you order from there I also recommend the TNT which is specially created to help your torts health. http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=180

You should have a warm side 90s and a cool side 70s in the enclosure.  at night you want it to get cool.  House temps are fine, but down to the 60s is okay too.

KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS, we were all new once.

Jules

[Turbotort]

Hi welcome to the forum, were abouts are you? US and UK people tend to use slightly different husbandary methods and substrates as climates and availability to products differ so much. 

[David and Borris]

Welcome to the forum, It sounds like you daughter's tortoise is very lucky to have 3 caring people watch over it.

David and Borris

[joliekat]

Hi and welcome to the forum.  I would definitely recommend putting the substrate in the rubbermaid and making it at least 4" as they regulate their temp by digging (plus it's fun to play the game of find the tort!)  I use coconut coir and sand mixed about 70/30.  It maintains humidity as well as I add water every 2-3 days.  Along with what everyone else says I would also invest in a get thermometer that will take substrate as well as air readings.  Oh, also, pretty much never listen to what the petco or petsmart people tell you, they don't know torts very well.  At least that has been my experience.  Don't forget to schedule a check up with a vet and take a fresh poo too.  Have fun and enjoy your new buddy!

[4kids]

Thank you everyone!  Before we purchased Lilly, I printed out almost everything from this website and wrote down what I thought I would need.  But the man at petco seemed so knowledgable I guess I went with what he said.  (We also DID intend to only have her in the rubbermaid temporarily, my husband is building our table today)  I mixed in the bedding material with some other pellet type stuff the Petco guy recommended, and now have 60% humidity.  (My daughter didn't like that Lilly was getting "dirty" from the damp bedding )  I have 2 clamp on lights, the red heat bulb and a uvb/uva bulb.  I have been leaving it on 10-12 hours.  The heat bulb has been on 24 hours as per Mr. Petco.  I intend to get another thermometer so we can have one on each end, but they were all out.  Have been trying different foods for her too.  She loved cucumbers (only gave it to her twice) didn't seem to like spring mix, and loved the romaine.  My daughter finally got to see her eat!  I love to see her get so excited about her new pet!

Another question about table.  We have a cat and a dog.  They don't seem to be interested in Lilly.  But we thought we should add a screen top.  Better safe than sorry???  I did read about being careful with dogs.  I've seen some sad pics what can happen to the torts.

Again.  Thanks for pointing us in the right direction.

[KayMarie]

If you have a pet you should make it high enough that they can;t reach in or get to the tort! Or you can put wire mesh accross the top of the tort table so they can't get in! Lots of people on here seem to have rubbermaids as torts homes permanently and they say they are very good homes for them, so i wouldn't worry/rush/sress about a tort table too much 

I've even been looking at the HUGE guinea pig cages that have really deep bottoms and bars around the top for a home for my tort everntually, they look great! You can use the bars to hang your lamps from and they're massive for the torts exercise needs!

Something like this -

Massive and made safe, or course 

Although my vivarium is fine for him for quite a while yet 

[SusanMcM]

I have my tort in one of the large guinea pig/rabbit cages that you have shown KayMarie. Turbotort mentioned them one time on the forum and I went and had a look at them. The basking light fitting does hang inbetween the cage wires though we did have to force them apart a little bit and the tube also hangs from the cage bars. I have in it a pebbled area, a bark tunnel, a largish piece of slate, water/bathing dish and there is still plenty of room for her to roam about in. It does also give plenty of depth for the substrate/aubiose and is waterproof. Because of the caged lid, which hinges up for ease of access, Hermione can't fall out or escape as she does enjoy climbing on top of the tunnel. She also likes using the bars to rear up against when on top of the tunnel. When I got Hermione the shop sold her with a viv so this was a good buy at around £40 depending on what size you get. On Ebay I have seen them up to 150 cm long. The one shown was on sale where I bought mine but I thought (looking at the amount of space left around the accessories in it) it was a bit small for mine but would be fine for hatchlings/very small torts (it was £30). Susan 

[Turbotort]

Hi all,  i don`t seem to be giving out positive vibes today but please don`t recommend a vivarium kaymarie as they are the worst home you could ever possibly provide for a tortoise. In private pm`s to you i did explain that your torts life will be reduced and it may only survive a sad life of 5 years, if you choose not to take well meant advice thats up to you but please don`t let other people think theyre ok to use. There are many reasons for this please research and you`ll see. Best wishes, xx

[Autumn33]

SusanMcM  can you post a picture? that sounds very interesting, I would love to see it.

[baxter]

We also DID intend to only have her in the rubbermaid temporarily, my husband is building our table today)

Excellent...a tort table is better than rubbermaid as it allows more room for them.

Another question about table.  We have a cat and a dog.  They don't seem to be interested in Lilly.  But we thought we should add a screen top.  Better safe than sorry???  I did read about being careful with dogs.  I've seen some sad pics what can happen to the torts.

Yes, it definitely needs a screen type cover to keep cats out.

I wouldn't recommend using a red light, or any light/heat at night as torts need to cool down during the night (as long as your house isn't too cold...preferably 60's or high 50's is ok). Also, red lights are not natural for torts. If you need more heat during the day, you can use a regular basking bulb to go along with the uvb bulb. One more thing, just trying to help here, but the pellets need to go. Pellets as bedding is not good for torts. The substrate should be the coconut coir (EcoEarth or Bed-A-Beast) and play sand as listed on the russiantortoise.org website.

Good luck and you're on the right track !!

[SusanMcM]

Just for you Autumn 33. This is Hermione's cage. As she is only a little tort 78mm long she has enough room for now. She also has a 4foot x 4 foot run which I made for the living room so she can have a good run around. You can see Hermione in the corner - half hidden. She put her nose out to see what I was up to as I was talking to her letting her know what I ws doing! Is this insanity setting in??? 

[KayMarie]

Hi all,  i don`t seem to be giving out positive vibes today but please don`t recommend a vivarium kaymarie as they are the worst home you could ever possibly provide for a tortoise. In private pm`s to you i did explain that your torts life will be reduced and it may only survive a sad life of 5 years, if you choose not to take well meant advice thats up to you but please don`t let other people think theyre ok to use. There are many reasons for this please research and you`ll see. Best wishes, xx

If you read back, you will see i never recommended a Vivarium. I said i have Oscar in vivarium and its fine for him for a while (as in, he will be ok for a few more months), i also said i am getting him sorted out with a home that isn't like a vivarium, I.E a guinnea pig cage that has an open top apart from bars.

I have also taken your advice and am looking into getting somewhere different for him to live.

So please don't put words into my mouth.

[Autumn33]

Just for you Autumn 33. This is Hermione's cage. As she is only a little tort 78mm long she has enough room for now. She also has a 4foot x 4 foot run which I made for the living room so she can have a good run around. You can see Hermione in the corner - half hidden. She put her nose out to see what I was up to as I was talking to her letting her know what I ws doing! Is this insanity setting in??? 

Now that is pretty cool I really like it. I went to Wahl mart the other day and they had this big old tubs there, so I got one I don't know how many gallon it is but it is 4 feet long and about 16 inches wide. The tub I have now is not that big.