So I already have one russian tortoise a CB that is probably about a year old now and presumably male. Still a very little guy My dad is really into tortoises, so he was talking to a friend of his that works at a petco, who said that there was someone that came in with a russian tortoise that they didn't want anymore, and we got the number, name etc.

So after a couple tries, we got in touch with these people, and my parents went over to pick up the tortoise. We were originally told that we would be getting the tortoise and everything else they had for it already, but when they got there, they were met with a man and a woman, and a female russian tortoise of about 5.5-6" shell length. They were giving us no cage, no nothing, except for some dried tortoise diet (which I don't use) and some sandfire 'tortoise dust', which I also have not yet used. They were told that the tortoise was a finicky eater and would only eat pellets and fruit. Jeez, it sure was a suprise then that she came home to eat a whole plate of fresh collared and dandelion greens (and she eats at least 1-2 plates of it everyday now, since we've had her about a week). We get the feeling the people that had her before us just didn't want to bother doing the research to figure out what's good for the little girl.

So for now she's in a 40 gallon tank, which is way too small, but we suspect it is much larger than what she was in before. We are going to build her a custom enclosure like we did for the other tortoise (and my lizards), and so far she is doing very well. She's eating and basking everyday, and she is always out (I suspect that her past owners never gave her an appropriate hiding spot).

So I just find this funny, because I have no idea why people would be so quick to lose interest in such a great pet, especially when she is in such apparently good condition.

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]