Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Quick Question:

How often do you feed your Russians that are kept OUTSIDE?
How much do you feed in one sitting?

My outside herd, in the lowland and intensely hot Imperial Valley desert eat like pigs, I give them all they can consume in about 20 minutes or so each morning and perhaps a little less each evening. I feed large amounts of high fiber, low-moderate protein, Hi Calcium-low Phosphorus veggies, weeds I grow and cactus pads. Some Mazuri as a supplement in the Summer when my garden is exhausted and the weeds have dried up. Plenty of Calcium sources, oyster shell and egg shells and cuttle bone. My herd both hibernates and aestivates, so they really need to feed and breed and make it happen in the Spring, about March -June. I believe this is similar to behavior/habits in the native lands. They are briefly active in the Fall, late Sept. and October. I do not think you are likely to overfeed if you select the correct diet and they get some exercise. My outdoor pens have lots of rocks, terraces, and challenges, and underground burrows. Seems to work well, but diet may need to be adjusted depending on activity level of your herd. Breeding, fighting, chasing, egg production etc. require a fair amount of food. Good luck, Vic H.

Great! Thanks for taking the time to post.
I really appreciate informed, intelligent posts like this...