Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Since my poor Yevgeni died over the winter (didn't realise he was wild caught), I've been pondering if I should get another. In fact, I'm thinking I'd like to get a 1.2 trio. What the minimal size pen I should be making? I have a pretty large one in mind, but more concrete (minimal) measurements would be nice.

Also, I'm wondering if I should start with hatchlings or attempt to find larger ones from somewhere?
Are hatchlings harder to raise?

I got a 3 or 4 month old CB Russian hatchling a couple of years ago after months of looking for one. He's about as hardy as they come & has hibernated twice. Recently he finally realized that I'm not the enemy & has stopped hissing whenever he sees my hands.

CBs are hard to find & can't be sexed until they are several years old, but there's certainly nothing dificult about raising them.

I suggest definetly cb. I had some wild caught russians, and even though I spent alot of money at the vet, I realized that wild caught tortoises should be kept in the wild. I think captavity just stressed them out too much. Or it could be that I picked the most sickly looking ones because I felt sorry for them, and I bought from a pet store, definetly a no no. I sat go for the babies, Russians are pretty hardy, but just so you know, they are much more expensive than WC, but worth it!

I have 14 wc Russians, and all are doing great- have had them for years,and am working on breeding them. Buy from a reputable dealer-check the KS classifieds. Study up on any tortoise you may purchase-they are not that difficult to keep if you know their needs. Good Luck,Jody