Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is the female russian I have had for almost 5 years.

When I purchased her from a local reptile specialty shop she was a light 227 grams at 4". Now she is 1235 grams at 7".

She's laid eggs the last two years, and this year produced several hatchlings.

Your obviously proud of the big girl and have every right to be. That's a real nice example of as 'perfect' a form as you are going to get. Thanks for the post.

Can you post how you keep your tortoises, where you are located (very general) and the feeding schedule? Try and be as specific as you can. I'd really appreciate it if you could take the time.

Thanks.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Located in Missouri.

From approximately April to October I keep the adults outdoors in two pens. 8'x8' for two females and one male. 6'x3' for the other male. The younger male is the son of the older male and female. I rotate the males between the two pens.

I have shallow water bowls in their outdoor pens that they never seem to use. I also spray down the pen on really hot, dry days.
I don't soak them while they are outdoors. It's really humid here in Missouri. They actually hang out in the rain sometimes. They've never shown any signs of distress from the heat or humidity. As long as it is not raining I'll let them stay outdoors with overnight lows in the 40s as long as it will be sunny and ~65 or higher then next day. They have a hidebox (small wooden house with a brick floor). In cool weather I'll stuff newspaper in it to provide insulation.

The rest of the year the torts are indoors in concrete mixing tubs with heat lamps and fluorescent lighting. They go into hibernation sometime in December and come out about 90 days later. The hibernating temps range from about 45F to almost 60F.
While they are awake I soak them twice a week, more often as hibernation approaches.

Food: I feed them what grows in the yard plus items from the grocer. From the yard I have dandelions, clover, wild violets, henbit, wild strawberry (leaves only) and a little plantain. And they will eat grass. From the grocer I use endive, collards, mustard greens, kale and dark lettuces. They also get a little carrot and squash, and once in awhile a piece of apple. And watermelon rind for extra moisture in the heat of summer (a couple times a month at most). I've tried cactus pad, but they don't like it much. I throw them a hibiscus flower every once in awhile.

I have used various pelleted foods (Repcal, Pretty Pets, Mazuri) as supplements. I decided I didn't need to do that since I can find a variety of foods in the yard and store.

I've added calcium to the soil in their pen. When outdoors I give them cuttlebone to gnaw on, and add plain calcium carbonate to their food maybe once a week. And a dash of Herptivite every few weeks. When indoors they get RepCal calcium with d3 once or twice a week.

I don't have a set schedule for feeding. When it is warm and they are outdoors, I might throw them a few handfuls of things almost everyday. I feed them less often (every couple days or less) when the weather is consistently cool (early spring, late summer/early fall). They eat even less when indoors and usually refuse food they last couple weeks before I start preparations for hibernation.

I think that covers it.

That almost covers it.

How do you hibernate them?

Thank you very much for a fantastic description.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I hibernate them depending on how they respond to the temps in my basement. When it gets close to 60F, they won't eat much. I then start the process. No more food. Regular soaks. In the corner of my basement there is a spot about 5-7 degrees cooler. When that gets into the 50s, and they've been without food for at least a couple weeks, I put them in a plastic box (holes in the lid) with shredded newspaper and place them in a closet in the corner. I monitor the temps and weigh them every couple weeks or so.

As long as they are not losing much (I don't have a rule for what is "too much", but they generally don't lose more than a few grams), and they are not scratching to get out, I'll leave them in the closet until the temps approach 60. Last year they were down 90-100 days.

One thing I do that no one seems to recommend is this: I slightly dampen the newspaper in their hibernation tubs. First year or two I put dry newspaper in with them as recommended and they seemed to lose weight every week. Then I tried slightly dampened paper and they maintained their weight. I assume that when they dig down in their natural environment that it isn't desert-dry. I figure a little extra humidity won't harm them. So far (two years in a row) they come up healthy and happy. This is paper that feels slightly damp to the touch. Not so much moisture that you could wring it out, just a hint of dampness.

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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

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