Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This forum has been pretty dead lately!! Seems like not much is going on with us russian tort owners!! Well, its been hot as all get out here in South Louisiana, and not much rain. My russians are doing great, but I have noticed them hiding more and trying to stay cool LOL!! The male has finally quit harassing the female with breeding attempts, and she is definitely the more energetic of the two in this heat. Wondering how the heat/time of year is affecting other russians in other parts of the country??

In Spain more os less the same. Activity early in the morning and no courtship. Some animals have dug themselves to aestivate.

KevinM,

my herd is increasingly lethargic as the oppressive heat of the lowland desert takes us into its grip...they are aestivating, and a couple of real go-getters still come up in the early morning to feed. Others I don't expect to see until October. Funny how much behavioral variation in the species, even among siblings.

Despite a lot of breeding activity post hibernation emergence, I have no eggs in the incubator, I suspect I have several nests hidden outside which typically will hatch i situ. Some of us who have been breeding Russians awhile are reducing production, as the hatchlings have been sort of a hassle to sell for a reasonable fee, we are still flooded with imports and many folks don't realize (until too late...) the advantage of buying a captive bred, even if it initially costs more. No $ is saved if you take (and often should) a wild caught to the vet... Good luck with your tortoises, I hope you are well set up to prevent flooding. Vic H. Imperial Valley, CA.

Vic, my pen is in a well drained area of the yard. Although the soil is clayey, their pens are near the root system of a water oak that sucks up a lot of the water, and provides shade to the torts. I get very little standing water in the yard and the few places I do its usually only 1/2 inch. My pair remains active and both eagerly come out to feed. However, the male still stays more hidden and beneath their house. I have not seen any evidence of laying by the female and may just be surprised with babies in the pen one day. I suspect she would lay under the house in the far corner due to the heat and moisture out in the open.

Its a shame the CBs havent caught on more with the russians. However, even redfoots are still showing up as WC.

Why are they soooo rare in Canada?
I see posts for less then $100 for RT's down in the States.
Here I found mine for $250, but now am realizing I was lied to...

I was told it was 2.5 years old captive bred
A few other forums where I post I have been told it is at least 5, and WC. I just spent $270 at a vet for diagnosis of an eye ulcer and drugs to treat...
I would have loved the opportunity to have a trust worthy breeder sell me a captive bred!
Good luck!
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