Re: Russian torts / long post

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Posted by Eric T. on August 04, 2000 at 11:09:23:

In Reply to: This is part of an email I sent to a tortiosing friend, asking questions posted by Paco on August 04, 2000 at 10:16:30:

: Hi Paco:
!. Transport the tortoise home in a box, you only need to worry if the temperature gets to high.
2: Skippy eats a pre-mixed salad mixture containing a bunch of different greens. To this mix I add choped up Timothy hay for a little fiber. I avoid the cabbage family along with spinache. I only feed fruit as a treat. Skippy gets to eat twice a day (but he is starting to get fat again- I might need to put him on a diet.)
Every now and then I force him to fast.
3- yes you will have to keep him someplace where it is light and provide a heat lamp for warmth.
4- Skippy has hibernated on his own once but it was unusual. I don't like to hibernate Russians. but alot of people think that it's important. Ask around to find out what other tortoise people are doing. And if you want I can give you more detailed information.
5- compared to other tortoises, I think Russians are low maitenence. But they still need up-keep.
6-I have a large vivarium in the house made of wood with two sliding glass panels in the front.
It is sculpted to look like a desert habitat.
7- you need a heat bulb to make a basking area, and you need full spectrum to provide UV radiation. A thermometer is good. But no heat rocks or heat pads, these can hurt your pet. A water dish is good, change the water daily. Russian tortoises like to climb so I would recomend providing him with wood or rocks to cimb on.
8- My vivarium is too large to sit on anything other than the floor.
9- It seems that you have the bases covered, you asked some very good questions. good luck on your tortoise.
-Eric-

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: : Hi Paco: : !. Transport the tortoise home in a box, you only need to worry if the temperature gets to high. : 2: Skippy eats a pre-mixed salad mixture containing a bunch of different greens. To this mix I add choped up Timothy hay for a little fiber. I avoid the cabbage family along with spinache. I only feed fruit as a treat. Skippy gets to eat twice a day (but he is starting to get fat again- I might need to put him on a diet.) : Every now and then I force him to fast. : 3- yes you will have to keep him someplace where it is light and provide a heat lamp for warmth. : 4- Skippy has hibernated on his own once but it was unusual. I don't like to hibernate Russians. but alot of people think that it's important. Ask around to find out what other tortoise people are doing. And if you want I can give you more detailed information. : 5- compared to other tortoises, I think Russians are low maitenence. But they still need up-keep. : 6-I have a large vivarium in the house made of wood with two sliding glass panels in the front. : It is sculpted to look like a desert habitat. : 7- you need a heat bulb to make a basking area, and you need full spectrum to provide UV radiation. A thermometer is good. But no heat rocks or heat pads, these can hurt your pet. A water dish is good, change the water daily. Russian tortoises like to climb so I would recomend providing him with wood or rocks to cimb on. : 8- My vivarium is too large to sit on anything other than the floor. : 9- It seems that you have the bases covered, you asked some very good questions. good luck on your tortoise. : -Eric-

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