Re: Another Russian in poor conditions...

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Posted by Niki on September 24, 2000 at 14:06:54:

In Reply to: Another Russian in poor conditions Please learn about tort' before buying 1 posted by Denis Mosimann (Switzerland) on September 24, 2000 at 13:14:18:

Hello Mike,
I think people on this forum are really lovers
of tortoises and it's easy to say things to
others in a harsh way (advertantly or inadvertantly),
I know I do it sometimes when I get ticked by a
post, or just have a lousy mood.

I think it's difficult to read about a torotise
sitting in a 30 gallon tank (ugh!) indoors as
a child's "plaything", if this is the way Denis
may have taken it. I know I cringed at this too.

Russian Tortoises, and ALL torotises really need
to spend as much time as possible outdoors in
natural sunlight, grazing naturally in a safe
secure pen as large as possible. Ideally, a glass
fishtank type enclosure wouldn't be used at all.

First of all, if you're worried about salmonella,
you can have your tortoise tested for this, if there's
a high enough concentration to be considered a
problem, you can find out through a vet that will
have a fecal sample cultured at a lab (takes about
3 days and costs me $45.00) A vet should do a
work-up of a fecal anyways, to determine which if
any internal parasites are present (worms) and
treat for them. (My vet charges $12 for this.)

Read up about Russian Tortoises (back posts on
this forum are a good start -you'll find caresheeets
and links also). Maybe you and your son can consider
building your tortoise a great indoor enclosure
together and maybe an outdoor pen? This would
be a great project. Take a look at my tortoises
set-up for a hatchling, but would work for a Russian
because they won't get that large. My tortoise
will get huge, and this is just a temporary set-up,
costs $450 in material though anyways. There are
cheaper ways to do things, including using even
a kiddie plastic pool!!! I think the worst thing
people can imagine is a glass tank, so any
improvements over that would be welcomed. Even if
it's just taping some nice construction paper
to three sides of the tank on the outside, to provide
a more "solid" feel and reduce "glass stress".

How old's your son. Mine's almost 8, and helps me
with my animals, though 99% of the responsibility
is (rightly and willingly) mine. niki

Theodore my Tortoise

Follow Ups:

Re: Another Russian in poor conditions... Mike 09/24/00 (2)
- Great! The difference is between "surviving" and really "thriving". n/p Niki 09/24/00 (0)
- Re: NIKI RULES.....YOU GO GIRL.......dabear n/p dabear 09/24/00 (0)

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: Hello Mike, : I think people on this forum are really lovers : of tortoises and it's easy to say things to : others in a harsh way (advertantly or inadvertantly), : I know I do it sometimes when I get ticked by a : post, or just have a lousy mood. : I think it's difficult to read about a torotise : sitting in a 30 gallon tank (ugh!) indoors as : a child's "plaything", if this is the way Denis : may have taken it. I know I cringed at this too. : Russian Tortoises, and ALL torotises really need : to spend as much time as possible outdoors in : natural sunlight, grazing naturally in a safe : secure pen as large as possible. Ideally, a glass : fishtank type enclosure wouldn't be used at all. : First of all, if you're worried about salmonella, : you can have your tortoise tested for this, if there's : a high enough concentration to be considered a : problem, you can find out through a vet that will : have a fecal sample cultured at a lab (takes about : 3 days and costs me $45.00) A vet should do a : work-up of a fecal anyways, to determine which if : any internal parasites are present (worms) and : treat for them. (My vet charges $12 for this.) : Read up about Russian Tortoises (back posts on : this forum are a good start -you'll find caresheeets : and links also). Maybe you and your son can consider : building your tortoise a great indoor enclosure : together and maybe an outdoor pen? This would : be a great project. Take a look at my tortoises : set-up for a hatchling, but would work for a Russian : because they won't get that large. My tortoise : will get huge, and this is just a temporary set-up, : costs $450 in material though anyways. There are : cheaper ways to do things, including using even : a kiddie plastic pool!!! I think the worst thing : people can imagine is a glass tank, so any : improvements over that would be welcomed. Even if : it's just taping some nice construction paper : to three sides of the tank on the outside, to provide : a more "solid" feel and reduce "glass stress". : How old's your son. Mine's almost 8, and helps me : with my animals, though 99% of the responsibility : is (rightly and willingly) mine. niki

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