Acquiring a Baby Russian Tortoise Tomorrow!

[Jessika]

One of my instructors at school has a young Russian Tortoise and asked our class if anyone wanted him, and I JUMPED on it! I've wanted a tortoise for a long while now, have done a lot of research in the past but didn't want to pay $100+ for everything from a pet store, nor did I just want to take one from the wild. So this is perfect!

His name is Leeroy Washington (I'm just going to call him Leo for short -- like from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles :)) and she says he's very cute :)

My question is, does anyone have any experience with setting up an indoor habitat for a Russian? It's too late in the year for me to even think about building an outdoor pen, and by this time next year I'll be graduated from school and HJ and I were going to get our own apartment (NOT a house yet) while I work till we save up enough money to get a house where we can build an outdoor pen for him. I will probably be living here with my in-laws for the next year or so but I don't think they'd appreciate me digging up their backyard just to house my turtle for a few months next summer.

I plan on using a very large rubbermaid-type tub (I have an extra - long one I used when I moved). For substrate I was going to use a 50/50 play sand + EcoEarth-type mix and maybe get some large rocks to set on one end. I know to have the UVB light as well as a basking light and a place to hide. I know all about diet.

My question is if anyone has any indoor tortoise habitats set up and perhaps you could show me a few pictures and give me a few pointers? I've owned tortoises throughout my childhood but never did nearly as much research as I've done for this guy :) I'm no novice at this, but I'm certainly not an expert. :)

thanks guys!!! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures tomorrow!

[Jessika]

BUMP

I have him home now and he's the cutest little thing, but I'd still like all of the opinions/advice I could get!!!

[Karen]

No advice, as I have only owned turtles, not tortoises, but I wanted to say Congratulations! :)

Welcome to Pet Talk, Leo!

[Casper]

I have never owned tortoises, either, so I am not much help.
Here (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=141874&highlight=tortoise) is a thread where someone on the board has a turtle, and the setup shown looks superb! Maybe that could give you some ideas?

Congratulations and Good luck!

[Jessika]

Oh man I WISH I could have something that nice!! If I'm gonna have a pen that big though it might as well be outdoors :)

[chocolatepuppy]

No advice , but can't wait to see pics!:D

[StarandBratsmom]

Have no idea on how to care for one. When you get it, will you show us pictures? I would love to see it.

[Jessika]

Have no idea on how to care for one. When you get it, will you show us pictures? I would love to see it.

I will definitely show pics when I get him all set up. he's in a temp cage now until the weekend when I can get the "real deal". It's just a smaller tupperwear tub with newspaper lining it, a USPS box flipped upside down with a "doorway" cut out so he has somewhere to hide, and small dishes for food and water. Plus a basking light and UVB light, of course :)

I know dandelions are a great source of calcium and they grow wild here in Missouri -- but of course I live on the only plot of land in Missouri that doesn't have a single one!!!

[ramanth]

No advice, but congrats!!

My suggestion would be to find a toroise forum. It's what I did when I got hermits and I used all the photos of setups on there as inspiration to set up my own crabitat. :)

[Jessika]

I have been reading around but just wasn't sure if anyone here had any personal advice/experience with Russians. I think I've done so much research I'm good to go; I'm by far no expert but I'm definitely no novice, either!

[Karen]

Hee hee - I am sure if you have a house in the neighborhood with tons of dandelions they would love you to pick them regularly - Miss Hoppy loved dandelion flowers! The greens you can buy in Whole Foods stores and produce markets nowadays - they grow them for human consumption!

I am sure Grandpa Smith would be highly amused.

[GekkeGekko]

that's my setup there:-)
It works out really great for my Tor but however there's a problem with it; my oldest cat thinks it's a cat litter box;-( Might be solved by putting a net over the whole setup)....

[Jessika]

that's my setup there:-)
It works out really great for my Tor but however there's a problem with it; my oldest cat thinks it's a cat litter box;-( Might be solved by putting a net over the whole setup)....

You know, my instructor warned me about that, and living in a household with nine cats now (yes, nine!), I was very worried about it as well, especially since we haven't made a lid for his cage yet. Surprisingly, none of the cats have really displayed ANY interest in him or his cage, and even today when they got locked out of the laundry room (where their litterboxes are), one pooped in the corner of the basement and DID NOT use his cage... I was pretty excited. They're all behaving so well!

I need to take pics, but gosh I'm so bad about uploading them and posting them anymore!!