![]() ![]() I plant many different types of safe, leafy weeds in their outdoor enclosures in the spring. Variety is the key, and for their size, these tortoises do some serious eating. We supplement with kale, collared greens, turnip greens and any of the darker lettuce types. We regularly use spring mixes, which have several leafy ingredients in them. They prefer broadleaf weeds and eagerly eat almost any leafy greens or vegetables offered to them. Russian tortoises are enthusiastic eaters, and the destruction they wreak on the plants in most outdoor enclosures is proof of this. Russian tortoises hibernate underground during the winter if they are allowed some time to dig a burrow before cold temperatures set in. Russian tortoises are most active when temperatures are between 60 and 90 degrees, but they remain active during the cooler parts of the day in midsummer, or they sleep underground in a burrow. Keeping any tortoise on an outdoor patio or anything aboveground when it’s over 100 degrees is too hot for them. Russian tortoises can handle high temperatures only if they can get underground where it’s cooler. ![]() Winter lows are in the 20s (degrees Fahrenheit), and summer highs near 120 degrees. I keep them outdoors in Las Vegas year round without additional heat sources. Russian tortoises living outdoors and allowed to dig burrows are very capable of taking care of themselves as far as temperatures are concerned. Russian Tortoise Lighting and Temperature Russian tortoises also enjoy climbing, so try to provide an enclosure that gives them that opportunity. They help file down the tortoises’ nails and give them a clean surface for food. I also like to include a few large, flat rocks in an indoor enclosure. Mixing soils helps to solidify the foundation. Using only sand makes running around somewhat difficult for the tortoises. I prefer a combination of dirt or sand mixed with peat moss or fine coconut coir. Shaded grassy areas that get regular water help to keep smaller tortoises cool. Building Russian tortoises underground hide boxes that maintain more stable temperatures helps to keep them from burrowing too much. In higher or lower temperatures, they attempt to go underground to insulate themselves from the extremes. Placing large rocks under the soil in the corners helps prevent tortoises from digging out. They tend to dig into corners and against objects. Enclosure walls should be set into the ground 6 to 12 inches to prevent the tortoises from digging under the sides, and they should be 12 inches or higher aboveground. Pens for one or two adults should be at least 2 feet by 4 feet. The preferred method for raising Russian tortoises is an outdoor enclosure in a warmer climate. Raised on a lean, high-fiber diet, captive-raised animals in low-stress environments have higher life expectancies. Russian tortoises can live more than 40 years. Russian tortoises larger than about 6 inches long can be difficult to find. These tortoises are large enough to handle subprime conditions during shipping but small enough to fit many in a fixed-size shipping crate. Russian tortoises are almost always imported as young adults between 4 and 5 inches in carapace length. When females are about 6 inches long, they are large enough to begin producing eggs. Females are normally a little larger than males at full size. As they mature, they reach a maximum length of 8 to 10 inches. Russian tortoise hatchlings measure about 1 inch in carapace length. Captive-bred babies are rarely raised to adult size and sold at the low prices that these imported Russian tortoises sell for. You should assume that most adult or subadult Russian tortoises for sale are wild-caught (imported). Compared to the number of imported tortoises, captive production of this species is relatively low. Most Russian tortoises are imported into the United States. These factors make Russian tortoises attractive for new tortoisekeepers and a fun tortoise for seasoned veterans. They are one of the few species that can be kept outdoors in Las Vegas, Nev., year round. When allowed to burrow, Russian tortoises also have one of the highest tolerances for temperature extremes. They are also feisty, eager to eat and more active than some other tortoises. They are small, making them easy for most people with limited space to keep. Russian Tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii )Ī popular pet tortoise, Russian tortoises are one of the most readily available tortoise species. ![]()
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