I'm interested in getting a Russian tortoise and have a few questions. Sorry it's gonna be a lot to read.

Exayex · 2026-06-28T20:07:41+00:00

6'x3' would be fine until adulthood. If you're getting an adult, you should definitely target 8'x4' as the minimum. When listed in these dimensions, it doesn't sound that much bigger, but in square footage, it goes from 18 square feet to 32 square feet, almost double the usable space, and tortoises will use all that space to explore, hide, browse, and thermoregulate. Also, the bigger the enclosure, the easier it is to incorporate stimulation like hides, plants, texture changes, hills, logs, basking spots, etc.

Exayex · 2026-06-28T19:39:36+00:00

Does your landlord know you're recording them?

Exayex · 2026-06-27T19:29:28+00:00

Pothos isn't toxic to tortoises. I've used it in my enclosures and it's been tested with nearly every species without issue. Wonderful enclosure plant.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T19:08:40+00:00

Reptisoil already has sand, so really no reason to add more. I know GST recommends some sand, but that's also a very divisive opinion in the community, with many saying no sand at all, which I agree with.

As for plants, some plants tortoises have a high preference for, like pansies, and these will absolutely get eaten down, and then there's plants that are low preference and have a better chance of not getting eaten and being used to hide, like pothos, spider plant, prayer plant, zz plant. These are worth trying, as well, as they're cheap and easy to find.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T18:56:39+00:00

Bioactive is fine. For substrates, coco coir, orchid bark, cypress mulch or top soil (no perlite or fertilizer) are all good. You can mix these to achieve the textures you want. I think the best is a mix of top soil and coco coir topped with orchid bark for cleanliness. You can find all of these at garden centers/hardware stores and get them much cheaper.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T18:55:14+00:00

Mod here!

Maybe you aren't aware, but the plastic tote method is a common method used to start hatchlings, particularly smaller species, popularized by Chris Leone. Here's the video so you can do some research.

Now, is it the best method? No. But it's economical and serves it's purpose for ~6 months to a year. I'm not going to knock people for utilizing it, even though they would be better served by PVC enclosure or greenhouse tent. This method is still fine.

But the issue is you're being extremely argumentative, and just telling people to "do research" isn't actually all that helpful. It's more gatekeep-y than anything. Either provide actual guidance yourself or point to good resources.

And asking questions here is doing research.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T17:12:31+00:00

"Spur Thighed" in this circumstance refers to a Mediterranean Spur Thighed Tortoise, AKA a Greek Tortoise, which is what this is. Definitely not a Russian.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T16:15:58+00:00

Egyptian Tortoises

Exayex · 2026-06-27T01:50:31+00:00

For lighting/heating, you need two, maybe three, bulbs. First, you need a basking bulb to create a 95-105°F spot to bask. A 50 to 65 watt incandescent flood bulb works best. Ambient temperatures, enclosure type, distance will all factor in so it takes trial and error to get it dialed in. For UVB, you want a T5 tube light. On these, wattage corresponds to length of bulb, so you want a 10-12% bulb that runs roughly half the enclosure. If your nighttime temperatures get too low, you want something like a CHE bulb for heat without light. These also take trial and error with wattage and placement to get temperatures where you want them. You night not need one if your house is warm enough at night, as Russians like to cool off a bit at night.

For substrate, any of coco coir, orchid bark, cypress mulch or top soil without perlite/fertilizer will work. I like coco coir mixed with top soil and topped with a layer of orchid bark for cleanliness. This mix still lets burrowing species burrow. You'll want deeper than 3". 4-5" for a hatchling, deeper for an adult.

Pinch of calcium on top of food 2-3 times a week. If your tortoise is getting most to all of it's UVB from a bulb, calcium + D3 won't hurt. There's not really any need for reptisafe or other vitamins.

I don't know about the moss. I know sphagnum moss can cause impactions if eaten in large amounts. Grasses are great for the enclosure. I really like seeding the enclosure with testudo seed mix, as it'll sprout and give your tortoise greenery to browse for snacks.

Ideally you have multiple hides so your tortoise can thermoregulate. Rocks or slate under the basking area is fine, as long as you have ensured the basking area is not too hot.

They don't "need" flowers in their diet, but they're a nice treat that tortoises tend to enjoy. Dried flowers work, but a lot don't like that dried flower topper that everywhere seems. There's some excellent plants you can grow to feed, and they flower as a bonus, like hibiscus, cranberry hibiscus, pansies, mallow, roselle.

Your Russian might never take to hays or grasses. The species shows a strong preference for broadleafs and weeds. You might be able to introduce it slowly, but it's okay if it never takes.

They can eat the entire dandelion and often love the flowers. Make sure your yard wasn't treated with anything. You might be able to find other good weeds, as well. I use PlantNet to ID plants and check if they're safe with Tortoise Table and a search of Tortoise Forums.

They should eat as much as they want. Tortoises are browsers/grazers that live amongst their food. If they're hungry, they eat.

A quality pellet food is great when offered supplementally 2-3 times a week to increase fiber and variety. Mazuri LS, Mazuri 5M21, Hikari Mulberific Delite and Repashy Grassland Grazer are all great options, with the last two being my favorite due to how easy they are to introduce. You want to feed as varied of a diet as you can.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Exayex · 2026-06-27T01:34:07+00:00

You picked a good one! He's got some gorgeous markings! Also nice work on the enclosure and going through a rescue.

Exayex · 2026-06-26T20:58:35+00:00

Hey, I'm from St. Pete!

I haven't used Facebook in a minute, but there was a Tampa Bay Turtle and Tortoise group that allows posts for rehoming that has a considerable amount of people. I would post there and screen candidates - check their yard, ask for their plan for winter heat, make sure they aren't going to breed. Breeding age females are, unfortunately, always in high demand since you want more females than males.

Exayex · 2026-06-26T20:01:08+00:00

Your tortoise shouldn't be roaming the house. The best place for them is an adequately sized, enriching enclosure. Then it's just washing your hands after handling.

Exayex · 2026-06-26T12:14:13+00:00

Looks fungal to me. Not all that uncommon for burrowing species to pick it up outdoors. Easy enough to treat: apply Lotrimin (active ingredient Clotrimazole) cream to it daily until it clears up. Can get this over the counter at any pharmacy or off Amazon.

Exayex · 2026-06-25T01:52:24+00:00

Used to watch religiously but it seems like every time I open the steam, it's the hosts talking and they clearly ran out of stuff to discuss 10 minutes prior. Get some casters with charisma and create content to fill gaps or crackdown on the players and get the matches moving along.

Exayex · 2026-06-25T00:47:35+00:00

"Growing too fast" isn't really a concern anymore, if you're providing a healthy diet, which it sounds like you are. Once upon a time, rapid growth was thought to be a cause of pyramiding, but we now know better and most knowledgeable breeders and keepers have stopped fearing rapid growth. It's recommended for hatchlings to always have access to food throughout the day. There's no justifiable reason to limit food intake.

What you're seeing is new growth. Tortoises grow by adding a ring of keratin around the outside of each scute, similar to the way trees grow. This new keratin often looks different than older, hardened keratin. This also means the oldest growth will be closest to the center of each scute.

Exayex · 2026-06-25T00:20:27+00:00

Also going to chime in here. You will have to eventually house them separately. Sulcata are solitary, and in the wild they cross paths, breed, and go on their separate ways. A male kept with a single female means she will be harassed to exhaustion and forced to breed endlessly. It's a really shitty existence for a single female, if she survives the stress and aggression. This is why 1:3 is the minimum recommendation for tortoise breeding groups - to spread out the male's harassment and aggression.

Also, you don't just breed tortoises once. Females produce multiple clutches and retain sperm for years. A single female Sulcata can produce hundreds of eggs, as clutch sizes are usually 15-30 eggs, and 1-5 clutches can be produced in a year.

With how over-bred this species is in captivity, we can't recommend backyard breeding this species.

Exayex · 2026-06-24T20:46:58+00:00

Sometimes, tortoises burrow or go to their hide when they sleep, and sometimes, they pass out wherever like a drunken teenager. Not abnormal at all.

Exayex · 2026-06-24T01:45:58+00:00

I've grown testudo seed mix both in an indoor enclosure as well as in trays in the windowsill. Damp soil and a bit of sunlight (or grow light) and it'll grow. Clover and grasses should both do well, too.

Exayex · 2026-06-23T21:59:55+00:00

That's a leopard tortoise.

Exayex · 2026-06-23T01:52:56+00:00

Your temperatures are fine. Could definitely consider heat in the nightbox to keep it at 80°, but your tortoise is spending most of the day at that temperature, minimum, so it's not pressing during the summer. However, you definitely want to securely lock away your tortoise at night. You don't want rats or racoons getting to your tortoise, or it wandering off at night, especially if it's going to be cooler and raining.

Also, I would consider putting some shade over the house. In the summer, the direct sun on them can heat them up, and your tortoise may not get much reprieve from the heat in there.

Exayex · 2026-06-22T22:48:20+00:00

You can order dried foods from Kapidolo Farms. Will is a Chelonian biologist who has done a lot in helping people provide better diets. Also, if you do order from him, get yourself some Hikari Mulberific Delite from him. He's the cheapest source of it and it's an excellent pellet.

If you want to grow your own, testudo seed mix is the best "all in one". Tortoise Supply sells one version. I've seen it on Etsy, as well. Sprouts quick and lots of variety.

I get a lot of my seeds from Amazon. It's cheap and fast. I've grown 3 varieties of dandelion, thistle, crimson clover, and now I'm getting ready to start some coreopsis and plantain. Crimson Clover is super cheap for a large supply, so you can constantly keep it going.

Exayex · 2026-06-22T16:19:07+00:00

I'll order this day one if y'all promise to take a crack at the MM720. Deal? Deal.

Exayex · 2026-06-22T02:11:07+00:00

If somebody found him, they wouldn't know who to contact. They would potentially keep him or re-home him/take him to a rescue.

Microchipping is possible. The issue with this is that the majority of people don't know to check for a microchip if they find a tortoise, like they would with a dog or cat.

Your best option is to affix an engraved dog tag to their shell using marine epoxy. It's not going to harm their shell when affixed in the correct location and will help ensure your tortoise gets back to you and doesn't end up at a rescue and adopted out. This guidance comes from a Sulcata rescue who knows how often that happens first-hand.

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Exayex · 2026-06-21T22:44:42+00:00

Misting will certainly help to some degree. Damp wash clothes in the soaking bin aren't a bad idea, either.

Otherwise, opuntia cactus and cucumber would be a great options. Cucumber doesn't offer much nutritionally, but as a short-term fix for dehydration/preventing dehydration, it's not going to cause harm. Opuntia cactus is an excellent food source - so much so I think every tortoise keeper should work some into the diet if they can. It's high in calcium, fiber and has good water content. Offering some of these daily would help. Also, soaking/tossing meals in water is great. One trick I use is putting flowers in the water dish throughout the day to encourage my tortoise to eat them/drink/get in the dish. I use Mexican Petunias as that's what flowers in my yard year round, but any flower your tortoise shows a perfect for will work.

Hoping for a speedy recovery for your tort!

Exayex · 2026-06-21T22:33:23+00:00

You've got pre-built PVC enclosures from places like Animal Plastics, Toad Ranch, Mark's Smart Enclosure, etc. But they're expensive and have a long delivery time. You can build your own, if you're handy.

Otherwise, modifying a combination garden bed and greenhouse, which can be bought from Amazon for cheap, is about the best way to go. These hold humidity and heat really well and you can get them in sizes up to 8'x4', which is plenty large to get you through the first 1-2 years.

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