Once you’ve purchased your Russian tortoise for sale, it is time to get ready to prepare for your new pet tortoise to arrive and get everything ready.
Below are some tips and information on the care of the captive bred russian tortoise. You can always email us with questions you may have about your new pet russian tortoise.
We offer a huge Russian tortoise care section of our website, all prepared by our staff Biologist. Take the time to learn proper Russian tortoise care needs including:
Russian tortoises are one of the smaller species of tortoise for sale in the USA. These dwarf tortoises or tiny tortoises for sale make up the most popular species of the Testudo tortoise family. Russian tortoises grow from 5-10″ on average with females growing much larger than males. Baby Russian tortoise can be found from select breeders across the country, and run in the range of $225-250.00 each. Wild caught Russian tortoises should be avoided and are often found at Pet Smart and Petco. If you are looking for a Russian tortoise for sale petsmart, we recommend you NOT supporting the wild caught tortoise trade. By purchasing a captive bred baby Russian tortoise hatchling for sale, you will be supporting the captive breeding program over wild animals being taken from their natural habitat.
Typically, Russian tortoise habitats for adult size animals are going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2′ x 4′. Also,Keep in mind that low airflow, high ambient temperature, as well as relatively High humidity are imperative for the first 12 months of life. Tortoises that are raised with low humidity will often fail before one year of age.We recommend using something that has limited airflow including an aquarium so long as you block off the side so that the animal cannot see out.
Things as simple as sweater boxes with lids can be used, paper towels of substrate, so long as you’re able to keep the ambient temperature in the neighborhood of 88°. Also, be sure to spray down your enclosure2 to 3 times a day when possible to keep the humidity where it should remain. By keeping humidity in the neighborhood of 75 to 80, this will ensure a very smooth shell growth, as well as your Russian tortoise is not dehydrating slowly due to overhead heating elements andUVB lighting.
UVB lighting should be provided 8 to 10 hours a day in the neighborhood of a 10 UVB lamp we recommend utilizing a T5 high output lamp and fixture as opposed to a compact fluorescent screw in.
Those that are using open top enclosures need to seriously consider limiting the airflow and holding in the humidity. Sometimes, these enclosures including the tortoise house are able to be modified or supplemented by using a reptile Fokker system.We do have reptile fogger systems available here at great prices so we highly recommend that you check it out before you finish your purchase. A reptile or tortoise fogging system should be used on all baby tortoise habitats if you asked the biologists here at Tortoise Town.
Did you know that female Russian tortoises for sale grow to just about double the size of males? A male Russian tortoise will grow from 5-6″ on average at full maturity. Female Russians grow anywhere from 7-10″ with a much “rounder” shape than males. Males can fight with one another and should not be kept with other male tortoises. Female Russian tortoises may be housed or kept in groups and seem to get along just fine.
Providing your baby tortoise with UVB lighting is key to raising a healthy Russian tortoise hatchling for sale. UVB should be provided via a t5 HO tube-style lamp. Using a 10 or 10.0 UVB lamp is fine so long as your light is around 15-20″ from the shell of the tortoise. A 12 lamp is even better however, it needs to be mounted 24″ above the tortoises and will have a great output and coverage area. We recommend using an Arcadia brand tortoise UVB light.
Humidity is a big deal for any species of baby tortoise for sale, and the baby Russian tortoise is no different. Keep the humidity in the range of 65-70 for yearlings to juveniles, 50-60 for adults, and as high as 75-80 for captive-bred Russian tortoise hatchlings. Using a reptile fogger will help keep the humidity up. Some people put it on the same timer as the lights, keep it filled at night. Because it is tied to the same timer, the fogger can simulate morning dew each morning when it comes on with the UVB lighting and the hot spot.
Baby Russian tortoises live a long time! Did you know a Russian tortoise can live 50-100 years! That is correct, 100 years! That means you need to be prepared to own your tortoise for your entire life, and even maybe give it to a younger family member when you get old!
Feeding your new baby Russian tortoise for sale a varied diet is the best way to go. Here at the tortoise town tortoise farm, we offer a wide variety of high quality fresh greens and veggies. Using Romaine, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Endive, Squash, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Kale, Shredded Carrots, the occasional tomato, we make a daily “chopped salad”. Also, to supplement more Vitamin D3 during the winter with our indoor tortoise habitats, we use Mazuri tortoise chow. Tortoise chow works best when soaked in water and softened. Some people also add their supplements right to the water so it is soaked up with the tortoise pellets.
Diet: A well-balanced Russian tortoise diet consists of:
Supplements should be provided 2-3 times weekly, like every other feeding works. We recommend using a high quality calcium with Vitamin D3, like reptocal, sold here at the tortoise store. Lastly, a vitamin supplement like Vionate can be added to the calcium powder in a ratio of 1 to 1, or 50:50.
Temperature is important for both baby Russian tortoise hatchlings for sale, as well as juvenile Russian tortoise for sale and adults. A median temperature of 82 degrees during the day, with a hot spot of 90 Degrees works best. During the nighttime, temperatures may drop as low as 75 degrees for babies, or 65 degrees for adults. When temperatures drop, you will probably find, or “not be able to find” your baby Russian tortoise as they burrow under the substrate. Speaking of substrate, let’s talk about it!
Substrate can be anything that has no additives or pesticides or fertilizers. Using a substrate like organic potting mix works great when mixed with forest floor, sold here. Forest floor is a cypress mulch and absorbs odor and works quite well. Providing a potting or soil mix of 2-4″ of depth also will help your tortoise dig down properly and thermoregulate.
Be Careful! Most Russian tortoises are imported into the United States. In contrast to the number of imported tortoises, captive bred Russian tortoise availability is relatively low. However, here at tortoise town, we produce around 150 baby Russian tortoise for sale each season. Therefore, you should assume that most adult or subadult Russian tortoises for sale are wild-caught (imported). Captive-bred babies are rarely raised to adult size and sold at low prices. Because wild-caught tortoises are imported for very low prices, they are sold cheaper at pet stores. Captive bred babies will always be 2-3 times the price that these imported Russian tortoises sell for. So if you see Russian torts under $200.00 you can almost guarantee they are older, wild caught specimens and should be avoided at all costs.
We offer various ages/sizes for sale available thru the drop-down shopping cart options. Therefore offer various sixes of Russian tortoise hatchlings for sale. Our sizes include well-started baby Russian tortoises for sale (recommended over hatchlings). Also, we offer yearlings and juvenile Russian tortoises
Things to remember when feeding your Russian tortoise:
Thoroughly clean and disinfect the habitat at least once a week: place tortoise in a secure habitat; scrub the tank and furnishings with a 3 bleach solution; rinse thoroughly with water, removing all traces of bleach smell; dry the tank and furnishings completely and add clean substrate.
Weekly water soaks with water level no deeper than the mid-point between the bottom of the tortoise’s shell and its top.
