7. They do Not Need Water

Photo Credit: PS95

Do not get this tortoise thinking that you need to put him in water. Sure, they do need to soak every other day. You should include a small water tray in their cage. Just know that they aren’t the type to place in a tank of water.

6. You Can Hold Them

Photo Credit: Sorry My English

In fact, they will not mind you holding them at all. In the summer time, you could take them outside and let them eat some grass. Just make sure the grass has not been sprayed. I am going to make an outside area for mine. He’s going to love it.

5. Coconut Fiber and VitaSand

Photo Credit: Surgfish

For the turtles substrate, you can use 50/50 coconut fiber and vitasand. I put coconut fiber on one side of the cage and vitasand on the other side. Make sure you keep it moist.

4. The Temperature

Photo Credit: PS95

For the temperature, you need to make sure one side of the cage is 95 degrease Fahrenheit and the other side is 75. When the lights go out, both sides should be 75 degrease Fahrenheit. Do not keep your tortoise in the cold.

3. They Need Sun

Photo Credit: wings69

They need sun – You can use 10.0 reptile UV-UVA lights. They will need it on them for 8 hours in a day. The sun will help to give them good old vitamin D.

2. They Need Calcium

Photo Credit: Chloe Clay

You can get Calcium dust in the pet store – sprinkle a small amount of calcium dust on their food two times a week.

1. The Vet

Photo Credit: ctownjb

When you first get the turtle, it is important that you take them to a good herpetological veterinarian. This way, you can make sure they are healthy. You should continue taking the tortoise there for checkups.

Remember, turtles spend most of their time in the water while the tortoise will spend most of their time on the land. A turtle and a tortoise are not the same. The front of a turtles feet is mostly fins, while for a tortoise, they usually have hard, scaly feet to help them burrow. Turtles have a flat shell, while tortoises mostly have round, dome shaped shells. Russian tortoises are native to the continent of Asia. They mostly live in Russia, Afghanistan, the Ukraine, Pakistan, Iran and parts of China. Do you need any advice for your pet tortoise or any other reptile? I can help.

Top Photo Credit: B.H.B. PHOTOGRAPHY