Russian Tortoise

Russian tortoises are active and need far more floor space than height: an adult needs a large open enclosure, ideally a tortoise table or secure outdoor pen of at least 120 x 60 cm and much larger where possible, as they roam and dig. Provide a deep, diggable substrate such as a topsoil and sand mix so the tortoise can burrow, plus a basking area, hides, a humid hide on the cool end and a shallow water dish for soaking. They are strong burrowers and climbers, so walls must be solid and escape-proof and pens secured against digging out.

A grazing herbivore that thrives on a high-fibre, low-protein diet of leafy weeds, grasses and flowers such as dandelion, clover, plantain, sow thistle, hibiscus and a variety of dark leafy greens, offered daily. Avoid fruit, which causes digestive upset, and never feed animal protein or dog and cat food. Dust food with calcium a few times a week and provide a cuttlebone for gnawing. Fresh water must always be available, and regular shallow soaks help hydration and healthy urates.

Provide a basking spot of about 35 to 38 C at one end and a cooler end of 21 to 26 C, with a night drop to around 15 to 21 C; control heat with a thermostat. Strong UVB is essential for shell and bone health: use a high-output T5 tube (around 10 to 12 percent) to give a basking UVI of about 3.0 to 4.0 (Ferguson Zone 3 to 4), or provide safe natural sunlight. Keep ambient humidity moderate at around 30 to 50 percent while always offering a humid hide, and run a 12 to 14 hour photoperiod. This species naturally brumates in winter, which should only be done under veterinary guidance.

Can be kept singly or in carefully managed groups, but males are aggressive toward each other and persistently harass females, so never keep two males together and give any group ample space, cover and multiple feeding and basking sites. A single tortoise is perfectly content. Russian tortoises tolerate gentle, minimal handling for health checks but are not cuddly pets; they are best appreciated as active grazers observed in a spacious enclosure.

Provide a large, complex space with diggable substrate for burrowing, varied terrain, edible plants to graze and forage, and hides and basking spots to choose between. Scatter-feeding greens, rotating decor and access to a secure outdoor grazing pen in good weather all express natural behaviour. Room to walk and dig is the single most important enrichment for this active, wide-ranging tortoise.