Tortoise seems sick

Question
I got my Russian Tortoise a week ago and the past few days he hasn't been eating a lot, his shells seems to be cracking a little in some parts, he sleeps a lot more than my other tortoise, and sneezes a couple times a day. Do you know what wrong or what i should do?

Answer
Hi Hayden, It is quite normal for a newly acquired tortoise not to eat well for the the first week to 10 days and Russians often have diminished appetites in the winter months when they would normally hibernate.
Unfortunately, the other two symptoms that you mentioned are a cause for concern and those, combined with the poor appetite, would prompt me to seek veterinary attention before the situation becomes advanced.
Shell problems are often due to dietary deficiencies which would have started before you acquired him. As for the sneezing, only a veterinary exam can determine the cause but Russians are quite prone to both mycoplasma infections and tortoise herpesvirus. The name "runny nose syndrome" has been given to the upper respiratory problems often seen in Russians and other species.
What you can do in the meantime is make sure his environment is correct, that will help boost his natural immune system and  appetite and also reduce his stress. He should have a basking spot temperature of around 95 -100F with the cooler end being in the 75 - 80 range. The humidity of the overall enclosure should be fairly low but he should have access to a humid hide spot like a box with damp moss inside. That helps to mimic the more humid burrows that Russians often retreat into in the wild.