Lighting and digging

Question
Dear Jeannie,

I just bought two russian tortoises they were with each other when purchased one is digging. There both in a 20Lx29gal tank and is it safe to turn the light off at night?

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

First off, you need to find a better enclosure for your tortoises.  The tank size you have is much too small for one tortoise, let alone two.  Tanks also aren't good for tortoises because it's difficult to establish a correct temperature gradient in it.  Most likely the temps are too hot and that's why the tortoise is digging in an attempt to cool itself.  For two tortoises, you really need an enclosure that's at least 5' x 3', and even that is on the small side.  Tortoises need a lot of room to roam.  If you try to keep them in something too small, their health may be affected in the long run.

Use a substrate that's a 50/50 mix of coir (bed-a-beast) and playsand.  Keep it a little damp to maintain moisture level in the enclosure.  Being kept to dry can cause respiratory problems and may lead to bladder stones, which can be very serious.

They need both a basking light and a good source of UVB if not outside.  I would use a ZooMed Powersun (100 watt), which provides both.  You need a basking temperature of 90-95 degrees (measured on the substrate under the lamp, and a cooler area of 70-75 degrees.  The light should be on 12-14 hours a day, but turn it off at night.  They need cool temperatures at night and do fine at typical house temperatures.

There should be a shallow dish of water large enough for them to get into completely in the enclosure at all times.  Feed them leafy greens and weeds (turnip, mustard, collards, dandelion, chicory, clover, etc.); no veggies, no fruit, no pellets.  You can get a complete food list at www.russiantortoise.org.  Put a cuttlebone in the enclosure so they can nibble on it for extra calcium if they need it.

Russian tortoises aren't difficult to care for if you give them plenty of room and a good variety of healthy foods.  Problems such as lack of appetite and inactivity are usually due to problems with how they're being kept--particularly being too hot or cold or too dry.