Russian Tortoise Help!!!!!

Question
Hi. I have a Russian tortoise. Honestly, I don't know much about them besides what I have recently researched and read. My Russian Tortoise recently pooped not only a TON of white gooey gunk-ish type stuff (not in water -- where he usually takes care of business) but he also had a large amount of discharge that also looked like human-style-poop ... Is he sick? Is this normal?

I also had another question about what bedding I should put in there for him.. I've tried the 'expanding dirt' that one pet store recommended which I observed he didn't like very much, and I've also tried the tortoise carpet that a different pet store had recommended.. but he just doesn't seem too happy in either one.. any suggestions?

Thanks

Answer
Hi Meg,

The white stuff is urates, which is basically a more solid part of pee.  Soft and creamy (or clear) is what you want--if you see the urates are gritty or dry, that means the tortoise is dehydrated and you need to increase humidity.  It sounds like your tortoise peed and pooped more or less at the same time.  Healthy tortoise poop is fairly firm and will smell more or less like cow or horse manure, and there can be a incredible amount of it!

The coir (expanded brick)mixed with playsand makes an excellent substrate.  The problem may have been that the substrate was too dry.  Here's my basic care information for Russian tortoises:  

Tortoises don't do well in tanks.  They need good air circulation and the glass walls are a problem because they'll try to go through them.  The enclosure should be something large and open.  For a single tortoise, I'd recommend at least 3' x 4'.  You can build a tortoise table, use an old bookcase turned on its back, or something else, but give your tortoise as much room as you can manage.  If you have a yard, you can build an outside pen for the warmer months so your tortoise can get natural sunlight and fresh air.

Substrate--the substrate I use is a half and half mix of coir (bed-a-beast/ecoearth) and playsand, kept slightly damp at all times.  This holds humidity and allows the tortoise to burrow.  Using a substrate with some humidity duplicates the conditions in their burrows in the wild, where they spend a majority of their time.  The heat lamp is extremely drying, so the humidity is important.  You'll need to check the substrate every few days (stick your finger down into it) and add water as needed.  Make sure there's a shallow dish of water large enough for the tortoise to get into completely.  Don't use calcisand, reptile carpet, crushed walnut shells, or anything else a pet store tries to sell you.

Basking/UVB lights:  The only bulb I recommend is the T-Rex Active UVheat bulb, which has heat and UVB in one.  Excellent bulb and very durable.  You can get them at www.carolinapetsupply.com.  You need a basking temp of 90-95 degrees and a cooler area of 70-75 degrees so your tortoise can regulate its temperature.

Diet:  Leafy greens, no veggies, no fruit, no pellets.  Turnip, mustard, dandelion, collards, endive, raddichio, spring mix, etc. are all good, along with weeds such as sow thistle, chicory, chickweed, mallow, plantain, clover, hawkbit, and grape/mulberry leaves, hibiscus, nasturtium, viola, rose petals, abutilon, etc.  Put a cuttlebone in the enclosure so the tortoise can self-regulate calcium intake.

And the most important piece of advice I can give you:  don't rely on anything a pet store tells you...don't buy, feed, or do any of it.  Pet stores are notorious for giving very bad information, and since virtually all pet store Russian tortoises are wild caught and stressed already, you don't want to get off on a bad footing with your new pet.  Hydration, proper temperatures and diet, and good UVB are vital to the health of tortoises, and if you follow the information I've given you all should go well.  Also be aware that because pet store RTs are wild caught, they often have heavy parasite loads, so if your tortoise is very sluggish and has a poor appetite even after following my advice you should take him to a good herp vet for an exam and fecal check.

Here's the best website for RT information (you can also join the Yahoo RT group by clicking on the link on the front page):  www.russiantortoise.org.

Hope this helped.  Please post back if you have any more questions at all!