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11401 NE 195th St. Bothell, WA 98011

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General Information

Testudo hors+eldii is known variously as the Russian, the

Afghan, the Steppe, and the HorsOeld’s tortoise. This
tortoise is found primarily in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran,
southeastern Russia, and China. Its native environment is
harsh and arid, and includes sandy steppes, as well as
grassy areas close to springs in arid, rocky, hilly terrain. It
is found at elevations as high as 5,000 to 7,000 feet. This
tortoise has the northernmost range of any known
tortoise.

1. hors+eldii is a great digger. It hibernates in deep

burrows during the winter, and in the southern parts
of its range it aestivates (experiences a dormant
period) during the summer. In its native
environment, this tortoise is active for only about
three months of the year – typically March, April
and May.
Description

Russian tortoises average Ove to eight inches long, with a

rather Xat, roundish, yellow-green or olive carapace (top
of the shell). Males are usually smaller than the females,
and are most easily sexed by the male’s tail, which is
longer and thicker than the female’s (when withdrawn in
its shell, the male’s tail will lie against its thigh). The
plastron (underside of the shell) in both males and
females is usually blotched with black, or may be black
all over.

Husbandry

These are a hardy species, but do have some speciOc

needs. Russian tortoises requires a very dry, well-drained
cage in an indoor enclosure. The enclosure should have
appropriate landscaping, with an area for both hiding and
excercise, and an easily cleaned substrate.

Housing: Russian tortoises can be housed well indoors or

outdoors in warm weather, depending on the climate.
This species does not hibernate in winter, so if your
tortoise lives outside, it must have a reliable heat source
when the weather is cool. Outdoor enclosures must also
be predator proofed, which can be di[cult. The most
commonly recommended form of indoor
accommodation for small or medium sized tortoises is a
“turtle table;” instructions for how to make these
enclosures are available online. Hatchlings can start out
in 10-20 gallon aquariums, while adults can be housed in
75 gallon aquariums or larger custom-built enclosures
measuring 4’W x 4’L x 1-2’H (bigger is usually better). A
water source (bowl or tub) that is large enough for the
tortoise to soak in, yet shallow enough to allow easy
entry/exit, should be provided. Appropriate substrates
range from newspaper, paper towels, reptile carpet,
timothy hay, and alfalfa pellets. Substrates to be avoided
include sand, soil, bark, mulch, gravel, and wood chips;
these either hold in too much humidity, or are known
impaction risks. The cage should be spot cleaned weekly
and receive a full substrate change/cleaning every other
week.

Russian tortoises like to dig/burrow, and a “dig box” of

top soil/sand mixture should be provided to allow this
natural behavior and provide a higher humidity corner of
the enclosure. The substrate should be kept moist, but
not soaked (if squeezed, the soil should clump together
but no water should come out).

Heating: Appropriate temperatures range between 80–85

degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 70-75 degrees
Fahrenheit at night, with a basking spot during the day of
approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Appropriate
heating elements are ceramic heat emitters, various heat
bulbs (provided that any light-emitting heat bulbs are
turned off at night), or under tank heaters attached to
thermostats. It is important to purchase a temperature
gun, or digital thermometers that possess probes, for
accurate temperature readings. Plastic dial
thermometers, or any thermometer with a Oxed
placement, are unreliable, and do not adequately gauge
thermal gradients inside entire enclosures.

Lighting: UV lighting is necessary for the health of all

tortoises, and it comes in two equally necessary forms.
UVA rays are radiation waves that are needed to promote
natural behaviors and stimulate appetite. UVB rays are
the other type of radiation waves, necessary for the
metabolism of calcium and bone health. A good way to
tell the two UV rays apart is “A for appetite, B for bones.”
UVB is only provided in 2 different kinds of lights:
Xorescent lights speciOcally designed for UVB output in
reptiles, and mercury vapor bulbs. Some bulbs sold in pet
stores are labeled as being “full spectrum,” and
packaging may erroneously lead you to believe that a
bulb that produces UVA only is enough for a blue tongue,
but unless the box speciOcally states that it offers UVB
lighting, it will not be what your pet needs. All UVB bulbs
will provide UVA, but not all UVA bulbs will provide UVB.
Mercury vapor bulbs are among the longest lasting UVB
sources on the market, and these bulbs also produce
heat; they are highly recommended for Russian tortoises.
Fluorescent bulbs for reptiles are another option for
providing UV lighting; these come in a few different
styles, the most common being the coil variety and the
tubular strip variety. Coil Xuorescents have the shortest
lifespan of all UVB bulbs, and even though they may
continue to produce visible light for years, the UVB they
provide will only last about 3-4 months. Strip Xuorescents
are similar, but can last up to 4-6 months. If you purchase
a Xuorescent UV bulb instead of a mercury vapor bulb,
make sure you purchase one with 10.0 output to meet
your pet’s needs.

All bulbs should be replaced every 4-6 months, unless

their output is being routinely measured with a UVB meter
to ensure that they are producing adequate spectrum of
lighting. It is important to allow the your tortoise to get
within 12 inches of any UVB light source you do provide,
as the distance of the light can greatly affect the amount
of UVB absorbed. Regardless of what artiOcial light you
provide, nothing beats the power of the sun. Supervised
outdoor time during warm summer days will beneOt your
tortoise tremendously.

Humidity: Russian tortoises have relatively low humidity

requirements, and thrive in 40-50% humidity. Regular
misting of the cage is unnecessary.

Diet

The Russian tortoise’s natural diet is consists of

herbaceous and succulent vegetation including grasses,
twigs, Xowers and some fruits. These tortoises DO NOT
EAT ANIMAL PROTEIN! The best diet is one that comes
as close as possible to their natural diet, which is high
Ober, low protein, and calcium rich.

Ideally, the tortoise should graze on edible plants in its

enclosure. However, you will Ond that they will eat many
plants down to the roots and kill the plant. One way
around this is to grow edible plants outside the enclosure,
in a totally pesticide-free environment, and give these to
the tortoise. Provide a varied assortment. Be careful not
to overfeed T. horsOeldii, as they tend to be overweight in
captivity. If they are starting to look chubby when they
pull back into their shells, cut back on the amount you are
feeding.

Grass hays, such as timothy, orchard grass, brome, etc.,

should always be available as a Ober source. Virtually any
leafy greens available at a grocery store are acceptable
food sources for Russian Tortoises, but they must be
varied to provide appropriate nutrition. Collard greens,
mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens,
watercress, escarole, swiss chard, parsley, kale, spinach,
endive, spring mix, and romaine are all good choices.
Spinach, kale, and swiss chard should be fed in limited
amounts.

The following weeds, grasses, and Xowers can be offered

for added variety: Clovers, grasses (Common Bermuda,
Timothy, Rye, Fescue, Bluegrass), Coreopsis, Hibiscus,
Daisy, Strawberry, Honeysuckle, Dandelion, Apple,
Mallows, Endive, Nasturtium, Blackberry, Radicchio,
Opuntia, cacti, Gazania, Escarole, Petunias, Geranium,
Roses, Chard, Sedums, Grape leaves (not grape ivy!),
Parsley, Chicory, and Nettle.

Fruits are not eaten by wild Russia tortoises, and are not
recommended as a food choice.

Supplementation

Calcium: Russian tortoises require additional calcium

supplementation. Calcium powder is manufactured by
many different brands on the market (Fluker’s, Exo-Terra,
Rep-Cal, etc); whatever brand you choose, select a
product that does not contain phosphorous or vitamin
D3. It should be sprinkled onto the food once daily for
tortoises less than 1 year old, and 2-3 times weekly for
adults.

Multivitamin: Vitamins are also important to promote

healthy body function. There are many brands that make
multivitamins appropriate for reptiles (Herptivite,
Reptivite, Vionate, etc). Vitamins (especially fat soluble
vitamins such as A and D) are easy to overdose, and too
much vitamin supplementation can actually be harmful.
As a general rule, a reptile multivitamin supplement
should be sprinkled on the food only once every one to
two weeks.

Common Ailments

Respiratory Infection: This is a common and deadly

illness that affects many captive tortoises. Russian
tortoises are especially susceptible to respiratory
ailments. Some of the signs to watch for are runny nose,
labored breathing/gasping, loss of appetite, and
decreased activity. Respiratory diseases in Russian
tortoises can be caused by bacterial, fungal, viral, or
parasitic infections. Vitamin deOciencies and
inappropriately high/low humidity or temperature ranges
are also a common cause of respiratory disease in all
chelonians. These infections can be contagious to other
turtles, and require immediate medical attention.

Parasites: Internal parasites in the gastrointestinal tract

can be present in any tortoise, and can exacerbate an
already ill animal’s problems. The best way to prevent this
from being an issue is to have yearly fecal exams with
your veterinarian while maintaining excellent husbandry
at home. Tortoises can get these parasites from their
food, their environment, and from each other. An excess
of parasites should treated by a qualiOed reptile
veterinarian to prevent a decline in health.

Metabolic Bone Disease: Also known as MBD, this is a

term used to describe a number of disorders related to
the weakening of bones or impaired system function
caused by an imbalance of calcium, phosphorus, or
vitamin D3. It is one of the most commonly seen health
problems in reptiles, and is often the result of inadequate
levels of calcium in the diet, or improper UVB lighting
which is essential for calcium absorption. Symptoms of
MBD range from the mild (lethargy, lack of appetite) to
the severe (soft shell, abnormal shell growth, tremors and
twitching of the extremities). Veterinary care is a must for
any tortoise with suspected MBD.

March 30, 2015

Content of this Care Sheet Courtesy of:

The Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine

11401 NE 195th St. Bothell, WA 98011

(425) 486-9000 PHONE (425) 486-9002 fax

www.theexoticvet.com

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