It’s important to consider the weather and housing arrangements when deciding how long to keep your Russian tortoise. It’s also important to consider whether or not you are leaving your Russian tortoise inside or outside.
Leave Russian Tortoise Outside
If your Russian Tortoise lives in an outdoor enclosure, and you’re going out of town, consider the weather while you’ll be gone. If it’s too cold, your tortoise may try to hibernate, however if it’s too hot your tortoise can overheat.
Too Cold for Russian Tortoise to be Outside
You don’t want to leave your Russian tortoise outside if the overnight lows or daytime highs are 45°F or below. If you have an insulated tortoise house that will maintain temperatures, you tortoise should be fine, but you want to double check that all of the electricals and the heat source is working.
Too Hot for Russian Tortoise to be Outside
If the temperature will get over 100°F, you want to make sure that the tortoise has plenty of shade and water to keep cool. OR better yet, consider setting up an inside enclosure until the weather cools off.
Leave Russian Tortoise Inside
If you have an indoor setup for your Russian tortoise, the weather is not an issue. However, you want to make sure that your lighting and heating is on a working timer and the bulbs are good. You do not want to be out of town and the heat bulb go on the fritz.
How Will Your Tortoise Eat?
The bigger question is, how will your Russian tortoise get food while you’re gone? Russian tortoises normally graze throughout the day. If you are growing plants and weeds inside the enclosure then your tortoise will graze on the food that is growing. However, if there isn’t anything to eat your pet’s diet is likely going to be a big concern.
Most tortoises can safely go one weekend without being fed. Some larger species can go up to 90 days without being fed. So if you’re going to be gone for a few days, your tortoise will be fine. If you’re going to be gone a week or more, consider having someone feed your Russian tortoise.
If you don’t have anyone to feed your tortoise, consider planting weeds and greens in a plastic container ahead of time. Then when you’re trip is coming up, you can put the planters in the enclosure.
Offer a plate of pellets or a pellet dispenser. Be mindful as to where you put the pellets. You don’t want them to get wet and mold while you are gone.
Leave your tortoise with extra food on day one so he will be very full.
How Will Your Tortoise Get Water?
Don’t forget about water. It is important to consider how your tortoise will get water, especially if he’s outside and the weather is warm. If you have decided someone will feed your tortoise, then the tortoise-sitter will likely water the tortoise too. 🙂 Otherwise, you can set a sprinkler on a timer to spray your tortoise. Set the timer to go off in the morning, afternoon (when it’s the hottest) and evening, depending on how hot the weather will be.
If your Russian tortoise is in an indoor enclosure, make sure the water dish is full. You don’t want a larger-than-normal water dish because you risk the tortoise getting stuck. There isn’t a good way to refill the water in an inside enclosure, other than having a tortoise-sitter.
What if Your Russian Tortoise Flips Over?
If your tortoise is prone to flipping, it’s important that you find the cause. You do not want to be gone and your tortoise flips on his back.
If left on its back for too long, an up-side down tortoise can die.
