Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii)

Short answers

Russian tortoise: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Outdoor/cold-frame keeping from 10 m² for an adult animal, better 15 m²; a keen digger — deep, diggable substrate and a border sunk at least 30 cm into the ground (it climbs and digs); keeping it purely in a terrarium is not appropriate.

Russian tortoise: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C (outdoors / cold frame), basking spot 40–45 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter), at night 15–20 °C (night-time drop).

Russian tortoise: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it.

Russian tortoise: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 40–60 years, individual animals older.

Russian tortoise: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C (outdoors / cold frame)

Night temperature

15–20 °C (night-time drop)

Basking spot

40–45 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter)

Humidity

40–55 % (rather dry; juveniles need a more humid microclimate)

UVB

UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it

Enclosure

Minimum size

Outdoor/cold-frame keeping from 10 m² for an adult animal, better 15 m²; a keen digger — deep, diggable substrate and a border sunk at least 30 cm into the ground (it climbs and digs); keeping it purely in a terrarium is not appropriate

Substrate

A sand, loam and soil mix, deep and diggable (it makes deep tunnels)

Feeding

Food

Strictly herbivorous: fibre-rich wild herbs, flowers, dried herbs or hay; no fruit and no animal protein; calcium (cuttlebone)

Feeding interval

wild herbs freely available every day, no overfeeding; juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

15–22 cm (females up to ~25 cm, males ~15–18 cm), with a flatter, rounder shell

Life expectancy

40–60 years, individual animals older

Origin

Central Asia: Afghanistan, eastern Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, north-western Pakistan, western China

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B (an exception among the European tortoises): proof of origin plus registration required, but no marking duty or yellow certificate

Brumation

Yes — winter dormancy 4–5 months at 2–5 °C (November to March) AND additionally a summer rest/aestivation of 4–8 weeks during heat and drought — part of this species' natural annual cycle

Cohabitation

A single-species group is possible, but the males are aggressive and territorial. Keeping them singly, or one male with several females given plenty of space, is best; never two males

Notes

Extremely active at digging – build the enclosure escape-proof and secure against tunnelling. A short activity period (a steppe climate), with a summer and a winter rest in between. A common mistake: kept too damp or too warm, with no summer rest. Do not mix it with other Testudo species.

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Related species

• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) – Intermediate to expert
• Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – eastern (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – western (Testudo hermanni hermanni) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) – Beginner
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Armenian (Testudo graeca armeniaca) – Intermediate
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Golan (Testudo graeca terrestris) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (Outdoor/cold-frame keeping from 10 m² for an adult animal, better 15 m²; a keen digger — deep, diggable substrate and a border sunk at least 30 cm into the ground (it climbs and digs); keeping it purely in a terrarium is not appropriate), substrate (A sand, loam and soil mix, deep and diggable (it makes deep tunnels)), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.