All care sheets

Care sheet

Russian Tortoise

Testudo horsfieldii

Also known as: Horsfield's Tortoise, Central Asian Tortoise

Testudinidae · Testudines

BeginnerCITES IIIUCN VU
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
5–8 in
Lifespan (captivity)
40–50 yrs
Native range
Central Asia — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, NW China (dry steppe)

Care guide

Overview

Russian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) — a small, hardy, and popular beginner tortoise, but an avid digger and escape artist, so bury outdoor fencing deep and provide loose substrate to burrow. Keep them individually (very territorial). A high-fiber weed/green herbivore with a low-humidity steppe origin. Healthy adults hibernate seasonally; sick or underweight animals must not.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
60–70 °F
Warm side
80–90 °F
Basking spot
85–95 °F
Nighttime
65–75 °F
Humidity (ambient)
40–65%

Environment

UVB lighting

Required?
Yes — provide UVB
Fixture type
T5 HO
Replacement interval
Every 12 months

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Terrestrial
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • AdultIndoor ~4x2 ft min (larger better); outdoor ideal — bury fencing deep (avid digger/escaper).

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
deep loose topsoil/sand/coir blend (for burrowing)
Avoid
pinecedardusty calcium-sand

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Herbivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • AdultFresh high-fiber greens/weeds daily
Supplementation

Calcium for indoor animals; high-fiber, low-protein, low-fat diet. Avoid fruit and high-protein foods.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Shallow bowls / plant saucers for soaking and drinking.

Soaking behavior

Regular shallow soaks, especially juveniles.

Legal & ecology

Conservation

CITES
Appendix II
IUCN Red List
VU · Vulnerable
Wild populations

Vulnerable (1996, dated); CITES Appendix II. Extremely territorial — house individually. Russian tortoises DO hibernate (~3 months, 40-50F, healthy adults only).

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Basic Information Sheet: Russian Tortoise

    LafeberVet (Pollock DVM, Kanis)

    veterinary

    Range, size 12-20 cm, temp tables, humidity <=65-70, UVB, burrowing substrate, individual housing, hibernation, CITES II, IUCN VU.

    Published: 2015-03-18

  2. Testudo horsfieldii — IUCN Red List

    IUCN (TFTSG 1996)

    government

    Vulnerable; CITES Appendix II; threats (habitat degradation, pet trade).

    Published: 1996-01-01

  3. Russian Tortoise Care Sheet

    ReptiFiles

    breeder community

    T5 HO UVB (basking UVI 3-4), enclosure 6-8 x 4 ft, bioactive maintenance.

    Published: 2022-01-01

Russian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) care sheet — Herpetoverse