About this episode

In this episode, Wendy Montroy interviews Russian tortoise expert Katie Bradley about care, habitat, diet, and importation issues related to Russian tortoises.

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Russian tortoise breeder and expert Katie Bradley (@mossytortoise). With over 18 years of experience keeping and breeding Testudo horsfieldii, Katie shares her deep knowledge on Russian tortoise care, natural history, genetic testing, outdoor vs. indoor habitat setup, diet, and safe fridge brumation. Whether you are a beginner looking to get your first tortoise or an experienced keeper wanting to optimize your husbandry, this episode breaks down everything you need to know about housing, UV lighting, weed-based nutrition, and the recent importation bans affecting Russian tortoises in the U.S. Although technically not from what we currently consider "Russia", these tortoises have a long history of being imported from Central Asian countries that were part of the former U.S.S.R.Key Topics Covered in This Episode:󠁯•󠁏󠁏 The origin story: From a rescue on Craigslist to breeding second-generation captive-bred Russian tortoises.•󠁏󠁏 Russian tortoise natural history, native range (the "-stans"), and subspecies identification.•󠁏󠁏 Importation ban updates (December 2024 Uzbekistan import bans) and why captive…

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