I'm glad you have him now Kelly
The large deep hole on his carapace was probably never shell rot, but damage while still in the wild exposing the the bone and having it die (which bone always does when exposed)
All the little spots along the seams of most of the scutes that I can see on the carapace were shell rot, probably from him being to damp at one point in time and or getting scratched by other tortoises packed to tightly before shipping to the US.
If it doesn't smell or have red edges it's already healed or mostly healed and all that exposed bone will eventually come off.

Danny

Kelly you are a big push over! But glad he's with you. BTW......I have this bridge. LOL

LOL nice to know somebody is worse then me at being an animal sucker...lol. It's why I rarely go into pet stores any more, something always needs a home. Bad enough every cat knows to stop at my house. Only have like over 2 dozen hanging around. We just get all the females fixed and a new female (usually with kittens in tow) shows up. Wanted a small dog for the truck, because I go crazy with no pets around and none of our dogs would work (only have 6 to choose from). Ended up adopting a lab mix as his last chance..he has lots of bad habits. Less than two weeks later, we came across the mother Great Pyrenees dumping three of her four pups and just had to help rescue them...and then take the big male puppy with us. Did I say I wanted a SMALL dog for the truck?

Congrats on being such a softie. I know Vanya is sure glad you are. And I'm sure he will live a long loved life in your home. Seems to be quite a few of us softies out there But I could caution you on saying "last" rescue- well at least until the next one comes along.

that's right! until the next one comes along... ROFL!

i am just amazed at how friendly and brave he is! i fed him his greens by hand today, and he wasn't scared of my fingers at all - never flinched or pulled his head in his shell - and even tried a few nibbles of fingers! LOL!

i guess since my last four new torts had been Red-Foots who are all still in hiding CONSTANTLY and it's still a struggle to get them to eat, I'm thrilled to have one that just eats up my attention! not like I don't have other Russians that do that but it just makes things so much sweeter!!

I moved him into the turtle table today (since it's now empty), and he has spent SOOOOO much time trying to escape... trying to climb the walls, and climbing up and down the log... he has worn himself out! I was watching him trying to climb up the corner, slip, try again, slip, try again, slip... then fall fast asleep before he could try again! ROFL!!! It's so precious!

you definitely should take your beautiful Russian to an exotics vet. The vet I worked for would probably use his Dremel to rout/grind around the edges of the wound (not painful...like filing your nails)...to be sure there isn't infection hiding under it. The shell will usually grow back. I rescued my male Russian cause his plastron was wrinkly and puckered. I didn't know then what it was but I knew it wasn't right. I paid $10 for him. The vet had to remove about 2/3 of the plastron. I had to keep him on sanitary bedding for several months. It was worth all the trouble. It all grew back & he is so personable. Loves his head rubbed. He pushes against my finger & looks like he is thinking...that feels sooooo good.

He is sooooo adorable!!!!! I stear away from the reptiles at the petstore, My female Sveta loves having her head scratched, she will lay on my stomach and I will scratch her head and she will sit for hours.

Congrats on the new little guy....

Thanks!

Here's the little sweetie sleeping with his legs sticking straight out! Too funny! It's hard to tell but they weren't even touching the ground at all! (Yep he was under the basking light!)


And look at that tail!!! I'd say that's an emerging male!

I know what you mean. I just don't have the money or room to be able to take in the numerous reptiles I find in horrible health and set-ups in the Petco I work by.

They have three Red Footed Tortoises in a 30 gallon terrarium with a water dish as high as their shells are tall.

Go you for saving him!