Can you identify my subspecies?

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
I'm going to go with captive bred male adult Russian/Horsefield tortoise with minor to moderate pyramiding.

Russian/Horsefield subspecies are pretty hard to identify.
 
Last edited:

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
I'm going to go with captive bred male adult Russian/Horsefield tortoise with minor to moderate pyramiding.

Russian/Horsefield subspecies are pretty hard to identify.

Yes, I’m hoping the rest of his shell will grow pyramid-free - I only rescued him a few weeks ago!
 

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
Yes, I’m hoping the rest of his shell will grow pyramid-free - I only rescued him a few weeks ago!

I believe that tortoise of yours is already/nearly full grown. "He" is unfortunately stuck with the way those scutes are shaped forever. When it's mild like this it's mostly cosmetics, however, when you see those super deformed ones on the internet you gotta wonder how their organs must feel when it's so severely misshapen.
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I believe that tortoise of yours is already/nearly full grown. "He" is unfortunately stuck with the way those scutes are shaped forever. When it's mild like this it's mostly cosmetics, however, when you see those super deformed ones on the internet you gotta wonder how their organs must feel when it's so severely misshapen.
Frankly, he's so slightly bumpy, he's NOT pyramided. I think he's even looking good.
This is pyramiding.... Knobby
100_4057.JPG
It's possible that he could have MBD, however, I've had him for 2 years now, and beside the fact he's a horrible tortoise, troublemaker, plant killer, tire mover, and ladder bulldozer; he shows no signs of organ damage
100_4835.JPG
 

Minority2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
1,052
Location (City and/or State)
Tortoise Hell
Frankly, he's so slightly bumpy, he's NOT pyramided. I think he's even looking good.
This is pyramiding.... Knobby

It's possible that he could have MBD, however, I've had him for 2 years now, and beside the fact he's a horrible tortoise, troublemaker, plant killer, tire mover, and ladder bulldozer; he shows no signs of organ damage

When I say super deformed I mean the type of tortoise with a carapace that looks like something tried wrapping hundreds of rubberbands around the lower part of the carapace in hopes that the shell would break open like a watermelon would. That's the type of extreme pyramiding I'm describing where the middle edge areas are all sunken in well under where normal growth should be. Your knobby I would also rate as moderately pyramided and likely in no danger from the looks of the carapace growth.

And I describe the Russian as having minor to moderate pyramiding because a Russian tortoise's pyramiding process is usually not very pronounced unlike other, larger species of tortoises. So when a Russian does start developing visible bumps you gotta wonder what number of things the previous owner neglected to do in order to cause that to happen.
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
When I say super deformed I mean the type of tortoise with a carapace that looks like something tried wrapping hundreds of rubberbands around the lower part of the carapace in hopes that the shell would break open like a watermelon would. That's the type of extreme pyramiding I'm describing where the middle edge areas are all sunken in well under where normal growth should be. Your knobby I would also rate as moderately pyramided and likely in no danger from the looks of the carapace growth.

And I describe the Russian as having minor to moderate pyramiding because a Russian tortoise's pyramiding process is usually not very pronounced unlike other, larger species of tortoises. So when a Russian does start developing visible bumps you gotta wonder what number of things the previous owner neglected to do in order to cause that to happen.
I knew what you meant, but I thought possibly that the OP wouldn't know
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
I believe that tortoise of yours is already/nearly full grown. "He" is unfortunately stuck with the way those scutes are shaped forever. When it's mild like this it's mostly cosmetics, however, when you see those super deformed ones on the internet you gotta wonder how their organs must feel when it's so severely misshapen.
Why ‘he?’ He is male, I’m pretty sure!?
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
When I say super deformed I mean the type of tortoise with a carapace that looks like something tried wrapping hundreds of rubberbands around the lower part of the carapace in hopes that the shell would break open like a watermelon would. That's the type of extreme pyramiding I'm describing where the middle edge areas are all sunken in well under where normal growth should be. Your knobby I would also rate as moderately pyramided and likely in no danger from the looks of the carapace growth.

And I describe the Russian as having minor to moderate pyramiding because a Russian tortoise's pyramiding process is usually not very pronounced unlike other, larger species of tortoises. So when a Russian does start developing visible bumps you gotta wonder what number of things the previous owner neglected to do in order to cause that to happen.
I think the main problem with mine (before he was mine) was no UVB bulb, just a combination bulb.
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
Frankly, he's so slightly bumpy, he's NOT pyramided. I think he's even looking good.
This is pyramiding.... Knobby
View attachment 303555
It's possible that he could have MBD, however, I've had him for 2 years now, and beside the fact he's a horrible tortoise, troublemaker, plant killer, tire mover, and ladder bulldozer; he shows no signs of organ damage
View attachment 303556
So is there nothing you can do about his pyramids now?
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Frankly, he's so slightly bumpy, he's NOT pyramided. I think he's even looking good.
This is pyramiding.... Knobby
View attachment 303555
It's possible that he could have MBD, however, I've had him for 2 years now, and beside the fact he's a horrible tortoise, troublemaker, plant killer, tire mover, and ladder bulldozer; he shows no signs of organ damage
View attachment 303556
I didn't know Russian was a subspecies. What's the difference? I was told my guy is a Russian but who knows.
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
I believe that tortoise of yours is already/nearly full grown. "He" is unfortunately stuck with the way those scutes are shaped forever. When it's mild like this it's mostly cosmetics, however, when you see those super deformed ones on the internet you gotta wonder how their organs must feel when it's so severely misshapen.
I didn't know Russian was a subspecies. What's the difference? I was told my guy is a Russian but who knows.

Russians are really called Horsefields, but there are three subspecies of them... I just put subspecies in my headline because I thought this was a particular part of the forum for Russian/Horsefields. I’m new here...
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Russians are really called Horsefields, but there are three subspecies of them... I just put subspecies in my headline because I thought this was a particular part of the forum for Russian/Horsefields. I’m new here...
I don't know either. I call my guy either one. It's interesting to me. I didn't know there is 3 subspecies. You have to admit it's a great place to learn something new ? I've had Sapphire for 13 years and only joined in 2018. So I'm new also. Welcome to the forum.
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
I don't know either. I call my guy either one. It's interesting to me. I didn't know there is 3 subspecies. You have to admit it's a great place to learn something new ? I've had Sapphire for 13 years and only joined in 2018. So I'm new also. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks :) I’ve only had mine a couple of weeks and he still doesn’t have a name! Hence trying to find his subspecies and the languages spoken in that area, so I can get some inspo :)
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Thanks :) I’ve only had mine a couple of weeks and he still doesn’t have a name! Hence trying to find his subspecies and the languages spoken in that area, so I can get some inspo :)
I named Sapphire what I did because he's a little walking rock. Sometimes he acts like a monkey and climbs anything he can. And they also call a Russian a Russian Blue. Supposedly from "Ezbeccastan".(not sure of the spelling). Then I've read they're Asian and also live in the steps. It'll be fun to get some info.
 

Ubercat

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
76
Location (City and/or State)
Sheffield
Do you mean Uzbekistan?

I’ve just been looking at my maps again... it looks like nearly all the countries where they are found speak Farsi, and Some Russian, having been part of the USSR in the past; except for China and Pakistan. However, thinking about it, most of the ancestors of ours came from Afganistán, with Russians who had been there. Hence the misnomer. So, I’m looking at the languages of Farsi and Pashto... I think!
 
Top