Hello from Chicago!

[fullhouse486]

Hello there!

We just got our first tortoise! She seems to be doing well as she is soaking in her water dish and eating quite a bit. I did research on this site prior to getting her but alas, now I'm not sure which specific breed of tortoise I have. A lot of the pictures look quite similar. She was in the pet store as a Testudo tortoise but it seems there are varying subspecies like Greek, Russian, etc. I want to make sure that my set up and care is specific to her breed. Can anyone help with identification?

Thanks!

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

Looks like a Russian to me

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

We have a couple of nice care sheets on Russian tortoises. You'll find them pinned at the top of our Russian section. Your tortoise is not a baby, but probably more than likely around 10 years of age or so.

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome

Here you go - the threads Yvonne mentioned
Russian Tortoise Care Sheet www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Beginner Mistakes http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

If you post pictures of the enclosure, we can help to perfect it for your new friend

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[fullhouse486]

Thank you for the identification! Yvonne, you really think about 10 years old? I knew she wasn't a baby, but for some reason I was thinking she was younger. Her shell is 4" long and 3.5" across. That is definitely interesting. The age doesn't alter her care at all, correct?

JoesMum - thank you for reviewing my enclosure. I've posted pictures. I have her indoor enclosure as a Tortoise House made out of wood. The substrate is Forest Floor Cypress Mulch. I have a food dish with fresh veggies daily and a smaller dish with a few Mazuri small tortoise diet pellets as well. Is that too much food? Does she even need the pellets? I have a larger water dish that she can get in and out of easily. She did go to the bathroom in the water when she was in there yesterday, so I changed it right away. I have a double light fixture on one side of the enclosure, which has one 75 watt UVA/radiant heat bulb and one 13W Reptile UVB 100 bulb in the other side. The other side of the enclosure is a built in hide box, but she hasn't really gone in there much.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !