How old is my Russian tortoise? Captive or wild?

[Beau48]

Hi!

Very new Russian tortoise ownwer. Trying to figure out how old mine is and if she was wild caught?

Thanks!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. There isn't a way to tell the age.
I can't get the pic too enlarge so I can't see the shell good enough to see if it's in a wc or cb condition.
Where did it come from?
It is an adult so will need a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure.

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the forum!
Where did you get her, and how long ago? She’s definitely an adult.
If it was from a chain pet store, it’s definitely wild caught and 5-16+ years old.

Your enclosure has a few problems.
- your tortoise needs a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet. There is no tank big enough for a tortoise.

- those ramp bowls are a very large drowning hazard. I would recommend a terra cotta saucer instead.

Please give these a read and come back with questions
Russian Tortoise Care Sheet https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Russian-Tortoise-Care-Sheet.80698/

Beginner Mistakes https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/

 

[Beau48]

I don’t think she’ll drown in a half inch of water but I’ll keep that in mind!

Yes, got her from a Petsmart!

Thanks for all the advice, I’m thinking she’s older as well. Only have had her less than a week but she seems to be adapting pretty well.

 

[TechnoCheese]

I don’t think she’ll drown in a half inch of water but I’ll keep that in mind!

Yes, got her from a Petsmart!

Thanks for all the advice, I’m thinking she’s older as well. Only have had her less than a week but she seems to be adapting pretty well.

Even if they don’t drown, it’s the flipping that’s the hazard. They usually end up flipping themselves with those water bowls, some how

 

[Viola B]

Welcome to this site. This is a great place to get very good information for your tortoise.

 

[Beau48]

Ah I see what you’re saying. I thought the huge bowl was a little excessive to begin with!

Thanks for the tips, I’m excited to see how this goes. She’s awesome already!

 

[TechnoCheese]

By the way, an 8x4 tortoise table is so much easier to build than it looks! If you need any help building one, don’t hesitate to ask

 

[Minority2]

I don’t think she’ll drown in a half inch of water but I’ll keep that in mind!

Yes, got her from a Petsmart!

Thanks for all the advice, I’m thinking she’s older as well. Only have had her less than a week but she seems to be adapting pretty well.

Pet Smart = wild caught. Sales associates are told to tell customers that they're farm raised. They're not. They're wild caught.

Many of these tortoises arrive at the pet store with a bevy of health issues. I always suggest new owners of pet store tortoises to take them to a reputable exotics vet for a checkup as a precaution. Some people say don't bother if they're eating regularly but I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[LaLaP]

Hello and welcome! I'm a fairly new tortoise owner of a Russian too. Our torts look very similar! I've been told that mine is wild caught. I guess you can tell by the rough shell. Lots of grooves and scuffs. I wish I knew more about my Diego's age and previous life but I guess it'll remain his secret
Have fun getting to know her!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!