I'm confused

[cheerios586]

Hi everyone, was wondering if a Russian Tortoise is considered a sulcata? I was under the impression I had a RT and now I'm wondering if it's a sulcata since that's what the paperwork says from Pet Smart where I purchased her. Don't Sulcata's grow quite larger than a RT? Attached is a photo of my baby.

 

[Yvonne G]

It's a russian tortoise - a complete different species from a Sulcata. Your tortoise comes from Afghanistan while the Sulcata comes from Africa, and never the twain shall meet. Sulcata will be about 150 lbs worth of tortoise, while your baby is looking full grown to me.

 

[cheerios586]

It's a russian tortoise - a complete different species from a Sulcata. Your tortoise comes from Afghanistan while the Sulcata comes from Africa, and never the twain shall meet. Sulcata will be about 150 lbs worth of tortoise, while your baby is looking full grown to me.

wow this is great to know. Thank you so much

 

[DARKFIRE007]

Yvonne is right, you can be 100% sure it is a Russian. Don't forget to read the beginner mistakes thread and care sheet if you have never owned a Russian.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/#post-751936

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone, was wondering if a Russian Tortoise is considered a sulcata? I was under the impression I had a RT and now I'm wondering if it's a sulcata since that's what the paperwork says from Pet Smart where I purchased her. Don't Sulcata's grow quite larger than a RT? Attached is a photo of my baby.

…….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand this is why we tell people not to take advice on tortoise care, or buy things from pet stores.

 

[JoesMum]

It's a russian tortoise - a complete different species from a Sulcata. Your tortoise comes from Afghanistan while the Sulcata comes from Africa, and never the twain shall meet. Sulcata will be about 150 lbs worth of tortoise, while your baby is looking full grown to me.

And the emphasis on full grown means that you don't have a baby... This is a mature tortoise, probably wild caught, whatever you were told by PetSmart

 

[cheerios586]

thank you so much for your input. I purchased some plants for her enclosure yesterday and want to make sure they are not poison to her before I put them in. Attached are the photo's of the plants as I really don't know the names of them.

 

[Maro2Bear]

thank you so much for your input. I purchased some plants for her enclosure yesterday and want to make sure they are not poison to her before I put them in. Attached are the photo's of the plants as I really don't know the names of them.

View attachment 233455 View attachment 233456

Greetings, your first pot looks like a mix of sedum/jade succulent type plants. Number 2 looks like a Dracaena Marginata, a very popular indoor houseplant.

 

[cheerios586]

Greetings, your first pot looks like a mix of sedum/jade succulent type plants. Number 2 looks like a Dracaena Marginata, a very popular indoor houseplant.

Thank you! Are they ok to put inside the RT enclosure?

 

[JoesMum]

Dracaena is “feed sparingly” on The Tortoise Table.

See: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=757&c=5#.Wq7QV3-nyEc

It shouldn’t do too much harm. Sink the pot into the substrate rather than planting it in the substrate.

 

[cheerios586]

Dracaena is “feed sparingly” on The Tortoise Table.

See: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=757&c=5#.Wq7QV3-nyEc

It shouldn’t do too much harm. Sink the pot into the substrate rather than planting it in the substrate.

I guess I won't put it in her enclosure as any harm is not an option.

 

[chemprentice]

If you want a plant similar to the Dracaena that is safe for the tort in the enclosure, I'd suggest spider plants.

 

[Sterant]

If you bought the plants at a typical store, like Home Depot, it likely has systemic insecticides which means the insecticide is within the plant itself. Simply rinsing it won't remove the chemicals. I try to keep store bought plants out of reach of the tortoises for at least a year. Get rid of the soil it is planted in as well.