I'm new to this website and I have no idea what kind of tortoise I have.

[alexis22696]

I got told my tortoise is a male, his name is Timothy and he loves the color pink, but I'm looking to find out the type of tortoise he is.

 

[samsmom]

welcome to the forum but sorry i cant help you identify your tortoise! someone more experienced will be along to help!

 

[sibi]

He looks like a Russian. He is a very healthy and handsome tortoise. Where did you get him? You can search this sight for Russian care sheets. A member here named Tom raises them, and can tell you a lot more about them

 

[alexis22696]

I got him from petsmart and the lady told me she didn't know what kind he was. But I am concerned about his poop it's not white and chalky, it looks like normal poop. Is that a problem?

 

[naturalman91]

I got him from petsmart and the lady told me she didn't know what kind he was. But I am concerned about his poop it's not white and chalky, it looks like normal poop. Is that a problem?

white and chalky is urates and it's a sign of dehydration

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Math at is a Russian. The poop being normal is a good thing. You may see urates from time to time which is normal as long as they are not dry and gritty but more like smooth tooth paste.

 

[alexis22696]

Hello and Welcome Math at is a Russian. The poop being normal is a good thing. You may see urates from time to time which is normal as long as they are not dry and gritty but more like smooth tooth paste.

Well thank you for the helpful information. I am so excited that he's a Russian that's the kind I was looking for when I went to the pet store! Thank you!

 

[Blakem]

Congrats! A warning to you about Russian tortoise, from first hand experience and others on the forum, they are acrobats. What I mean by that is they can climb really well, maneuver through small areas, and they can dig to get out. I've seen my Russian climb a chicken wire fence about two feet up before I found him hanging. No matter how big of an area I give for my guy, he makes it seem like he is in a confined area. They need a large area to roam around. Yours looks like an adult, so outside is best and, if possible, a 5X8 foot area. It'll be much happier outside and in a good size area. I had to bury chicken wire about a foot in depth half way through the enclosure to prevent digging an escaping. They're strong too!

I don't know how much information you've read so I'm acting as though you know nothig. Good luck!


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(This is my signature)
Here's some great plant identification websites I use.

http://www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/diet.htm#plantlist

http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp

 

[alexis22696]

Congrats! A warning to you about Russian tortoise, from first hand experience and others on the forum, they are acrobats. What I mean by that is they can climb really well, maneuver through small areas, and they can dig to get out. I've seen my Russian climb a chicken wire fence about two feet up before I found him hanging. No matter how big of an area I give for my guy, he makes it seem like he is in a confined area. They need a large area to roam around. Yours looks like an adult, so outside is best and, if possible, a 5X8 foot area. It'll be much happier outside and in a good size area. I had to bury chicken wire about a foot in depth half way through the enclosure to prevent digging an escaping. They're strong too!

I don't know how much information you've read so I'm acting as though you know nothig. Good luck!


———-------------------------
(This is my signature)
Here's some great plant identification websites I use.

http://www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/diet.htm#plantlist

http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp

Thank you for the information and actually just the other day I found him climbing up the fake plant in there with one leg on his log! I was surprised and I thought about naming him muscles because he was really strong. Here's him climbing the other day

 

[ascott]

 

[Shakudo]

Congrats on your Russian, look at that tail looks very male indeed



Take care
Joey

 

[Camryn]

I was at petsmart the other day, looking at Russian tortoises.. How can a pet store not know a simple breed like that

 

[tortadise]

Welcome.

 

[Reptilelove]

Welcome! Make sure you post loads of pics! He is defiantly a horsefield and the white stuff is just extra calcium that they don't need so fun they poop it out

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Alexis, and welcome to the Forum!

The white stuff occasionally seen in the pee of a tortoise is called urates. A tortoise holds his urine, and the body re-uses the liquid. They do this because in the wild they don't know when the next drink will be available. Tortoises produce urine and urates. Urine is the liquid portion stored in the urinary bladder. Urine contains waste products and toxins that are filtered from the bloodstream. Reptiles also have one more type of excretion product, called urates or uric acid. This is the end product of protein digestion and is also stored in the urinary bladder as a creamy, off-white pasty semi-solid. In reptiles, uric acid is cleared from the bloodstream by the kidneys. When the tortoise urinates, it will pass the liquid urine and the semi-solid urates at the same time. Urates, or uric acid, is NOT a build up of excess calcium.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Alexis welcome to the TFO from AZ . Good luck with your Russian tort .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[Tyanna]

Welcome! Russian tortoises are great. You'll find awesome advice and info here!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[pam]

Welcome Russians are awesome

 

[ascott]

the white stuff is just extra calcium that they don't need

Very common misconception.... just alot of bad information out in the world of the "on line"....lol...and Yvonne, very nice outline, very nice.