Introduction and questions

[timsmom]

[attachment=23655
We are new to the the Tortiose Forum. My daughter and I have been caring for a russian tortiose since January. He came from a pet store, they said he was a few years old. Is it normal for the shell to look flat on the sides? I am attaching some pics. Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi timsmom:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Your steppe (Russian) tortoise is showing the effects of growing too fast indoors. He needs to get out into the sun and be able to graze and eat in a more orderly fashion. You plunk a pile of food down in front of him and, being the pig he is, he eats it all. The light color on the sides of the shell is new growth. A tortoise that is living outside and grazing, not eating a pile of food, doesn't grow like that. He would have equal spacing between the scutes.

At any rate, he is a beautiful steppe tortoise, and one can see he is well loved and taken care of.

What would you like us to call you?

...and may we know appx. where in the world you are?

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[timsmom]

Hi timsmom:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Your steppe (Russian) tortoise is showing the effects of growing too fast indoors. He needs to get out into the sun and be able to graze and eat in a more orderly fashion. You plunk a pile of food down in front of him and, being the pig he is, he eats it all. The light color on the sides of the shell is new growth. A tortoise that is living outside and grazing, not eating a pile of food, doesn't grow like that. He would have equal spacing between the scutes.

At any rate, he is a beautiful steppe tortoise, and one can see he is well loved and taken care of.

What would you like us to call you?

...and may we know appx. where in the world you are?

thank you that is very helpful! He does eat all the lettuce we give him at one time. Does he need a calcium supplement ? He has been eating a variety of greens from the produce store.

You can call us Tim, we live in Pennsylvania, hot summers and cold winters.