RUSSIAN TORTOISE?

[Carol S]

I was told she was around 62-64 years old when she was given to me. She was given to me by a friend's boyfriend who had him for many,many years. She was given to him by a friend whose boys had him for many, many years. When the boys grew up they gave him to my friend's boyfriend. Anyway, I have had her for around 5 years. She was my second Russian tortoise and my first adult.

I find her shell to be different looking than my other adult Russian tortoises that I now have. She has a pretty golden color on her neck. Is she a Russian tortoise or perhaps mixed?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Carol, can you post a picture?

 

[Carol S]

Carol, can you post a picture?

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Sorry I forgot to attach the picture. Here it is.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Looks very yellow for a Russian. Maybe a Greek? Let's see what others say.

 

[T33's Torts]

I concur with the Cowboy. But I can't tell what species.

 

[Tom]

Hi Carol. We need more pics I think.

 

[prc93]

I'd guess Greek, you can tell if there are small spurs on the back portions of her thighs

 

[naturalman91]

i'm not sure of the speices but that is no russian

 

[Carol S]

Here are more pictures. In the pictures she is wet so that brings out the color more. The lightest part of each scute has a greenish hue. I do not see any spurs on her thighs.

 

[salacassta]

In China, if u feed a Russian tortoise in home, you will be punishment for 4years...... But lucky, you can bird policemen lol

 

[T33's Torts]

I'm stumped.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

In China, if u feed a Russian tortoise in home, you will be punishment for 4years...... But lucky, you can bird policemen lol

Bribe?

 

[T33's Torts]

Ken I'm thinking more like "flip 'em the bird".

 

[kanalomele]

My largest and oldest Female Russian still has some of her pattern. I will try to attach pics. This one doesn't have any pattern remaining and now looks more like a Gopher to me. Do we have a SCL? That might help.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think it's a desert tortoise. I have a Gopherus agazissii that is this same color and I've always assumed it was leucistic. We talked about it here on the Forum before, but I can't remember what we came up with. Anyway, its a Gopherus species and they are protected by law. You need a permit to keep it. And depending upon what state you live in, you may not be able to keep it at all.

 

[Dorrie Siu]

What's the shell length?

 

[Carol S]

The man who gave her to me had multiple male desert tortoises and one female desert tortoise. He said that the desert tortoises ignored her. If she is a desert tortoise wouldn't the male desert tortoises have tried to mate with her?

 

[Dorrie Siu]

Carol when you get a chance will you please measure the length of the plastron please? Also a picture of the underside would be helpful.

 

[Carol S]

Carol when you get a chance will you please measure the length of the plastron please? Also a picture of the underside would be helpful.

On my day off this coming week I will measure her plastron and take a picture of her underside.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

While we wait for measurements, how about an estimate? Dinner plate size? Childs plate size? Need 2 hands to carry her around or fits in the palm of one hand?

Looks gopher-ish to me too