Uh oh--New guy!

[Floof]

I would like to introduce... er... Okay, well, he doesn't have a name JUST yet. He was a Craigslist pick up, and doesn't seem to be in too bad of shape.. Not to me, anyway, but I'm still a bit of a newbie to torts, huh? Haha. Anyway, without further ado...

The enclosure he came in...

So, the previous owner said he was 3-4 years old, but couldn't say whether he was WC or CB... So who knows if that's true. Any input from the experts? He's maybe 5 or 5.5" SCL.

I'm pretty sure he's male... Long tail, concave plastron... Mmm, Zoom's future boyfriend, maybe??

Lookit his cute wittle faaace!

Thanks for looking!

 

[Tom]

Nice color. Looks okay to me. Lucky find. Did you soak him yet?

Congratulations.

 

[Floof]

Thanks, Tom. I haven't, actually--that completely slipped my mind... Thanks for the reminder. He'll get a nice soak tomorrow morning.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Ah so cute! Looks like he's sucking on his lower beak, too cute!!

 

[Floof]

Thanks, Jilly! Hey, look at that... It does look like that, doesn't it? lol!

 

[Yvonne G]

Might be a little older than 3 or 4, however, he really DOES look captive bred. Nice little Russian tortoise. Good find!

 

[mightyclyde]

I like how the new ones look a little surly and put out Congrats on the new guy.

 

[Isa]

Congratulations on your new cutie I love his little face, so cute

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Sweet! He looks lively and ready to roll...now for some stimulating enclosure features like hides, hills, plants and substrate!

He'll soon be thriving and keeping you thoroughly entertained.

Congratulations! Any name yet?

 

[Floof]

Thanks, everyone! And thanks for your input, Yvonne! It's so nice to know that I managed to get my paws on a CB tortoise!

He doesn't have a name yet... Any ideas?

 

[ChiKat]

Oh he is soo cute!! Congrats on your new addition

 

[Kristina]

He looks like an LTC (long term captive) to me. Testudo horsfieldii rustamovi. Probably closer to 6 years old. You an see the difference in color and texture from the growth he obtained while wild, and the growth in captivity. The "rings" in the darker growth show were he went through periods of wet/dry weather in the wild.

Cute little guy! Lucky you.

 

[Floof]

Thanks, Katie and Kristina!

Interesting... Thanks for your input, Kristina. Yeah, looking at that latest big, white growth ring, compared to the others, is what made me really wonder whether he was CB or WC. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he had originally been a pet store Russian, and that the previous previous owner assumed he was a hatchling at that time, and went off that assumption when telling the most recent owner how old he was (the PO acquired him about a year and a half ago).

On another note... Russians have subspecies? Neat! I wonder what Zoom is, then..?

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Name? How about 'Astro' , goes kinda well with 'zoom'?!!

 

[Jenilyn]

i like astro!

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

i like astro!

Me too!

 

[Floof]

Hmmm, Astro just might be it! The only thing I can come up with is "Brutus"... LOL.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

"Brutus"...is very tough and macho for sure!

 

[Kristina]

Got a pic of Zoom? One of us can tell you what ssp.

I have 4 Russians, all of mine are T.h.kazachstanica

 

[Floof]

Got a pic of Zoom? One of us can tell you what ssp.

I have 4 Russians, all of mine are T.h.kazachstanica

Sure, here you go! Not the most flattering pictures (from back when I first got her), but probably the best I have for ID purposes...

And one to give you an idea of the dome of her shell--I noticed her carapace is much, MUCH flatter than the male's.