Can you identify my subspecies?

[Cathie G]

He is very cute I feel lucky. I rescued him without knowing anything about tortoises about three weeks ago, so I’m learning and he’s getting better, thankfully

You'll do fine. Russians aren't really hard to take care of. They're a really fun tortoise and you have a good looking adult. You missed the downfalls of having a baby. So did I and I'm glad.

 

[Cathie G]

Thanks, well done for rescuing poor old Knobby, however unpleasant he is I’m the OP, so thanks for your reassurance I only acquired him a few weeks ago an I’ve never had a tortoise before, so I was unaware of any fashions sweeping the community

Sorry to interrupt this post but now I'm interested in the 3 subspecies of a horsefield tortoise. Either that or I'll have to go online myself and I'm elderly and decrepid.? Can't always figure out the net.?

 

[Minority2]

Sorry to interrupt this post but now I'm interested in the 3 subspecies of a horsefield tortoise. Either that or I'll have to go online myself and I'm elderly and decrepid.? Can't always figure out the net.?

Good luck trying to tell the difference between the three.

Russian Subspecies

I finally got around to taking pictures :D The first is T.h.horsfieldii. They are domed and almost as wide as they are long. T.h.horsfieldii The next is T.h.rustamovi. They are domed, but long and narrow. T.h.rustamovi Danny[hr] Next is T.h.kazachstanica. They are flat and...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[Cathie G]

Good luck trying to tell the difference between the three.

Russian Subspecies

I finally got around to taking pictures :D The first is T.h.horsfieldii. They are domed and almost as wide as they are long. T.h.horsfieldii The next is T.h.rustamovi. They are domed, but long and narrow. T.h.rustamovi Danny[hr] Next is T.h.kazachstanica. They are flat and...

www.tortoiseforum.org

I'm not sure but he mostly looks like the third. It doesn't matter really but it's interesting to know.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

I never knew there were subspecies, hmmm. Now I‘m curious to know which one mine is.

 

[Minority2]

Here is an old picture of an illegal wild caught farm/trade operation. All the Russians subspecies get mixed together.

 

[Cathie G]

I never knew there were subspecies, hmmm. Now I‘m curious to know which one mine is.

Me too... this place never ceases to amaze me.?

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Here is an old picture of an illegal wild caught farm/trade operation. All the Russians subspecies get mixed together.

Wait... so Russian subspecies should not be together? There’s way too many of them together though, poor torts.

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Me too... this place never ceases to amaze me.?

Yea, you learn new things here all the time. As soon as you say “I now know everything there is to (whatever species) tortoise care.” The next thing you know, something new pops up.

 

[Cathie G]

Here is an old picture of an illegal wild caught farm/trade operation. All the Russians subspecies get mixed together.

That's what I think my tortoise was going through. That's exactly what I visualized when I received him. One little guy is still walking. Sorry I was ignorant but I'm still glad I got him.

 

[Minority2]

Wait... so Russian subspecies should not be together? There’s way too many of them together though, poor torts.

I personally wouldn't be able to correctly answer that question or be able to visibly tell the difference between the three subspecies. The picture, provided by @SweetGreekTorts, shows how a typical wild caught operation treated Russian tortoises which was to dump them all together regardless of what location they found them in. This continued for decades. It's entirely possible that the three separately species could of had babies with other subspecies and continued to be breed, sold, and breed again.

Meaning, it may be possible to have a tortoise with parents or grandparents of all three subspecies and never be able to tell the difference. That or all three subspecies may have eventually morphed into a universal one that can be born with minor differences. Can that happen?

Either way there isn't enough evidence to proof otherwise. Meaning the decision to keep Russian tortoises in groups (even if their patterns may look slightly different than the other) is ultimately up to the owner of said tortoises.

 

[Cathie G]

I personally wouldn't be able to correctly answer that question or be able to visibly tell the difference between the three subspecies. The picture, provided by @SweetGreekTorts, shows how a typical wild caught operation treated Russian tortoises which was to dump them all together regardless of what location they found them in. This continued for decades. It's entirely possible that the three separately species could of had babies with other subspecies and continued to be breed, sold, and breed again.

Meaning, it may be possible to have a tortoise with parents or grandparents of all three subspecies and never be able to tell the difference. That or all three subspecies may have eventually morphed into a universal one that can be born with minor differences. Can that happen?

Either way there isn't enough evidence to proof otherwise. Meaning the decision to keep Russian tortoises in groups (even if their patterns may look slightly different than the other) is ultimately up to the owner of said tortoises.

Probably much like other animals. Hence a Heinz 57. Or a new one like a little mini lop bred on purpose. I've read about animals introduced to another part of the US to stop extinction that actually did that exact same thing. They're not totally extinct but they are changed.

 

[Cathie G]

Yes. Uzbekistan. You're funny ?. But I can't laugh too much. I usually try to find a Spanish word to name my bunnys. My last one was named QueSi. Only one person got my joke until her vet sent a birthday song that was hilarious. The first person said so you named your rabbit what yes!?

Did you find a name yet?

 

[SweetGreekTorts]

Russians don't actually have different "subspecies" like other tortoise species do. For example, the Hermann's tortoise has the Eastern, Western, and Dalmation. The Greeks have the terrestris, ibera, marokkensis, nabeulensis, soussensis, etc. Each of those are different and can be identified from one another.

But the Russian tortoise does have different regions. Unfortunately, due to the massive level of removing them from the wild and shipping them around the world, the regions have been mixed together and reproduced. Because there are no separate subspecies of Russians, it really doesn't matter what region they are from since they are all the same species. A Russian tortoise is a Russian tortoise.

 

[Cathie G]

Russians don't actually have different "subspecies" like other tortoise species do. For example, the Hermann's tortoise has the Eastern, Western, and Dalmation. The Greeks have the terrestris, ibera, marokkensis, nabeulensis, soussensis, etc. Each of those are different and can be identified from one another.

But the Russian tortoise does have different regions. Unfortunately, due to the massive level of removing them from the wild and shipping them around the world, the regions have been mixed together and reproduced. Because there are no separate subspecies of Russians, it really doesn't matter what region they are from since they are all the same species. A Russian tortoise is a Russian tortoise.

Well then...oh my garsh...?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Already done View attachment 303710

veeerrryyyy niiiiicccee!! ?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Russians don't actually have different "subspecies" like other tortoise species do. For example, the Hermann's tortoise has the Eastern, Western, and Dalmation. The Greeks have the terrestris, ibera, marokkensis, nabeulensis, soussensis, etc. Each of those are different and can be identified from one another.

But the Russian tortoise does have different regions. Unfortunately, due to the massive level of removing them from the wild and shipping them around the world, the regions have been mixed together and reproduced. Because there are no separate subspecies of Russians, it really doesn't matter what region they are from since they are all the same species. A Russian tortoise is a Russian tortoise.

????

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Sorry to interrupt this post but now I'm interested in the 3 subspecies of a horsefield tortoise. Either that or I'll have to go online myself and I'm elderly and decrepid.? Can't always figure out the net.?

sorry to interrupt THIS post.... but anyone who reads this..???
She is soooo NOT old and decrepid!!!!!
You are fine!
?
It is these dam computers!
They upgrade every time ya blink!!!???

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Here is an old picture of an illegal wild caught farm/trade operation. All the Russians subspecies get mixed together.

I like .... the one in the middle???
?????????????

holy cow!!!! Is that a lot of Russians in one place!!!!????....hope there is no vodka
lyin’ aroind

 

[Minority2]

sorry to interrupt THIS post.... but anyone who reads this..???
She is soooo NOT old and decrepid!!!!!
You are fine!
?
It is these dam computers!
They upgrade every time ya blink!!!???

Make sure to update the hardware inside those desktop computers and or laptops every couple of years.