Hello,
I live with two Russian Tortoises, both rescues, both (seem to be) thriving currently.
Chili, the male, is (I believe, based on online research) a Testudo horsfieldii horsfieldii, based on his being domed and nearly as wide as he is long.
Persephone, the female, is (I believe, based on online research) a Testudo horsfieldii kazachstanica, based on her being much flatter and nearly as wide as she is long.
The differences weren't/aren't necessarily apparent in photos, but on living with them for a while and handling them for health-checks and weigh-ins and to transport them between inside and outside enclosures, they became clear and indisputable (to me at least).
The dumb question, based on my observations of the two, both in my hands and while moving around their enclosures is:
Can sub-species of tortoises have differently articulated shoulders and hips, and different patterns of motion?
I ask because Chili seems to have much less range of movement in both his front and rear legs than does Persephone, who almost seems double-jointed. All four of Persephone's limbs can reach much further backward and in more complete arcs than can Chili's.
Chili also seems to rise much higher (relatively) off of the ground when walking, up on his toes. Persephone does not extend her legs fully downwards when she walks, they go more out to the side.
It occurred to me that one or the other of them could have some mobility issue due to rough miles before they came to live with me, but since I only have the two, I cannot determine which one is moving more like a standard Russian, or if the sub-species do move somewhat differently.
I'd love input or thoughts about this, about them.
Thanks,
Jamie
I live with two Russian Tortoises, both rescues, both (seem to be) thriving currently.
Chili, the male, is (I believe, based on online research) a Testudo horsfieldii horsfieldii, based on his being domed and nearly as wide as he is long.
Persephone, the female, is (I believe, based on online research) a Testudo horsfieldii kazachstanica, based on her being much flatter and nearly as wide as she is long.
The differences weren't/aren't necessarily apparent in photos, but on living with them for a while and handling them for health-checks and weigh-ins and to transport them between inside and outside enclosures, they became clear and indisputable (to me at least).
The dumb question, based on my observations of the two, both in my hands and while moving around their enclosures is:
Can sub-species of tortoises have differently articulated shoulders and hips, and different patterns of motion?
I ask because Chili seems to have much less range of movement in both his front and rear legs than does Persephone, who almost seems double-jointed. All four of Persephone's limbs can reach much further backward and in more complete arcs than can Chili's.
Chili also seems to rise much higher (relatively) off of the ground when walking, up on his toes. Persephone does not extend her legs fully downwards when she walks, they go more out to the side.
It occurred to me that one or the other of them could have some mobility issue due to rough miles before they came to live with me, but since I only have the two, I cannot determine which one is moving more like a standard Russian, or if the sub-species do move somewhat differently.
I'd love input or thoughts about this, about them.
Thanks,
Jamie
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