I found a female, I think! Lol

[cooky_luvs]

I found a great deal on craigslist today. A full-grown female Russian tortoise, only $50 for her as well as her tank and accessories. She has some pyramiding but doesn't look too severe. At least she seems otherwise healthy. The people I got her from seemed very caring and treated her well overall. Considering they bought her for a 6 year old who is now 12 I was impressed. A lot of tortoises bought for youngins aren't so well kept. She's been living in a 75 gallon tank for the last 6 years indoors so I think she'll enjoy the outdoor habitat me and my boyfriend are going to set up for the tortoises.

I am about 99.9% sure she's a female but wanted to double check with you guys. She is pretty big I haven't gotten about the ruler but she looks about 8 inches pushing 9. I'll have to get better pics in the daylight. So is this a female?

 

[wellington]

Few more pics of the tail area from underneath would help.

 

[mikeh]

She looks great. Looks female from above. Big girl. She will definitely benefit from sun. Her latest growth appears to be off.

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[cooky_luvs]

I was afraid of stressing her out since she peed on me while getting pics lol. She's sleeping so I'll try to get better ones tomorrow in the light.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Looks like a girl to me, so far.

She has very uneven growth, not pyramiding but that's probably from being housed indoors without the best conditions.

I love her size, congrats on the find

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[biochemnerd808]

Another tail pic would help... it's hard to see for sure.

I would say that she doesn't have pyramiding, it looks more like 'stuck scute syndrome' which happens when the basking spot is too hot and the environment is too dry... causing the scutes to 'stick' together at the top, but the rest of the shell grows out more or less normally. She will greatly benefit from real sunlight, and I'd also supplement with powdered calcium for a few months... then switch to just having a cuttlefish bone in her enclosure.

Congrats~

 

[nate.mann]

thats a female for sure.


0.1.0 Russian Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
Chive On!

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and shes big enough to breed, just throwing that out there.


0.1.0 Russian Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
Chive On!

 

[cooky_luvs]

Ok, I got some good shots of her tail. I'd be shocked if she's male, but I want your opinions please! I saw someone else post what I for sure thought was female but you guys said male, so now I am not as sure lol.

Also as far as her shell can it be repaired? I know pyramiding isn't reversible.

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Uggg forgot the pics lol

 

[diamondbp]

Female

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Female.

No her shell won't fix. But letting her live in better conditions will still be good for her and her shell.

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[biochemnerd808]

I would say, most likely a female.

The shell won't ever grow normally, but sometimes you can get the scutes to separate with new growth by massaging olive oil or coconut oil into the areas between the 'stuck' scutes. Normally it is not recommended to put anything but water onto a tortoise's shell, but several very knowledgeable tortoise keepers have recommended this treatment for stuck scutes. I did that with my male, and while his shell will never look completely normal, the new growth is now showing up between MOST of the scutes.

Ok, I got some good shots of her tail. I'd be shocked if she's male, but I want your opinions please! I saw someone else post what I for sure thought was female but you guys said male, so now I am not as sure lol.

Also as far as her shell can it be repaired? I know pyramiding isn't reversible.

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Uggg forgot the pics lol

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