Bella was bought from a pet store in Louisville Kentucky for my grandson. His therapist thought it was a good idea to have something he could feed and call his and suggested a turtle ::go figure:: my son bought this Russian...long story short, I ended up with her...they said it was a female at the Pet store, and named her "Bella".....but I'm not so sure, After looking at tail pictures.....there are also "indentions" on either side on the plastron.......