Need help identifying the little guy.

[Lisa Hamm]

Found wandering in the wash behind homes in Murrieta, CA. Would like to know what type it is so I can provide the proper habitat and food. For now I am feeding it hay (I have some because that is one of the foods I feed my Sulcatas). I have also given it some dandelions and other weeds from my yard as well as flowers from my shrub. My desert tortoise and Sulcata's love these flowers and this guy seems to like it too. I won't attempt to feed it any fruit, crickets, meal worms or the like until I find out if that is appropriate for this guy. Someone mentioned they thought it might be a Ibera Greek tortoise. Any help in proper identification would be greatly appreciated.

 

[G-stars]

Hello Lisa,

That is a Russian tortoise. I would look around to see if some one nearby lost their pet.

 

[Lisa Hamm]

Thanks. I am posting that I found a tortoise and giving the area that it was found but not posting pictures or telling them the type. I require them to call and describe as well as send pictures if possible to prove ownership. Too many people will just claim that it is theirs if pictures are posted.

Anyone else out there that can chime in to confirm it as a russian or possibly some other breed? Thanks in advance.

 

[Markw84]

Gus knows his stuff! It is definitely a Russian tortoise. Agrionemys horsfieldii

 

[teresaf]

Yes it's a Russian. looks female to me

 

[Lisa Hamm]

Gus knows his stuff! It is definitely a Russian tortoise. Agrionemys horsfieldii

Thank you.

 

[Lisa Hamm]

Yes it's a Russian. looks female to me

Thank you. How do you tell if it is a male or female?

 

[teresaf]

The size tells me it's almost full grown if not full grown. Therefore you should be able to tell the sex by now. The flat belly (plastron) and small tail indicates female.

 

[Lisa Hamm]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[SnapperAndShelldon]

Female Russian Tortoise

 

[RosemaryDW]

Thank you. How do you tell if it is a male or female?

All the info you could want! http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...sex-of-your-russian-tortoise-with-pics.87181/

Near the top of the page is a simple diagram if you want to skip to the basics. You'll need to blow it up a bit but it will give you the answer you want in about one minute.