New tortoise owners

[amoore]

We are new 1st time tortoise owners and new to forum. My father gave my son a tortoise he got at a local pet shop, they said it's a Hermann's Tortoise and about 1-2 years old. We just want to make sure we care for our new family member properly.

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum. You have a Russian tortoise.

 

[amoore]

Thank you!

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome.

Some reading for you:

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian (Horsfield) Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[WithLisa]

Not only a Russian, but also more than 5 years old. Looks like a wild-caught.
If you want to know if it's a male or female you have to show a picture of the underside/tail.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Hello & welcome

 

[Gillian M]

Hi! And a warm welcome to the forum!

That's a cute little tort you have. GOD bless.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[amoore]

Thank you for the links for Russian tortoise. We need all the help we can get! Thank you for more insight on the age and being wild caught. My father was hoping the tort would be a great pet for my son. I will get a picture of the underside and tail soon. Thank you to everyone for their knowledge and help!

 

[JoesMum]

Thank you for the links for Russian tortoise. We need all the help we can get! Thank you for more insight on the age and being wild caught. My father was hoping the tort would be a great pet for my son. I will get a picture of the underside and tail soon. Thank you to everyone for their knowledge and help!

They are great pets, just not in the cuddly sense. They are better in their enclosure and not being played with.

They are also a lifetime project. We have had ours for 46 years and potentially he will outlive us.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

 

[amoore]

Ok I'm adding pictures of the underside of now Russian tort! View attachment 176391View attachment 176392View attachment 176394
I hope the pictures help for withLisa

 

[amoore]

trying again

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

This might help you sex the tort

 

[amoore]

Great thank you

 

[amoore]

Is this normal part of the shell? That narrow point and the front of the shell above the head, is that common?

 

[Tom]

Please read that care sheet thread. The sand on the plastron in your pic is of great concern, and those don't look like edible leaves.

 

[amoore]

Please read that care sheet thread. The sand on the plastron in your pic is of great concern, and those don't look like edible leaves.

That was just some leaves for him to hide while my father was giving him to my son. We fixed the sand issue and he is just in top soil... And we are feeding him leafy greens (spring mix)

 

[GingerLove]

The narrow point at the front of the head is pretty normal. Mine has it too! It's not quite as long as the point on your tortoise, however. I believe that's just how they are formed!

 

[amoore]

The narrow point at the front of the head is pretty normal. Mine has it too! It's not quite as long as the point on your tortoise, however. I believe that's just how they are formed!

Ok thank you.