Please help me with tortoise identification and other questions.

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Turtle Dude

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Hello everybody, I'm hoping someone can help me identify my family's new pet. We got this guy (?) from the local rescue shelter. They claim he's a "Hermann's Turtle," but from my research I'm guessing he's a Russian Tortoise. What do you all think?

I also need advice on his care. I currently have a yellow-margined box turtle that has been living in my yard for at least 5 years. He has been doing very well on his own. So I'm wondering if the two little guys can live together in peace or if they need to be separated. Can my tortoise live in the yard freely? Does he need a home/heat source?

Diet - What can I feed my new tortoise? I do lots of gardening so I would like to plant as much in my yard as possible for the two to feed on. And I also understand I should be giving the tortoise a calcium supplement? Such as crushed boiled egg shells?

I know this is a lot but one more question - not sure how clearly you can see the detail on the tortoise shell but it appears to be very beaten up/scratched/faded. I'm wondering if this is because he's old, unhealthy, not treated well by previous owner, etc.

Thank you for all the help in advance!!!
 

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Candy

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He looks to be a Hermann tortoise to me. I'd say male. We'll wait for the experts opinion. ;)
 

Stephanie Logan

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Soon you will get input from the many experts on this forum. Once they identify your torty's species, age and gender, they will give you tons of valuable advice and links to care sheets.:p

Congratulations on your new adopted pet! As you know from your boxie, these turtle types are typically taciturn yet are a total treat to take in as tenants!;)
 

Yvonne G

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Sure looks like a Russian to me, but then I'm not really familiar with the Mediterranean species of tortoise. Here's a picture I took off the web of a Hermann's:

hermannstortoise-testudohermanni.jpg


Even though this is a dirtier and natural looking tortoise, you can still see that it has the coloration spots on the carapace. I don't see that on your picture.

Its not a good idea to allow a tortoise and a turtle from different continents to co-exist because of the pathogens each has, But a box turtle and a Russian tortoise require different types of habitats. Cuora flavomarginata (yellow margined box) are semi aquatic, and the tortoise requires a dry habitat.
 

Turtle Dude

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I appreciate all the help so far! So far 2 votes for Russian, one for Hermanns. So I'm still waiting for some more answers to make it more clear. I'm so glad i came on here, the pathogen issue is something that I would have never even thought of. Thank you! This concerns me because now I'm not even sure if the two guys should both be living in the back yard. If I need to build a new habitat for one I will.
 

Candy

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Danny will be able to tell you for sure. Hopefully he gets on here soon. :D
 

kimber_lee_314

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Is this the "Hermann's" that was at the OC shelter? At first, they had him listed as a Russian - then changed it to a Hermann's. He looks like a Russian to me!
 

Turtle Dude

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haha, yes kimber it is the same! Interesting that they originally thought him a Russian. We are very excited to add the little guy to our family!
 

kimber_lee_314

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Is this the "Hermann's" that was at the OC shelter? At first, they had him listed as a Russian - then changed it to a Hermann's. He looks like a Russian to me!
[/quote]

Hmmm ... not sure how I posted that twice! Sorry. :( You can find good advice on Russian care at russiantortoise.org
 

Kadaan

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I'm going with male Russian. The dark coloring on Hermanns' plastrons are usually more along the outside, with a normal colored area from head to tail down the middle.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Not only can the pathogens from one make the other sick, they require different care. You must be providing a lot of water for the box turtle for it to be flourishing. I believe you need to create 2 habitats. The Russian can live outside and he will hibernate. So you wouldn't have to provide a heat source for him. A cuttlebone will provide the necessary calcium.
Yvonne is one of our more experienced keepers and you can flat out believe anything she has told you.
As for the damaged carapace he is probably wild caught and they get pretty beat up...HTH
 

Meg90

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He's a Russian Male tort for sure. See how long his tail is? That means boy in the tort world. I would also say wild caught. I'm no Danny, but I would guess him to be older than 8yrs.

He will need to live apart from your boxie, they need very different environments. On that front, can you post a picture of your box turtle? I have no idea what a yellow-margined box turtle is...when I googled it, It came up as Cuora flavomarginata AKA Chinese Box turtle. Is it something you purchased, and put in your yard? Or did it wander in?

If you found it, a picture will help clarify what exactly it is that you have. Because I doubt Chinese Boxies are native to sunny CA

Your Russian will eventually hibernate if you keep him outside year long. Temps drop even in CA I hear (I'm in WI) and without supplemented heating and UVB, you will not be able to keep him awake, and if he's not watched constantly, he will burrow down and its likely you won't find him til spring. If you don't want him to hibernate, you will need to setup an indoor enclosure.
 

TylerStewart

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Yep, 100% Russian. I would guess he's an older guy based on the shell color, and apparent large size. The males don't get too big (not like the girls), but they tend to turn that overall mustard color when they get into the older years. The younger ones have the more typical brown/grey colors you see more often, which makes them harder and harder to ID as they get older.
 

egyptiandan

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Yup it's a male Russian tortoise, Testudo horsfieldii. :D He's probably between 15 and 20 years old.

Danny
 

Turtle Dude

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wow thanks for all the great info thus far. what i'm thinking at this point is to let the turtle continue his reign of the entire yard, but fence off a designated area for the tortoise. i have an area about 4 feet by 20 feet that would be good. would this type of barrier be enough to keep them safe from each other's pathogens?

regarding the box turtle, i received him as a gift from a local pet store almost 20 years ago. i understand that in the time since then they have became endangered. he lived in a terrarium in my room for about 10 years. one day while washing his habitat he escaped to the back yard's many hiding spots. at first we were worried but it became clear that he was able to thrive back there, and i prefer the massive yard for him to his previous terrarium. i have never provided water containers for him to bathe in, i guess he gets enough from the sprinklers/rain? occasionally he comes near the back door, knowing if we notice him we'll give him some nice treats (his favorites are watermelon, strawberries, grapes, applesauce, and tomatoes). i don't have a picture on this computer of him but i know i have some on another.
 

bikerchicspain

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Certainatley looks like a russian to me, The russian torts are not so rounded as the Hermann.Still a cutie tho..:p
 

GBtortoises

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Definitely a male Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi). There is no mistaking a Russian for a Hermann's or vice versa.
Typically a Russian tortoise and "Yellow Margined" or better known as Chinese Box turtle, have very different environmental requirements. Russian tortoises are from an arid, usually dry, harsh environment and while they do need access to drinking water and an area with a certain amount of higher substrate humidity, they cannot be kept in wet conditions. They should also have plenty of sunlight, natural or artificial and a warm basking area at 90+ degrees. Chinese Box turtles on the other hand do not do well in dry conditions, should be kept in a very humid environment with temperatures constantly in the mid 70's-mid 80's. They do not bask as much or as often as a Russian tortoise would. Basically, if you plan to keep them both together in the same environment it will be very difficult to impossible to provide for both of their requirements.
 

Yvonne G

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You say that your Chinese box turtle has been living in your backyard for the past 5 years. I don't mean to sound accusatory, but if this is the case then your box turtle has been living in drought conditions for the past 5 years. It really is a wonder that its still alive. Please read the care sheet here:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/cuora/trifasciata.html

But then, maybe you have your turtle's name wrong. Does he look like the turtle shown in the above care sheet link?
 
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