Thinking of rehoming this female Russian

Jon c

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I have an important decision to make hopefully I can get some of your advise and opinions. I have been seeking an adult Russian and did find a very nice 6 year old from a very reputable and experienced breeder. All the sudden last night someone from my area responded to a Craigslist add I put on a couple weeks ago and wants to rehome her russian. She thought it was 5 yrs old but bought it from a pet store full grown, I informed her she's prob much older but according to her, no health issues what's so ever. Here are some pics, can anyone estimate an age? What do you guys think I should do?
 

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Tom

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You can't tell the age from pictures, but what difference does the age make? Whether its five years old or 50 doesn't matter. It will still outlive all of us. Even the kids here.

If you do gets this tortoise, or any other, remember that you must quarantine it and keep it completely separate from your other(s) for several months. After quarantine and fecal tests come back clean, you still can't house a pair together. Groups can sometimes work in large outdoor enclosures, but Russians can be very scrappy. Pairs never work.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

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Also, safer bet for two females, but like Tom said, you'd need a HUGE enclosure to ensure they rarely meet. Adds stress from bullying/being bullied, and can dramatically affect health and lifespan. A male and female can be an issue because horny males don't know "no means no", and two males is begging for a tortoise-reenactment of the Rocky story.

Best to keep them separate as much as possible. Other than certain snakes during hibernation, Komodo dragons, and crocodilians, most reptiles don't have a societal concept and don't like other beings near them.
 

Jon c

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Location (City and/or State)
Williamsville
You can't tell the age from pictures, but what difference does the age make? Whether its five years old or 50 doesn't matter. It will still outlive all of us. Even the kids here.

If you do gets this tortoise, or any other, remember that you must quarantine it and keep it completely separate from your other(s) for several months. After quarantine and fecal tests come back clean, you still can't house a pair together. Groups can sometimes work in large outdoor enclosures, but Russians can be very scrappy. Pairs never work.
Thank you I am very aware of all risks with pairs and groups, I have been living on this forum for the past 4 months, great knowledge from you and the other experts! I would only get one.
I geuss the reason I'm concerned with her age and health is because 4 month or so ago, uneducated before I knew about TF, I got a wild caught Russian from petsmart and he was very old and sickly. He passed after 3 months, I know it was my fault for impulse buying him but It was very sad on the whole fam, thats why I was really happy to have found a healthy captive bred adult from a great breeder. I feel selfish puting it like that but thats just what, a healthy young adult. What if she's 30,40,50 already?
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
Thank you I am very aware of all risks with pairs and groups, I have been living on this forum for the past 4 months, great knowledge from you and the other experts! I would only get one.
I geuss the reason I'm concerned with her age and health is because 4 month or so ago, uneducated before I knew about TF, I got a wild caught Russian from petsmart and he was very old and sickly. He passed after 3 months, I know it was my fault for impulse buying him but It was very sad on the whole fam, thats why I was really happy to have found a healthy captive bred adult from a great breeder. I feel selfish puting it like that but thats just what, a healthy young adult. What if she's 30,40,50 already?
30, 40, or 50 still has plenty of life left. These animals have a metabolism that ages them very slowly once they hit adulthood, so you really won't see a difference in activity between a 10 year old tortoise and a 60 year old tortoise. We don't know if your PetSmart tortoise was "very old". It's impossible to tell. Could have been stress, parasites, or disease. All of those are far more likely. Unless you are a mayfly, old age is a very rare cause of death of wild animals.
 

Tom

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Thank you I am very aware of all risks with pairs and groups, I have been living on this forum for the past 4 months, great knowledge from you and the other experts! I would only get one.
I geuss the reason I'm concerned with her age and health is because 4 month or so ago, uneducated before I knew about TF, I got a wild caught Russian from petsmart and he was very old and sickly. He passed after 3 months, I know it was my fault for impulse buying him but It was very sad on the whole fam, thats why I was really happy to have found a healthy captive bred adult from a great breeder. I feel selfish puting it like that but thats just what, a healthy young adult. What if she's 30,40,50 already?
Any Russian bought at a pet store is going to be wild caught, and its a gamble. Many of them survive and do just fine, but as you've seen, some don't. Age has nothing to do with it. The one that died was sickly, but its age had nothing to do with its demise.

Sticking with captive bred will cost more, but from the right source, you eliminate the disease aspect and the tortoise should do fine. Finding an adult CB Russian can be a challenge. Nobody is going to invest years of their time to raise a tortoise to adulthood and then sell it for $150. The only way you'd find something like this is if someone raised a CB baby, and then decided they didn't want it any more. This is a fairly rare scenario, but it happens. Sometimes breeders will hold some back, realize it is the wrong sex, or just change their mind about needing more animals. I'm selling surplus male stars right now that meet this criteria. Just be wary of people telling you an adult Russian is CB. Over in their country of origin, they sometimes call them "farm raised". This is non-sense, but some unscrupulous sellers will say those animals from those sources are CB. They aren't.
 

Jon c

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Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Williamsville
To clarify, I do not have a tortoise. I didn't purchase the one from the breeder or adopt the female. Just trying to make the best decision on witch one
30, 40, or 50 still has plenty of life left. These animals have a metabolism that ages them very slowly once they hit adulthood, so you really won't see a difference in activity between a 10 year old tortoise and a 60 year old tortoise. We don't know if your PetSmart tortoise was "very old". It's impossible to tell. Could have been stress, parasites, or disease. All of those are far more likely. Unless you are a mayfly, old age is a very rare cause of death of wild animals.
Understood, thank you for you're insight. Yes he was loaded with worms and parasites.
 

Jon c

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Williamsville
Any Russian bought at a pet store is going to be wild caught, and its a gamble. Many of them survive and do just fine, but as you've seen, some don't. Age has nothing to do with it. The one that died was sickly, but its age had nothing to do with its demise.

Sticking with captive bred will cost more, but from the right source, you eliminate the disease aspect and the tortoise should do fine. Finding an adult CB Russian can be a challenge. Nobody is going to invest years of their time to raise a tortoise to adulthood and then sell it for $150. The only way you'd find something like this is if someone raised a CB baby, and then decided they didn't want it any more. This is a fairly rare scenario, but it happens. Sometimes breeders will hold some back, realize it is the wrong sex, or just change their mind about needing more animals. I'm selling surplus male stars right now that meet this criteria. Just be wary of people telling you an adult Russian is CB. Over in their country of origin, they sometimes call them "farm raised". This is non-sense, but some unscrupulous sellers will say those animals from those sources are CB. They aren't.
I can't tell you how many sites I've been to that people here recommended and as soon as I saw the words "barn raised" I was out of there. It really bothers me but as long as there's idiots like I once was buying them it will continue.

Well it took a while but I did in fact find that captive bred adult. Without giving away to much info, it's a Carol S Tort that has been in the care of another very respected person who "will" remain nameless.
The other Tort for adoption on the other hand was a wild captured who came from an infamously shady and disease filled pet shop in my area. Owner sais no issues but takes it to the worst cheapest vet in my area.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
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I can't tell you how many sites I've been to that people here recommended and as soon as I saw the words "barn raised" I was out of there. It really bothers me but as long as there's idiots like I once was buying them it will continue.

Well it took a while but I did in fact find that captive bred adult. Without giving away to much info, it's a Carol S Tort that has been in the care of another very respected person who "will" remain nameless.
The other Tort for adoption on the other hand was a wild captured who came from an infamously shady and disease filled pet shop in my area. Owner sais no issues but takes it to the worst cheapest vet in my area.
You've learned some valuable lessons early into your tortoise journey. There was a high cost for those lessons, but it is valuable info.

Any baby started by Carol S should be a fantastic tortoise. I bought 6 from her a few years back and they were all fantastic. Every one of them was perfect.
 

Jon c

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2020
Messages
99
Location (City and/or State)
Williamsville
I have only this site and all the great people on it that I owe my knowledge to. Once I found it I knew I was in a good community! I know her Torts are the bomb!
 

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