White rings growing

Zack and Kora

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I posted about this before but didn't get the help that I really needed. My russian tortiose began forming these white rings as it grew and they just keep getting wider. Am i doing something wrong with my care? I attatched a picture of the shell.
 

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leigti

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I have been told that if the rings get to wide it means careful feeding too much, the tortoise is growing too fast. So maybe just slow down a little bit on the food. Russians love to eat.
 

Yvonne G

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Well, we'll all probably tell you the same thing here on this thread: What you're seeing is new growth. It normally doesn't appear that wide, so maybe cut back on the food a little bit. Do you only feed once a day?

Russian tortoises come from a pretty harsh climate, and when they're out of hibernation, they are hard-wired to eat as much as they can find in order to get ready for the next hibernation, which comes all to quickly. Since your tortoise has food in front of him and it's easy pickins, he's probably eating too much for the amount of exercise he's getting. In the wild they have to wander far and wide to find food. That's why we always tell people a very large outdoor habitat is what's best for russian tortoises, as large = more exercise.
 

leigti

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If he is indoors you can try putting little bits of food all around the enclosure and make him go hunt for it. This will increase his exercise.
 
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