08-07-2010, 09:01 PM
(07-21-2010 09:09 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]LLoks like an adult to me. Certainly not a four year old. The problem with many russian tortoises is that they are taken from the wild. Trevors growth looks as though he has been a wild tortoise for at least 5 or 6 years and then captive reared. The new growth is set far lower than the old growth showing that certain nutrients have been lacking and either/or the growth has been far too fast. This has resulted in the uneven growth of latter years that is shown as a lighter colour.
Oh that makes me so sad!! I always promised myself that when I did get a tortoise I would never get one that wasn't captive-born. I guess I shouldn't have been so trusting (or perhaps naive)--the lady who had him before me said that she had purchased him when he was little from a pet store that claims they don't sell wild-caught animals. The damage is not irreparable though, is it? If I cut his meals down some and try to get him onto a more natural schedule, does he have a chance of getting healthier and living a reasonably long and happy life?
--Lisa