Russian tortoise shell damaged

[Matti Kaki]

Hello from Finland. We found a Russian Tortoise which is very
lively and looks fine but probably cat has been scratching it.
It has much very fine scratches. The shell looks damaged or
perhaps he has some king of sickness or maybe wrong diet. The
joints look weak and incompletely formed. Is this because of
wrong food it has been eaten or is it sick? Here are some
pictures I took today. We have older Russian tortoise and
this has much interest running behind it. :-)

http://www.mattikaki.fi/kilppari

[turtles4ever]

Well it would depend if the turtle was wild or a pet.
We keep Russians as pets in the U.S. but of course they are not
Native. But it could be native where you live. I do know however
that scratches
Aren't very serious unless they are deep.
I'd worry more about soft spots or flaking of the shell. He could be
mal nourished
You should try to get him to eat a variety of dark greens Romaine
lettuce spinach ECT. Add a
Few berries blue berries and the like for vit c and carrots or mangos
for Vit A
Add a Reptile calcium supplement for shell and joints bones ECT. I use
rep cal but I don't' know
What is available to you over there. If you keep him in side offer
him a UV A and B lighting
for production of VIt D or you can take him out during the day until
it gets cooler then bring
Him or her in until winter is over or else he will hibernate. most
of his troubles sound like dietary issues. But you may never get him
fully back to rights.
Take good care of him he's a nice tortoise.
There is allot more detailed information on caring for this tortoise
on line. I like some care sheets at herper.com
Sincerely Michelle

[Matti Kaki]

Post by turtles4ever
Well it would depend if the turtle was wild or a pet.

Hi Michelle.

Finland is quite a nordic country and tortoises can't live here
in nature. All are pets and many has been smuggled from Russia
or Estonia.

Post by turtles4ever
We keep Russians as pets in the U.S. but of course they are not
Native. But it could be native where you live. I do know however
that scratches
Aren't very serious unless they are deep.

They are not deep at all.

Post by turtles4ever
I'd worry more about soft spots or flaking of the shell.

I found the owner! Tortoise is "kilpikonna" in finnish and
"kilpi" = shield "konna" = crook, scoundrel

So I went to the police office and reported him to the police. :-)

Police was very pleased when they didn't have to keep him there
in jail and told after short conversation (we have a tortoise
too) that I can take care of him and must put some notices to
local stores which I did. I also put one to a common bulletin
board near me and the ownwers' daughter saw it! You can guess
how glad she came. Here you can see the notice:

http://www.mattikaki.fi/kilppari/

She told me that these spots have been there all the time.
He has had good nutririon, I believe, but I'll tell her
your advise. In Finland we have long darker period in winter
and perhaps it is UV-light what he needs.

[turtles4ever]

Post by Matti Kaki

Wellitwoulddependiftheturtlewaswildorapet.

Hi Michelle.
Finlandisquiteanordiccountryandtortoisescan'tlivehere
innature.AllarepetsandmanyhasbeensmuggledfromRussia
orEstonia.

WekeepRussiansaspetsintheU.S.butofcoursetheyarenot>Native. Butitcouldbenativewhereyoulive. Idoknowhowever>thatscratches>Aren'tveryseriousunlesstheyaredeep.

They are not deep at all.

I'dworrymoreaboutsoftspotsorflakingoftheshell.

I found the owner! Tortoise is "kilpikonna" in finnish and
"kilpi" = shield "konna" = crook, scoundrel
SoIwenttothepoliceofficeandreportedhimtothepolice.:-)
Policewasverypleasedwhentheydidn'thavetokeephimthere
injailandtoldaftershortconversation(wehaveatortoise
too)thatIcantakecareofhimandmustputsomenoticesto
localstoreswhichIdid.Ialsoputonetoacommonbulletin
boardnearmeandtheownwers'daughtersawit!Youcanguess
http://www.mattikaki.fi/kilppari/
Shetoldmethatthesespotshavebeenthereallthetime.
Hehashadgoodnutririon,Ibelieve,butI'lltellher
youradvise.InFinlandwehavelongdarkerperiodinwinter
andperhapsitisUV-lightwhatheneeds.
Location:60.414N25.097E===========
NavigareNecesseEst - VivereNonEstNecesse

I'm glad you found the owner. You should feel pleased that you were
able to return it to it's proper home.
I recently had a bunch of water turtles stolen from me. I miss them
alot. No amount of digging
has turned them up. I went to the SPCA, local pet stores, (one of
which told me some one tried to sell my turtles to them) ,
and asked around my neighborhood. No luck since june. So now I'm
going to pray who ever took them takes good care of them
or finds them a good home since they are not going to return them.
And now I'm in search of more water turtles to replace them
and I'm searching for rescues that have water turtles. Or someone
who has them at a reasonable price.
You sound like you care about turtles you should get one. You would
like having a turtle or tortoise .
michelle

[GreyWyvern]

Post by turtles4ever
We keep Russians as pets in the U.S. but of course they are not
Native.

Sorry, but this sentence just struck me as really funny out of context :D

Grey