Origin Russian tortoise, also known as Central Asian tortoise and Horsfield’s tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) is a land turtle of the family Testudinidae. It originates from Central Asia and can be found in the countries from the Caspian Sea to China and in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Characteristics and Behavior Russian tortoises are sexually dimorphic which means that there are some differences between males and females. Adult females are about 8 to 10 inches long, while the males grow about 6 to 8 inches. The males, however, have a longer tail. The color of the shell tends to vary greatly from one tortoise to another but it is most often either brown or black and yellowish between the scutes. The head, legs and tail are yellow and brown. Russian tortoises live at least 50 years and it is not unusual for them to outlive their owners. They like to hide in caves and dig burrows to retreat during the heat and at night. They prefer temperatures between 68 and 90 °F. Diet Like most other land turtles, Russian tortoise is herbivores which means that it feeds almost exclusively on plant material. They tend to be opportunistic feeders and eat a variety [...]

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