I never had Russians but heres what happens with a Mt.Tortoise. If you let it lay on a table/floor so it can feel its feet on the ground. It may feel like it can get away even though you can hold it with one hand over the top. When held up in the air and upside down it will want to contract. Also poaking them around the rear leg with something that wont make a hole but is blunt might make it come out. You can try to do it while hes on a run to nowhere or as his head bobs in and out. I hate grabing their head soooo much i dont do it. I held a 45 lb mt.tortoise between my knees with my head on the ground upside down in front of him. I poaked him in the rear leg and drimmeled off a razor sharp ridge behind his beak/upper Mandible. Like a shark! We did the two step, Popped out..drill..drill then back in,then the poak then back out and so on until I was the winner. What a headache. It helped he was mean to begin with. Realy sometimes there is no choise but to have a Vet. put them under and get it over with. To learn something about all this babbling on,I can say at least with Manouria emys is that their upper beak U.M. will just brake off about every fifteen years or so. Like a lizard's tail,it snaps off at natures perferated line with no bleeding. It gives them a whole new look. I'd give it a try. Vic M.......pic caption..."get away from me with that thing"!

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