Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it normal for a russian tort to "rest" or walk with the back legs extended straight out?

I am no expert on Russians, but I have 2 Yellow Foots. They have very different personalities and look very different (One is round and the other is err very long and naughty). Anyways they often rest with their legs extended out at the back and the front - especially when sunbathing under the UV light. But they normally walk upright - as high as they can.

Hope this helps

I have a Burmese Black Tortoise, that also walks with his legs kind of straight behind him instead of standing up tall on all fours. How old is the Russian?

I have been worried that he is not getting enough exercise. Could this also be due to the fact that he is still really young and has not developed completely? His diet is really good, and he eats like there is another extinction on the way! He also drinks tons of water, and leaves plenty of healthy "poopies" behind him.

-Kory

You have made me watch my two Yellow Foots walk around my living room. My Yellow Foots are about 3 and a half years old. I put them down and let them walk around and just watched. (My girlfriend was feeding them at the same time - to give them something to walk towards). I noticed when they were just walking around the walked up high (Lifting their shell up) - When they were running they tended to walk flat (Drag their shell along the floor) with their feet out the back.

While watching I took a few photos. I have three sets of photos of them in locomotion. (The shutter lag was driving me crazy on my Canon ultra compact). I have had to break them up into five posts.

First post (This one) shows the first set of locomotion photos.
Second Post shows the second set of locomotion photos (Different Yellow Foot – and different way she walks)
Third Post (The same tortoise as in the first set) shows locomotion again
Fourth Post – putting it all together into three photos (one for each set of locomotion.
Fifth Post – My boy resting

I hope this post helps in showing you what is “normal” for my Yellow Foot locomotion

Here is my female Tortoise walking though my living room. She walks a little different from my boy (I hope they are girl and boy). Anyways she sort of walks with her back leg bent a little more. She is also a much more secretive and shy Tortoise.

Here is my boy back at it again – this time he is walking towards food. He was walking with a much straighter leg just before this photo was taken (He was trying to run across the carpet). He also walks much higher when he has just climbed out of his box and looking for my plastic Tortoise to err challenge him for a fight. (Lots of head bobbing and swaying.)

I have now put the photos together (well their back legs – what I was asked about). This is the same photos as in pervious posts but only the back legs on one image. This might help picture how my two Yellow Foots are walking.

Locomotion is not complete without having a photo of the Tortoise resting. Here he is resting (he often will put out his front legs as well). He often does this under the UV heat lamp or sunning him self in the light coming through the window. I find it normal for my Tortoises to lie with their legs stretched out.