Description
The Russian tortoise is a small tortoise species, ranging from about 13 to 25 cm (13-20 cm for males, 15-25 cm for females). They are sexually dimorphic in that the females grow slightly larger, males tend to have a longer tail that is generally tucked to the side, and females tend to have flared scutes on their shells, while males do not. Males have a concave bump on the bottom half of their shells so that they can mount females during intercourse while females have flat bottoms. Coloration varies, but the shell is usually a ruddy brown or black, fading to yellow between the scutes, and the body itself straw-yellow and brown. They have four toes. They live for so long (about 75 years) that people who keep them as pets often leave them in their will. They are usually rather social with humans. They are a popular pet.
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