Difference Between a Sulcata Tortoise & a Russian Turtle

Russian turtles and Sulcata tortoises both make popular pets. They live a long time and they never shed. A tortoise lives on the land, but can occasionally enter the water. Any reptile that lives in a shell is a turtle. A terrapin lives primarily in the water, but may leave the water to eat or lay eggs. Even though pet stores label the Russian as a turtle, it is actually both a tortoise and a turtle.

  1. Coloring

    • Russian tortoises' shells are primarily brown. The Russian tortoise has 13 sections to its shell. Each section of shell is roughly square or rectangular in shape. As the turtle grows, it adds rings to each section of its shell. As each section ages, it darkens. This creates a pattern that looks like a series of dark rectangles surrounded by lighter shapes. The Sulcata tortoise also has 13 sections, but the color scheme is the exact opposite. As the sectional rings age, they lighten. This makes the Sulcata tortoise look as if it has 13 yellow or light brown rectangles on its back, surrounded by darker frames.

    Wild Origins

    • Russian turtles and Sulcata tortoises come from very different parts of the world. The Russian turtle is found in Russia, the northern Middle East and Northern China. They come from dry, rocky terrains, which make them good climbers. Sulcata tortoises originated in Northern Africa and can be found from the Red Sea to Senegal, Mali and Niger. This is a warmer climate than the northern Russian turtle, and means the Sulcata prefers a warmer environment.

    Size

    • The Sulcata tortoise is the largest natural tortoise on the African mainland. Sulcatas commonly grow to up to 30 inches in length and 110 lbs. The Russian is a smaller tortoise. They generally don't grow longer than 10 inches and stay under 20 lbs.

    Habitats

    • Because they differ in size, the Russian and the Sulcata require different habitats. The Russian can be kept indoors in a large habitat, although it prefers to be outdoors. The Sulcata cannot live indoors. Both the Russian and the Sulcata are good climbers. Any outdoor pen must have a cover to prevent the animal from climbing out and wandering away. The covered pen also protects your pet from predators. Foxes, coyotes, skunks and even large cats will prey on a tortoise.