# A Thread For Your Pictures of Split or Extra scutes



## Yvonne G

Hey all you keepers of tortoises with split or extra scutes!! Come on here and post pictures of your tortoises along with a bit of info on them. It will be interesting to follow along the lives of your tortoises with aberrant scures. Post your pictures here with a little info about the tortoise, and update every so often so we can watch him grow. I'll start:

This is Lil Kim, a rescue from SoCal. She/he's a babcock leopard,4 years old:




Next is a Gopherus agassizii that's 7 years old, another rescue raised indoors on a bad diet and with no UVB: 




These two are from Will, about a year old, Manouria emys phayrei:




This is a two year old yellowfoot tortoise that I hatched here. I'm going to set it up by itself this summer and see if I can't get it to grow better:




And last but not least, Benawes, who will be 4 years in September, but right now he's behind the rose bush, and I couldn't reach him for a current picture. He's quite a bit bigger than this now:


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## bouaboua

is missing scute count??


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## Cowboy_Ken

11/16 hatchling…


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## Yvonne G

bouaboua said:


> is missing scute count??



Yup.


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## bouaboua

Yvonne G said:


> Yup.


Thanks Yvonne~~

This is day after she hatched. Is she comfortable?



Couple months after hatching! !




And enjoying some cooked pumpkin.


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## Thor-toise

Here's my baby Scooter relaxing on her bath. We think of the extra scutes as her mohawk hence, her name


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## kalei01

@Yvonne G


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## Yvonne G

kalei01 said:


> @Yvonne G
> 
> View attachment 207935


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## Markw84

So where are pictures of older abnormal scute tortoises? Back to @Cowboy_Ken 's orginal question... are there really that few adult examples when we see so many split/abnormal scute babies???

Here's a 6 year old Burmese star I have that is missing a scute. I got "her" sent to me as a female, but though it looked male when I got it. HE proved me right within a few months! Hatched Apr. 5, 2011


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## Thor-toise

Truly a rare beauty


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## Shaif

Gorgeous torts. I prefer split scutes. They are more interesting to me.

Aside from Mark's, are most of the splits female?


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## Yvonne G

Nope. I have a desert tortoise and a SA leopard with aberrant scutes and both are male.


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## kalei01

Yvonne G said:


> Nope. I have a desert tortoise and a SA leopard with aberrant scutes and both are male.


does he show signs of pyramiding?


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## kalei01

also how can i tell if he is growing


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## Yvonne G

Looks pretty smooth to me.

I trace the outline of babies on a piece of paper, then about once a month I make a new tracing on the same paper.


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## bouaboua

I also have this one. It is she....


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## kalei01

Yvonne G said:


> Looks pretty smooth to me.
> 
> I trace the outline of babies on a piece of paper, then about once a month I make a new tracing on the same paper.


thanks I will try that


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## Thor-toise

my babies having a little chat
left: Scooter + right: Groot


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## Misty-P

I haven't been on here in a while. I am happy to see this thread. I was wondering about the shell growth in the splits. Do the split scutes tend to pyramid more? One of mine is smooth, but the split area is looking like it is already wanting to pyramid. They are both hatched from this year.


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## Yvonne G

Shouldn't matter. Just be sure to keep them in humid conditions, not dry.


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## richosullivan




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## kalei01

I think mine with the split or extra scute is a female the anal area looks just like that of female from pictures I have seen bad part is I wanted a male but I will still make sure the tort gets the best of care no matter if boy or girl


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## rolley

My neighbour's tor


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## Jennifer M

Doubly (top) two extra scutes, symmetrical on each side and Eleven (bottom) only 11 scutes


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## kaTeeTort

Hi everyone! This is Bailey, our new baby sulcata. We've had "her" for about three days and are just in love. She is about 6 weeks old and has one extra scute on the left side. It kinda looks like a little button to me


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## Cowboy_Ken

Cowboy_Ken said:


> View attachment 207407
> 
> View attachment 207408
> 
> View attachment 207409
> 
> 11/16 hatchling…


That photo was from mid-May and she weighed in around 160 grams. 
Now here is Shebelle at 265 grams


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## Peliroja32

kaTeeTort said:


> Hi everyone! This is Bailey, our new baby sulcata. We've had "her" for about three days and are just in love. She is about 6 weeks old and has one extra scute on the left side. It kinda looks like a little button to me
> View attachment 218531
> View attachment 218532
> View attachment 218534


Oooh but that little face! I love it!!


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## Sesel

Yvonne G said:


> Hey all you keepers of tortoises with split or extra scutes!! Come on here and post pictures of your tortoises along with a bit of info on them. It will be interesting to follow along the lives of your tortoises with aberrant scures. Post your pictures here with a little info about the tortoise, and update every so often so we can watch him grow.






Above is Speedy, an Aldabra tortoise. Hatched between 01st-03rd Sep., 2017 after 127 days 'incubating' at 29-30°C/84-86F.
On 3rd December, it was 164g & 9.5cm/3.7in.


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## Peliroja32

Teresaf what about your new female?


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## Moozillion

bouaboua said:


> Thanks Yvonne~~
> 
> This is day after she hatched. Is she comfortable?
> View attachment 207442
> 
> 
> Couple months after hatching! !
> 
> View attachment 207444
> 
> 
> And enjoying some cooked pumpkin.
> 
> View attachment 207443


VERY beautiful!!!!!


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## Yvonne G

I have a new leopard with aberrant scutes. This is Leonard, hatched about a month before the rest of the clutch hatched (beginning of this year).


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## Hollymc22

Beautiful


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## Hollymc22

This is my baby!


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## Yvonne G

Hollymc22 said:


> This is my baby!
> 
> View attachment 250389


He's very pretty, but I don't see his split or extra scutes???


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## TechnoCheese

Here are Curtis’s!


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## Hollymc22

Yvonne G said:


> He's very pretty, but I don't see his split or extra scutes???




Accidentally shared on wrong thread. But you got me to do a better inspection of her shell. 
Is her back considered split scute?





Sorry not too good at these post yet. Love all the knowledge available on this site.


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## no one

Yes that is a split scute.


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## no one

Turt... my Indotestudo Elongata


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## no one

Bee62 said:


> Looking beautiful ! Congrats.



Thank you Sabine!! *glimlach*


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## Bee62

*debora* said:


> Thank you Sabine!! *glimlach*


As the official aunt of Ma & Mo you should know that Mo has an extra scute too. Look:


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## no one

Oh, how cute!! I love it!! And Mo is a little bit more shy then Ma right?


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## Bee62

*debora* said:


> Oh, how cute!! I love it!! And Mo is a little bit more shy then Ma right?


Right.


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## Hollymc22

*debora* said:


> Yes that is a split scute.



Thanks. I thought so. Just too new to assume things


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## Cathie G

bouaboua said:


> Thanks Yvonne~~
> 
> This is day after she hatched. Is she comfortable?
> View attachment 207442
> 
> 
> Couple months after hatching! !
> 
> View attachment 207444
> 
> 
> And enjoying some cooked pumpkin.
> 
> View attachment 207443


He she has a little heart on her back. How sweet.


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## Hollymc22

Yvonne G said:


> He's very pretty, but I don't see his split or extra scutes???


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## EllieMay

Toretto has a few extra so she’s Extra special to me [emoji16]


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## no one

EllieMay said:


> View attachment 255368
> Toretto has a few extra so she’s Extra special to me [emoji16]



Indeed extra special!!


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## Changa

kaTeeTort said:


> Hi everyone! This is Bailey, our new baby sulcata. We've had "her" for about three days and are just in love. She is about 6 weeks old and has one extra scute on the left side. It kinda looks like a little button to me
> View attachment 218531
> View attachment 218532
> View attachment 218534


 So cute! 
This is Donna my niece couldn’t take of them there’s Dorey too


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## kalei01

kalei01 said:


> @Yvonne G
> 
> View attachment 207935


Here he or she is at 2 years old it's a couple months old I will send another tomorrow


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## Yvonne G

Here's an updated picture of Leonard. He/she's about 8 or 9 months old - maybe a little older (I'd have to check my records):




I took in a couple clutches of CDT from a SoCal club a couple weeks ago, to find homes for them, and this one is in that group:





And a clutch of leopard eggs hatched in the ground here a few weeks ago and I decided to keep this one:




I call this one Zipper.


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## NaomiB

Here’s Valentina and Darwin...my 5 year old does all the naming. Valentina just has the one split scute in the front. I had never heard of it before I received her, or, more appropriately ‘it’ at this age (blind box from a breeder in Florida).


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## aqualungs

have two one month old Cherryheads incubated female, coming from Tortoiseyard next Tuesday. One of them has a few split scutes I thinks she’s beautiful. The other has a perfect shell


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## aqualungs

Another pic of the split scute bombshell Dorothy


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## EllieMay

aqualungs said:


> Another pic of the split scute bombshell Dorothy
> View attachment 272073



Beautiful!!!


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## Yvonne G

I missed a nesting and this clutch hatched in the ground. I found the babies (most dead) last December, still cold and winter weather. This was one of the survivors. I'm keeping him (Zipper):




And this is Alex, a little Sulcata hatched by Forum member @Tortlex in January. I expressed an interest, and took possession in April. A nice addition to my little herd of aberrant scute babies, doncha think?


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## aqualungs

Yvonne G said:


> I missed a nesting and this clutch hatched in the ground. I found the babies (most dead) last December, still cold and winter weather. This was one of the survivors. I'm keeping him (Zipper):
> 
> View attachment 272074
> 
> 
> And this is Alex, a little Sulcata hatched by Forum member @Tortlex in January. I expressed an interest, and took possession in April. A nice addition to my little herd of aberrant scute babies, doncha think?
> 
> 
> View attachment 272075



Those are really cool patterns. Love it!


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## DougK

Rojo got a zipper back


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## erinbug

My new redfoot’s cute funky bump! It’s why I chose him of the two at petco, actually


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## charlygal123

my new tortoise Penny has a cool split (bottom right) causing her last middle scute at the back to be off centred... I love her weirdness [emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]


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## charlygal123

Markw84 said:


> So where are pictures of older abnormal scute tortoises? Back to @Cowboy_Ken 's orginal question... are there really that few adult examples when we see so many split/abnormal scute babies???
> 
> Here's a 6 year old Burmese star I have that is missing a scute. I got "her" sent to me as a female, but though it looked male when I got it. HE proved me right within a few months! Hatched Apr. 5, 2011
> 
> View attachment 207967



Wow! Beautiful [emoji173]️


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## Moozillion

Hollymc22 said:


> Accidentally shared on wrong thread. But you got me to do a better inspection of her shell.
> Is her back considered split scute?
> View attachment 254072
> 
> View attachment 254073
> 
> 
> Sorry not too good at these post yet. Love all the knowledge available on this site.


HAHAHAHA!!! This looks SO MUCH like a human butt-crack!!!!


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## Moozillion

Yvonne G said:


> I missed a nesting and this clutch hatched in the ground. I found the babies (most dead) last December, still cold and winter weather. This was one of the survivors. I'm keeping him (Zipper):
> 
> View attachment 272074
> 
> 
> And this is Alex, a little Sulcata hatched by Forum member @Tortlex in January. I expressed an interest, and took possession in April. A nice addition to my little herd of aberrant scute babies, doncha think?
> 
> 
> View attachment 272075


Both are gorgeous! Alex is especially unusual...


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## Toddrickfl1

Not a tort but close enough.


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## MPappagallo

Here's a picture of my Mabel with her cute little "bump". I got her recently from someone that could no longer keep her, and I think she's a real cutie.


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## erinbug

Toddrickfl1 said:


> Not a tort but close enough.
> View attachment 281430


wow this is gorgeous!


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## erinbug

MPappagallo said:


> Here's a picture of my Mabel with her cute little "bump". I got her recently from someone that could no longer keep her, and I think she's a real cutie.


Mabel is precious, funky scute and all!


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## Yvonne G

Toddrickfl1 said:


> Not a tort but close enough.
> View attachment 281430


Very nice! One doesn't often see water turtles with aberrant scutes.



MPappagallo said:


> Here's a picture of my Mabel with her cute little "bump". I got her recently from someone that could no longer keep her, and I think she's a real cutie.


She IS a cutey indeed!!


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## Toddrickfl1

Yvonne G said:


> Very nice! One doesn't often see water turtles with aberrant scutes.
> 
> 
> She IS a cutey indeed!!


She came to me with a severe RI. I tried my best to save her but unfortunately she passed away.


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## Yvonne G

Toddrickfl1 said:


> She came to me with a severe RI. I tried my best to save her but unfortunately she passed away.


Oh no. Heck and darn. It's alway hard to lose them when you've tried so hard to save them. I'm sorry.


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## bluewolf

Markw84 said:


> So where are pictures of older abnormal scute tortoises? Back to @Cowboy_Ken 's orginal question... are there really that few adult examples when we see so many split/abnormal scute babies???
> 
> Here's a 6 year old Burmese star I have that is missing a scute. I got "her" sent to me as a female, but though it looked male when I got it. HE proved me right within a few months! Hatched Apr. 5, 2011
> 
> View attachment 207967


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## bluewolf

This pic reminds me of what I saw yesterday on the rear chute of my 4 month Red footed named Flash except he is not missing a chute. There was a tiny split down the middle of that chute. Will try to get a pic since I do not know enuff about tort anatomy to even know if it is abnormal.


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## MPappagallo

This is an overhead view of our sweet Mildred. I got her a couple of weeks ago, and her shell is a jumble of twists, turns, bumps and crazy scutes....but her personality absolutely makes up for it. Miraculously, she seems to get around just fine even though her shell is very lopsided and uneven.


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## Maro2Bear

MPappagallo said:


> This is an overhead view of our sweet Mildred. I got her a couple of weeks ago, and her shell is a jumble of twists, turns, bumps and crazy scutes....but her personality absolutely makes up for it. Miraculously, she seems to get around just fine even though her shell is very lopsided and uneven.



Wow, that really is a jumble of twists, very intriguing.


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## Yvonne G

Someone posted they had not seen pictures of grown tortoises with aberrant scutes. Alison Grey just posted this picture of her sulcata in a heating thread:







Very interesting, @Allison Gray - I want to see more of this beautiful animal!!!


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## Pointydog

2 of my 3 Redfoot have abberant scutes. They hatched in summer of 2017:


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## Srmcclure

It's nothing crazy, but here Ghido's special scute ?


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## bluewolf

I am Laura and have a redfooted named Flash. I t is way kool the way you met back up.


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## Lokkje

Zigzag and 5 1/2. Both female desert tortoises in Arizona.


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## Yvonne G

Lokkje said:


> Zigzag and 5 1/2. Both female desert tortoises in Arizona.
> View attachment 296703


I LOVE it (I'm presuming the name refers to the number of vertebral scutes)!!!!


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## Lokkje

Yes. In between is my little male desert tortoise who seems to be a runt and it is about 70-ish years old. He’s the one that got me on the form in the first place after he got stung by a scorpion.


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## Lokkje

Forum not form. I really should proof my postings before I send them.


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## Yvonne G

Your little runt is probably a Texas tortoise, Gopherus berlandieri. That's as big as they get.


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## Lokkje

That would make sense as I had actually gotten him back in the 60s when you could buy them at the pet store. He was in a wire cage on the floor stuffed in with at least 30 other tortoises is my recollection but I was only about four years old at the time. he appealed to me because he was much smaller, his shell color was a little different, and his eyecolor was much more black compared to the Sonoran‘s that had more of a yellow ring coloration in the eye. The two females were bred in my backyard with a different Sonoran desert tortoise.


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## Bmatic

Reviving this thread to encourage any other new entrants.
This is Oogy aged 1, a Western Hermann's with crazy paving on his back. (ignore the red rectangle) He also has a small extra scute at the front which is where he keeps his phone.


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## Lokkje

Bmatic said:


> Reviving this thread to encourage any other new entrants.
> This is Oogy aged 1, a Western Hermann's with crazy paving on his back. (ignore the red rectangle) He also has a small extra scute at the front which is where he keeps his phone.
> 
> View attachment 311973
> 
> 
> View attachment 311972


Very handsome


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## Steph04

This is Pixel ..she's a pp/pb mix


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## Yvonne G

Bmatic said:


> Reviving this thread to encourage any other new entrants.
> This is Oogy aged 1, a Western Hermann's with crazy paving on his back. (ignore the red rectangle) He also has a small extra scute at the front which is where he keeps his phone.
> 
> View attachment 311973
> 
> 
> View attachment 311972


O-o-o I love that shell!!!!


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## Yvonne G

Steph04 said:


> This is Pixel ..she's a pp/pb mix
> 
> View attachment 314819
> View attachment 314820
> View attachment 314821
> View attachment 314822


Pixel looks like she was trying to hatch out as a caterpillar!


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## turtlesteve

Lokkje said:


> That would make sense as I had actually gotten him back in the 60s when you could buy them at the pet store. He was in a wire cage on the floor stuffed in with at least 30 other tortoises is my recollection but I was only about four years old at the time. he appealed to me because he was much smaller, his shell color was a little different, and his eyecolor was much more black compared to the Sonoran‘s that had more of a yellow ring coloration in the eye. The two females were bred in my backyard with a different Sonoran desert tortoise.


 
@Lokkje,

Could you please post some more pics of the “runt” (top, bottom, front, back, etc)? Desert and Texas tortoises should have a nuchal scute; the Chaco tortoise does not. I think it could be a Chaco but more pics would help confirm. If you have any old pics they might help too (did it have a different shell coloration when it was younger)?


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## Yvonne G

turtlesteve said:


> @Lokkje,
> 
> Could you please post some more pics of the “runt” (top, bottom, front, back, etc)? Desert and Texas tortoises should have a nuchal scute; the Chaco tortoise does not. I think it could be a Chaco but more pics would help confirm. If you have any old pics they might help too (did it have a different shell coloration when it was younger)?


I have a group of seven texas tortoses. Some have a nuchal scute, some don't.


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## turtlesteve

Yvonne G said:


> I have a group of seven texas tortoses. Some have a nuchal scute, some don't.



Yep, but more photos should clear it up one way or the other.


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## Lokkje

turtlesteve said:


> @Lokkje,
> 
> Could you please post some more pics of the “runt” (top, bottom, front, back, etc)? Desert and Texas tortoises should have a nuchal scute; the Chaco tortoise does not. I think it could be a Chaco but more pics would help confirm. If you have any old pics they might help too (did it have a different shell coloration when it was younger)?


Interesting. He had much brighter yellow spots and he is more of a tan gray when he was younger for the background. I will try to see if I can dig up some pictures when I have a chance.


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## mastershake

some new mis scutes arrived here today pics will come soon.


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## KirbyInKent

My Otis has an extra booty scute!


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## Thomas tortoise

kalei01 said:


> @Yvonne G
> 
> View attachment 207935


Wow! I saw a sulcata tortoise the same size as yours and it has the exact extra scute! On craigslist.It just had a lot more pyamiding than yours.


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## Micka_mouse

This is Tostada  I’ve had him for about 3 weeks now and after I got him I noticed he’s got a small piece of his shell missing by his tail?? So far it doesn’t seem to bother him and I already got too attached so I didn’t want to switch him out for another baby


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## mastershake

that is normal right above his tail. its no an issue


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