# Desert or texas or ??



## nancykj (Oct 14, 2013)

here are pics of my two boys. one is a for sure desert tortoise. he is 13 inches long and weighs 11 1/2 lbs. my little boy is only 6 lbs, and less then 9 inches long. i also see a difference if the nuchal schute (sp)? between the two. thanks for you ID help!


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## diamondbp (Oct 14, 2013)

Deserts. I don't Texas get any where near that size. Beautiful tortoises


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## nancykj (Oct 14, 2013)

diamondbp said:


> Deserts. I don't Texas get any where near that size. Beautiful tortoises



thanks diamonbp! they sure think they are beautiful! pretty sure the little one is texas tort size however. he is just shy of 9 inches, is full grown, and ID guides say the texans get to be about 8.5 inches. so i don't think he is too big..........


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## Yvonne G (Oct 14, 2013)

I'm not real sure, but I think the smaller one is one of the graeca species.


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## Tom (Oct 14, 2013)

Yvonne G said:


> I'm not real sure, but I think the smaller one is one of the graeca species.



I dunno. The leg scales and gulars say "Gopherus" to me...

I think its two deserts. TT have a different shape and tend to be very dark or black, and that would have to be a record setting male TT at that size.

I can't be 100% certain from these photos, but that's my guess.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 14, 2013)

Take a look at this Ibera:

http://www.gctts.org/node/409

The leg scales aren't quite the same, but the carapace is very similar.

A shot of the plastron on the smaller one will clinch it. The Texas tortoise male's plastron is VERY concave and quite distinctive.


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## nancykj (Oct 14, 2013)

Yvonne G said:


> Take a look at this Ibera:
> 
> http://www.gctts.org/node/409
> 
> ...



thank you for your thoughts on my boy. i will take a pic of his plastron and post it tomorrow.


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## nancykj (Oct 14, 2013)

ok, took a couple of pics of joxer upside down. he was not happy about it. also took pic of him next to a yardstick. my for sure desert tort was so far into his house i did not pull him out to compare. i also took a pic next to a yardstick. what do you all think?


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## thatrebecca (Oct 14, 2013)

While we wait for the experts to weigh in on his species I will note the incontrovertible fact that he is handsome as all get out.


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## nancykj (Oct 14, 2013)

thatrebecca said:


> While we wait for the experts to weigh in on his species I will note the incontrovertible fact that he is handsome as all get out.



ah, thatrebecca, and he is already so darn conceited......


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 14, 2013)

I wonder if it is a hybrid of California-Texas? It looks a little boxy but yet the coloring is not Texas. I suspect that there are more of those out there than we realize from the old days, before folks knew better.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 15, 2013)

Yup...he's got Texas in him for sure. The plastron is a dead give-away. But he's a strange color for a Berlandieri.


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## nancykj (Oct 15, 2013)

wonder if he is indeed a hybrid then, like BeeBee suggests? his origins are murky. one version had him stolen out of the new mexico desert, another that he was found wandering the street in california. i always wondered why he was only half the size of my other tort.

when i took them both to the vet last week for a wellness check before hibernation, i pointed out to her that his shell was "different". Now that i look at pics on this forum, i think he is indeed a bit pyramided. after she had examined both torts in the back she came out and said "it is like he is a completely different tortoise." she noted differences in his shell and mentioned something about scales between his claws. anyway, that is why i started thinking the Berlandieri thing>
this is a wonderful forum with so much information! such fun and interesting stuff!


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## diamondbp (Oct 15, 2013)

Most TT males have Split gulars that can point slightly outwards , where your male has almost a singular gular that points directly forward.

I guess a hybrid is possible but I still think he is an unusually small DT. Possibly from genetics, early improper care, or both.


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## nancykj (Oct 15, 2013)

Hi diamondbp!

thanks for sending those pics! my guy does indeed have split gulars, the pics i took of him do not show that clearly. not sure if they point outwards or not. but they are very split. i always noted this diff from him and my for sure desert tortoise, but as the CD tort gular was shorter, and rounded off at the end, i guessed that his had been split also originally, but had worn down or been broken off. shows how much i need this forum for my long overdue tortoise education!


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 15, 2013)

nancykj, the reason I suspected hybrid is because I too was given a tortoise that I need to post pictures on for positive identification (sorry, I haven't yet because I am a lame-oid when it comes to posting pics) but it is also a fair complexion (LOL) little bit of Texas there I totally suspect desert tortoise. Pictures of mine can be found in the link below but I need to do the vital plastron one, to be sure. My leopard tortoise babies breeder had a friend give it to him after 3 weeks of trying to find its owners. It was found in an industrial part of Los Angeles on Figueroa Street. What? Signs on poles for weeks, and craigslist ads in 3 counties, for a month, before I was finally given the opportunity to adopt this funky (thanks Will) tortoise, hence his name FunkeeDeeTee. Love-love-love him. : )

Here is mine: http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-78291.html


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## MildredsMommy (Oct 15, 2013)

Must be the season-I had the same issue on this boy I adopted last week. The person I got it from said Sulcata, then it went back and forth between Desert and Texas. Crazy!


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## diamondbp (Oct 15, 2013)

MildredsMommy said:


> Must be the season-I had the same issue on this boy I adopted last week. The person I got it from said Sulcata, then it went back and forth between Desert and Texas. Crazy!



I would say yours is a male TT for sure. So beautiful!


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## MildredsMommy (Oct 15, 2013)

diamondbp said:


> MildredsMommy said:
> 
> 
> > Must be the season-I had the same issue on this boy I adopted last week. The person I got it from said Sulcata, then it went back and forth between Desert and Texas. Crazy!
> ...



Thank you-initially I thought it was a female so I am back to thinking of names-it never fails to amaze me how personable tortoises are-this one is sweet as can be


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## nancykj (Oct 15, 2013)

MildredsMommy said:


> Must be the season-I had the same issue on this boy I adopted last week. The person I got it from said Sulcata, then it went back and forth between Desert and Texas. Crazy!



he is very beautiful! i will try to get a pic of mine and his gulars in the next day or so, but i can't say my guy is as good-looking as yours!


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## MildredsMommy (Oct 15, 2013)

nancykj said:


> MildredsMommy said:
> 
> 
> > Must be the season-I had the same issue on this boy I adopted last week. The person I got it from said Sulcata, then it went back and forth between Desert and Texas. Crazy!
> ...



Thank you!  I would love to see a pic-I am sure he is quite handsome!


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## nancykj (Oct 15, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> nancykj, the reason I suspected hybrid is because I too was given a tortoise that I need to post pictures on for positive identification (sorry, I haven't yet because I am a lame-oid when it comes to posting pics) but it is also a fair complexion (LOL) little bit of Texas there I totally suspect desert tortoise. Pictures of mine can be found in the link below but I need to do the vital plastron one, to be sure. My leopard tortoise babies breeder had a friend give it to him after 3 weeks of trying to find its owners. It was found in an industrial part of Los Angeles on Figueroa Street. What? Signs on poles for weeks, and craigslist ads in 3 counties, for a month, before I was finally given the opportunity to adopt this funky (thanks Will) tortoise, hence his name FunkeeDeeTee. Love-love-love him. : )
> 
> Here is mine: http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-78291.html



OMG, he does look sad and tired! i am so so happy you were able to become his caretaker. FunkeeDeeTee! perfect! how is he doing in his new home? will you hibernate him this year?
now, i want a chaco too and i don't even know what one is! but i will search this forum and learn


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 15, 2013)

Oh no you don't nancykj. No, nope, uh-huh, nein, na, non, nyet! The chaco is one of the Holy Grails of tortoises, along with Bolson, Ploughshare ... LOL. Don't even get started with that one. They are rather darling though. Like me wanting a Bolson. They are elusive.

Poor little Funkee. I wish I was a pet psychic and could get his story. Where were you born? who's your momma? who's your poppa? Why were you on Figueroa strolling along singing your song? Industrial area of Los Angeles where he was found. Lots of junk cars, oil, metal scrapping, stinky, gritty. What is a funky tortoise doing in those parts of town for goodness sake? How did he get there? Did he escape a junk yard? Who knows! Love him to bits!

Lots of soaks, twice a day when I first got him, with bird vitamins and alternate days with baby food. He did not eat for several days. New environment stress, I am sure. Thanks to Yvonne and Maggie who have shared so much of their experiences on TFO and when I was a troll member, before joining, I read a lot of their posts. Plus our family has 4 which were inherited from grandpa, born for sure in 1952 since he plucked them from the desert when he almost stepped on one and then spent hours with grandma looking for more so they would not be birdie lunch. And no way. Funkee does not get brumation time this year. No way, no how. Too scary. I am keeping his butt up so I can continue to monitor him and be sure of his health. He will go to the vet for an annual physical at some point but have not done this yet. He is eating and pooping and doing awesome. Did I tell you I l-o-v-e love him tons? : )

MildredsMommy, oh goodness, your for sure Texas Tortoise is divine. Look at that little wonder. Super cute. Awesome! : )


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## nancykj (Oct 15, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> Oh no you don't nancykj. No, nope, uh-huh, nein, na, non, nyet! The chaco is one of the Holy Grails of tortoises, along with Bolson, Ploughshare ... LOL. Don't even get started with that one. They are rather darling though. Like me wanting a Bolson. They are elusive.
> 
> Poor little Funkee. I wish I was a pet psychic and could get his story. Where were you born? who's your momma? who's your poppa? Why were you on Figueroa strolling along singing your song? Industrial area of Los Angeles where he was found. Lots of junk cars, oil, metal scrapping, stinky, gritty. What is a funky tortoise doing in those parts of town for goodness sake? How did he get there? Did he escape a junk yard? Who knows! Love him to bits!
> 
> ...



lol on the chaco! lucky lucky little funkee! walking down figueroa singing his song...way cool imagery!




ok, i hope i am not boring you guys too much on my little boy. here are a couple of pics i took tonite of his gulars. he is a bad boy and struggled mightily as i tried to get clear pics, so i just took a couple of poor shots and called it a night. not fair to stress him out. he knows who he is.....


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 15, 2013)

Wow. Gulars those are alright. You can see the movement in the picture. Put me down, put me down now! LOL.


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## MildredsMommy (Oct 16, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> Oh no you don't nancykj. No, nope, uh-huh, nein, na, non, nyet! The chaco is one of the Holy Grails of tortoises, along with Bolson, Ploughshare ... LOL. Don't even get started with that one. They are rather darling though. Like me wanting a Bolson. They are elusive.
> 
> Poor little Funkee. I wish I was a pet psychic and could get his story. Where were you born? who's your momma? who's your poppa? Why were you on Figueroa strolling along singing your song? Industrial area of Los Angeles where he was found. Lots of junk cars, oil, metal scrapping, stinky, gritty. What is a funky tortoise doing in those parts of town for goodness sake? How did he get there? Did he escape a junk yard? Who knows! Love him to bits!
> 
> ...



Thanks BeeBee! His name is now "Bob". (My hubby and I are Bob Marley fans-lol) Here is a pic after his soak last night


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 16, 2013)

We love Bob Gopherus Berlandieri ! : )


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