# Turtles and Tortoises from my Zoo Internship



## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

_*First, the 3 galaps!*_







*Skipper:*










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The Professor:*






















*Gilligan*:














_*Other*_


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## spikethebest (Jul 26, 2010)

awesome!!! i personally would love to see more pics of your galaps. how old are they?


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## Yourlocalpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

Great photos JM! I think the Professor is my favourite! Also, welcome to TFO


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

Thanks for the welcome, Yourlocalpoet! 

Skipper is my favorite! He's got some sort of birth defect that makes his neck crook'd, but he doesn't seem to notice (even though he walks sort of sideways). He's easily the friendliest of the three, and is ready for snuggles and scratches every day! Skipper is 90+, but we're not sure exactly how old.

The Professor has moodswings, but when he's in a good mood he's very amiable and is always ready to take food from a keeper's hand. The keepers speculate that he's a little younger than Skipper.

Gilligan is sweet but shy. I couldn't get many pictures of him, and he's very young (I think around 15?) compared to the others. He has only just begun to stay overnight in the same enclosure as them because of his size. 

I don't have many more photos, because even though I spent a lot of time with them, I mostly had to keep my phone (which I was using as a camera) away so it didn't get wet, or so a guest didn't see me using it. If I find some good ones on their website or that the other keepers happen to have, I will certainly share them, though! <3


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## spikethebest (Jul 26, 2010)

thanks for all that information. i would love to know what kinds of food they feed their galaps, the temperatures they keep them at, their heated hot houses they live in, if they soak their entire body, or just have enough water to drink from. so many things...lol. but Im mainly concerned on what their diet consists of. 

also, do you know if they have squishy noses? my galap has a squishy nose. i know its a weird question, but I know a couple other galaps that have it too. 

thanks


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## hali (Jul 26, 2010)

fabulous


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

I did the diets for them so I can help you out with that! We fed every other day and let them graze in the interim--they have bamboo and grass in their enclosure. 

Each tort was provided with a giant feeding bowl filled with 2 heads of romaine lettuce, two apples, two-four carrots, two sweet potatoes, and sometimes a pepper or pieces of cactus. If we had it, they also got some other kind of lettuce (but I'm not sure what it was. All I know is it wasn't iceburg because iceburg doesn't have enough nutrients and the zoo never bought it). They also got green and yellow squash. 
I spent a lot of time chopping it into various sizes so it was a taste and texture adventure for them. Sometimes on notfeeddays we would put hay or sweet potatoes around the enclosure for enrichment. In my pictures they're taking bamboo from my hands and following me around the enclosure to get it. 
Here's a picture of the pile of food for all the herbivores in the herpetarium before I chop it up. Most of that is for the galaps, but about 1/3 of it goes to the sulcatas. The rest is for the iguanas and such.







Because this is Texas and it only rarely gets below 60, they have access to the day yard year round. If it did get below 60 we kept them in their night house, which was about the size of a college dormitory room and had concrete floors. There was a drain in the middle so we could rinse it daily, and though they didn't have their own stalls, there were three separate heated areas so they didn't have to share or bump for prime real-estate. 

In the first picture I posted above, they're soaking in the mud pit they have. We don't maintain the pit (or at least, we don't add to it), but if it rains and the pit fills up they love it. There is a "pond" we provide them with that they can soak and drink in at their leisure. That has to be brushed out every day b/c they get it really muddy, but they love it too. It has various depths from very shallow (ankle deep on a person) to about 7"-8" deep. Of course, if they're all three in the pool, it ends up more like a foot to a foot and a half deep. There's a picture above of the Professor enjoying the pool. 

I don't believe they had squishy noses, though. Sorry :/



hali said:


> fabulous



Thanks a lot


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## spikethebest (Jul 26, 2010)

for some reason the pictures didnt load. can you please email them to me? feel free to send as many as you like!

[email protected]

Thanks so much. 

Next time you seen them, lightly press on their noses, and see if they are hard like a sulcata, or soft like skin.


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## terryo (Jul 26, 2010)

What wonderful information and pictures. I was wondering what was wrong with his neck. Although I know nothing about that species, it didn't look right. Welcome and keep those pictures coming.


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## dmmj (Jul 26, 2010)

nice pics, so they like bamboo huh? How on earth do you resist the urge to sneak a couple of them out?


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

dmmj said:


> nice pics, so they like bamboo huh? How on earth do you resist the urge to sneak a couple of them out?




It takes a huge effort of willpower to say goodbye to these guys at the end of the day. I love them absolutely to death!


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## egyptiandan (Jul 26, 2010)

Great pictures. 

Skipper though isn't a Galapagos tortoise. Skipper is an Aldabra tortoise.

Danny


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## spikethebest (Jul 26, 2010)

wow i just realized it too!!! danny is right. look at the HUGE nose!!!


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

I've never seen an Aldabra in person before, so I don't know for sure, but the zoo guys assure me he's a Galap. I don't know what subspecies they think he is. Are all Aldabra's red? Skipper's shell has a kind of rust color to it. 

I'm not saying you are wrong though, because Skipper is older than the zoo is by quite a bit and I'm not really sure where he came from. 
Could you explain what you mean about the nose? I'm not sure I really see a difference between his and the other tortoises?


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## Scooter (Jul 26, 2010)

I thought Skipper was an Aldabra too when I first looked.


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

Scooter said:


> I thought Skipper was an Aldabra too when I first looked.



Ok, but how can you tell? Is there something I'm not seeing?


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## egyptiandan (Jul 26, 2010)

But you have met an Aldabra in person  Skipper 

Aldabra's have a very gracile nose. The top of the head slopes down to the nose and the nostrils are lower than the eyes.
http://www.chelonia.org/DSC00187aldabra.JPG

Galapagos's have a very roman nose. The top of the head doesn't slope. The nostrils are even with the eyes.
http://www.chelonia.org/GnigraTR1.jpg

There are plenty of other things that seperate the 2 species, most of them technical. 

Danny


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## Scooter (Jul 26, 2010)

I'm not sure what the official/technical way to tell them apart is (I'm sure Danny does though) but for me it was in the face. One things I found online said the difference is the presence of a nuchal scute in the Aldabra that the Galap does not have. I am not sure if this is accurate or not though

These first two picture are ones I found online of Galaps, the last picture is one I took of an Aldabra. The Aldabra's nose seems more narrow to me. This could just be coincidence and have nothing to do with identifying them but that is what caught my eye.

Galaps








Aldabra





I had a feeling as I was writing you would beat me too it Danny lol


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

All of those pictures were very helpful! Thank you both!

I can see that, I suppose. I just assumed his nose looked different because of his birth defect. That's neat!

Wow I never would have guessed. Skipper is pushing 600lbs. I would never have thought he'd be bigger than the Galaps at the zoo. Wonder what the keepers will say when I tell them that...

Also, why is Skip's shell all rusty looking? I thought it was a subspecies difference, but if he's an Aldabra....I thought Aldabras are black?


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## egyptiandan (Jul 26, 2010)

Forgot about that part  Thats just dirt  One of the Galaps has it too. With a good scrub brush that would come right off. 

Danny


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## -JM (Jul 26, 2010)

Dirt? it's legit dirt then because I've scrubbed them at least twice. It must be super ingrained. .... 'course, they practically live in the mud pit so I can believe it. 

I'm so happy to know Skip's an Aldabra, though! I've been doing research and I think when I have my own place and a good yard for it, I would like to have one. But I was worried about their temperament and care. Since I took care of Skipper and I know he was mild-mannered I am much less anxious!


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)




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## spikethebest (Jul 27, 2010)

do any of your galaps have a nuchal scute ?


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

I don't believe so. I was told Galapagos don't have them. If Skipper really is an Aldabra then he should have one but I can't see it in any of the pictures I posted here.


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## spikethebest (Jul 27, 2010)

thats what i was looking for. i was once told that not all aldabras have it, but no galaps have it. so it cant be a single reason to determine species.


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

I never thought to check while I was there but if I go back I certainly will.


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## spikethebest (Jul 27, 2010)

dont you have a lifetime pass to get in since you work there? or know someone that can take a picture for you?


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

I could probably call and get in to see them again, but it's not very close to where I live. It will probably be a couple of months before I can go back.


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## spikethebest (Jul 27, 2010)

ah ok. cool. thanks for checking!


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

No problem. If/when I get a chance to return (i'm hoping to be able to work weekends there in the fall), the scute is the first thing I'll look for!


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## Yvonne G (Jul 27, 2010)

-JM said:


> No problem. If/when I get a chance to return (i'm hoping to be able to work weekends there in the fall), the scute is the first thing I'll look for!



Its not a "for sure" way to tell. I have a couple of 10 year old Aldabs just over 100lbs. One has the nuchal scute and the other doesn't.


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## chadk (Jul 27, 2010)

I think Aldabs look like sock puppets 

Great pics. 

Not crazy about the little sullie though. Doesn't look like he is getting the best husbandry (diet, housing, substrate, etc).


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

I don't think he gets enough light--his diet is the same as the adult sulcatas, is that alright? I mentioned the lighting thing to the head keeper, but the bedding is the same bedding they kept all the herps on


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## chadk (Jul 27, 2010)

You can see it is pyramiding and may have MDB. Wouldn't doubt it if was severly dehydrated. The diet is not good for juvies or adults actually.


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## -JM (Jul 27, 2010)

I printed a care sheet for the keepers, but whether they adhere to it or not I won't know. The tort was a "rescue" just like all the zoo's sulcatas are. People find them on the side of the road or "donate" them when they don't want them. I don't know what condition he was in when he got to the zoo, so I can't say if his condition is better or worse. 
They do have a vet come in every Wednesday and look over the animals. I spoke with him on several occasions and he wasn't concerned with the current care. That's not to say he was right or wrong, just that the zoo does have him on call and he makes regular visits to all the animals.


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## Stephanie Logan (Jul 28, 2010)

Wow, I just got to this thread. What amazing photos and humongous-sized tortoises.

How lucky you are to be able to get so close and pet them and get to know them. I'm so jealous.


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## Laura (Jul 28, 2010)

I think Aldabrans have a alien look about them.. and the galaps look like a thin cat with the sunken eyes.. 
I thought skipper looked different.. more 'alien'. 
I wonder what the zoo will say when they find out.. deny it or embrace it. 
what a fun time!
Im an Old Moorparker EATM program from way back.. It was hard, but loved it. SO different now, but I think still a good thing to go thru if you are hoping to get into the animal biz.. good headstart and lets you decide what direction to take.


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## -JM (Jul 28, 2010)

I dunno! I don't think they'll "deny" it, but they probably won't change anything. They might put up a new label for him, but they won't move him. 

You're right, Laura, it was a lot of work! But it was very much worth it. It's helping to beef up my resume as I start looking for Grad school programs. That aside, however, just being close to such awesome animals was a reward in itself


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