# Tortoise identification help



## emorgan21 (Mar 26, 2021)

Hello everyone. I am new here and to tortoises. I may be inheriting this 30 year old tortoise from an acquaintance and I am trying to figure out what species it is. Thank you for your help.


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## Chubbs the tegu (Mar 26, 2021)

Im guessing golden greek


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## Toddrickfl1 (Mar 26, 2021)

emorgan21 said:


> Hello everyone. I am new here and to tortoises. I may be inheriting this 30 year old tortoise from an acquaintance and I am trying to figure out what species it is. Thank you for your help.
> 
> View attachment 321902


Desert tortoise I think.


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## TeamZissou (Mar 26, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> Desert tortoise I think.



Agree, desert tortoise with interesting coloration


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## Chubbs the tegu (Mar 26, 2021)

Lmao damnit.. not even close. Should have went with chaco


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## Toddrickfl1 (Mar 26, 2021)

Chubbs the tegu said:


> Lmao damnit.. not even close. Should have went with chaco


Actually, this one could be a Chaco?


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## Toddrickfl1 (Mar 26, 2021)

@Markw84


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## Chubbs the tegu (Mar 26, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> Actually, this one could be a Chaco?


Dont play with my heart strings


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## Ink (Mar 26, 2021)

Can you try to get a picture of his plastron?


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## emorgan21 (Mar 26, 2021)

Ink said:


> Can you try to get a picture of his plastron?


I will see if I can get some more pictures and post them. Thanks!


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## Yvonne G (Mar 26, 2021)

It's definitely a male desert tortoise. . . Gopherus agassizii. The chin glands are a dead giveaway. The color is because of the wet shell, and the fact he was captive hatched.


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## emorgan21 (Mar 26, 2021)

Yvonne G said:


> It's definitely a male desert tortoise. . . Gopherus agassizii. The chin glands are a dead giveaway. The color is because of the wet shell, and the fact he was captive hatched.


The owner said it was a desert tortoise but I had never seen such coloration so wanted to double check. Thanks!


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## turtlesteve (Mar 26, 2021)

Yep, desert tortoise. LOL @ you Chaco folks.


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## Toddrickfl1 (Mar 26, 2021)

turtlesteve said:


> Yep, desert tortoise. LOL @ you Chaco folks.


Haha, its an old running joke here lol


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## emorgan21 (Mar 26, 2021)

Thank you everyone for your help. Now I know what species to look up for care information.


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## KarenSoCal (Mar 27, 2021)

emorgan21 said:


> Thank you everyone for your help. Now I know what species to look up for care information.


They are cared for the same as a Russian tortoise.

Here's our care sheet...






The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise


I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...




www.tortoiseforum.org





Be really suspicious of any advice you are given that's not from this forum. Because these torts live in the desert, many folks who don't know what they're talking about would have you keep him bone dry and no water. That's total hogwash! Don't fall for it!

Read this care sheet and ask questions here. We'll help you, and aren't trying to get you to buy anything from us. 

I used to have a sweet DT named Chug, around 15 years old. Unfortunately he died in hibernation last spring. I still really miss him, even though I have a 3 year old tort to run my life now.


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## Tom (Mar 27, 2021)

Toddrickfl1 said:


> Haha, its an old running joke here lol


He knows. Believe me...


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## Tom (Mar 27, 2021)

emorgan21 said:


> Thank you everyone for your help. Now I know what species to look up for care information.


Be careful. Almost everything you look up for this species will be old, out-dated, and plain wrong. Read that care info that Karen posted for you.

Questions are welcome!


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## emorgan21 (Mar 27, 2021)

KarenSoCal said:


> They are cared for the same as a Russian tortoise.
> 
> Here's our care sheet...
> 
> ...


Thank you so much! I will definitely ask questions.


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