# Introducing Aesop (Sri Lankan Star Tortoise)



## gummybearpoop (Feb 19, 2009)

I recently picked up a new Sri Lankan Star tortoise born on 2/2/2009.
His/her name is Aesop.






















Aesop thinks he/she can fly!





Size comparison to Kala & Indu:


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## jorrow (Feb 19, 2009)

What a beautiful tort.... If its not to nosey, How much paper did he put you back?


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 19, 2009)

400 bones...


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## jorrow (Feb 19, 2009)

Man thats more than i could afford, but they sure are pretty.... I think they have my faverate shell pattern


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## Meg90 (Feb 19, 2009)

I showed these baby pictures to my three yr old god daughter, and she was enthralled. When I clicked off she practically shouted, "No bring the turtle back!"

It was cute.  Just like your pictures!


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## TKCARDANDCOIN (Feb 19, 2009)

That is one beautiful tortoise! I took my daughter to the Cleveland Zoo today and we got to see the three star torts that they have!I love the designs on the shell.Anyway, good luck with the new one!


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## Crazy1 (Feb 19, 2009)

gummybearpoop, now I know little or nothing about stars so help me out. Will Aesop keep the distinct pattern on her shell, or will it change as she grows? Reason I ask is I just love how h/she has the distinctive yellow star that is framed in dark as the marking over her head. The others have it also but the yellow star tails merge. They are all beautiful. And I do like h/her flying pic, very cute.


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 20, 2009)

Crazy1 said:


> gummybearpoop, now I know little or nothing about stars so help me out. Will Aesop keep the distinct pattern on her shell, or will it change as she grows? Reason I ask is I just love how h/she has the distinctive yellow star that is framed in dark as the marking over her head.



Robyn,
I am not to sure if she will keep that distinctive yellow star, but usually hatchling star tortoises start to develop the more intricate adult pattern around 6 months. Usually a good portion of the star designs connect with each other as shown below:

Pic courtest of tortoise trust


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## smoke_kush (Feb 20, 2009)

how cute!!!


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## Crazy1 (Feb 20, 2009)

Thanks, either way h/she is a beauty.


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## Jacqui (Feb 20, 2009)

He's exactly the one I would have picked.    Just love his little star.


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## Isa (Feb 20, 2009)

Sooo adorable


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## terryo (Feb 20, 2009)

Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 21, 2009)

terryo said:


> Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.



hahah I actually got a cheap one! There is someone on kingsnake selling his babies for $700 each though $400-$550 is more common. Mine was $400 SHIPPED, but it was a BIG chunk out of my check. 

Thanks everyone for the comments.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 21, 2009)

terryo said:


> Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.



And not getting any cheaper! A friend and I went to a big reptile show in Southern California about 15 years ago. They were selling Star hatchlings for $500 apiece. In 15 years the price has NOT come down!

Yvonne


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 21, 2009)

emysemys said:


> terryo said:
> 
> 
> > Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.
> ...



True Yvonne and also star tortoises from Sri Lanka are less common. There are only a handful of breeders who produce true Sri Lankan star tortoises such as Douglas Beard who comes on this forum when he has time for us...haha.

There was a time, I believe about 15 years ago, when indian star tortoises were around 175-200 because of huge shipments of imports, the majority being illegal. A lot of these imports died...giving indian stars a bad rap. The majority of wild caught imports of any species don't do so great in captivity. 

My captive bred star tortoises are doing great and in my opinion, are easy to care for than red-footed tortoises. BUT, I live in Arizona which has a similar climate/habitat to the natural habitat of star tortoises in India and Sri Lanka. It is more difficult (more effort) to keep red-foot tortoises in Arizona than a lot of other species. Thus, I have decided to keep mostly arid species. Luckily, there is a good variety of arid species I can keep with relatively low maintenance in Arizona.



Jacqui said:


> He's exactly the one I would have picked.    Just love his little star.




You will never ever ever forgive me....haha.  Early bird gets the worm!  You were snoozing in your snow cave!  Just Kiddin!


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## Jacqui (Feb 21, 2009)

gummybearpoop said:


> Jacqui said:
> 
> 
> > He's exactly the one I would have picked.    Just love his little star.
> ...



 Nah the way I look at it, your just paying for, feeding and caring for MY tort!  Hey you know I have to have something to tease you about, Brat. 
'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt...


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 21, 2009)

"'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt..."

Better be careful with that snowball Jacqui, because you know I have plenty of cactus pads to go against your snow balls.


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## Jacqui (Feb 21, 2009)

gummybearpoop said:


> "'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt..."
> 
> Better be careful with that snowball Jacqui, because you know I have plenty of cactus pads to go against your snow balls.



 I dare ya!  (ulterior motive here, I want some cactus pads to try growing).


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## torto_x (Feb 27, 2009)

GBP, she's so cute! 
LoL about she thought she cud fly  Love that pic! 

Btw, how can everyone here be so sure that the star baby they bought is a sri lankan, not indian? 
Babies look all the same. 
I gave up about this sri / ind issue. I guess in the end they call all the good lookin stars as sri lankan star, 
and the regular or not so lucky one as indian star. Hehehe..


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## gummybearpoop (Feb 28, 2009)

torto_x said:


> Btw, how can everyone here be so sure that the star baby they bought is a sri lankan, not indian?
> Babies look all the same.
> I gave up about this sri / ind issue. I guess in the end they call all the good lookin stars as sri lankan star,
> and the regular or not so lucky one as indian star. Hehehe..




You are right....the babies look similar, but dishonest people would and will misrepresent animals.

You just have to get documentation about the origins and also know about the breeder.

There are only a handful of breeders working with true Sri Lankan Stars. 

My group of Sri Lankans are F2s originated from John Grigus's group that he imported from 1988-1989


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## torto_x (Feb 28, 2009)

gummybearpoop said:


> torto_x said:
> 
> 
> > Btw, how can everyone here be so sure that the star baby they bought is a sri lankan, not indian?
> ...



am sure u got yours from the trusted source, just worried about other sellers out there.


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## gummybearpoop (Mar 2, 2009)

torto_x said:


> gummybearpoop said:
> 
> 
> > torto_x said:
> ...



I was referred to several breeders from Dr. Zovickian. He along with a few other breeders were able to help me find true Sri Lankans along with documenting some of the history.


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