I need help identifying my tortoise

TiaAnaise2002

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when I bought my tortoise I was told he was an elongated tortoise, I’ve had him about 8 months now and he’s had little to no growth he’s 4 inches long and about 210 grams I was wondering if by looking at a picture of him anyone could have a look and see why they think. I was pretty sure he was a elongated tortoise but now I’m not so sure…
 

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Tom

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when I bought my tortoise I was told he was an elongated tortoise, I’ve had him about 8 months now and he’s had little to no growth he’s 4 inches long and about 210 grams I was wondering if by looking at a picture of him anyone could have a look and see why they think. I was pretty sure he was a elongated tortoise but now I’m not so sure…
I"m a fan of the Indotestudo, but definitely not an expert. I have very little hands on experience with them, but that sure appears to be an elongata to me.

What are you feeding it and how are you housing it? What are the temperatures? What type of enclosure? What substrate? What bulbs for heat, light and UV?
 

TiaAnaise2002

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I'm not real familiar with the Elongated but I do believe this is one.
See what others say
@Markw84
@Tom
@Yvonne G
Thankyou I shall see what others say, I’m just worried because obviously because if he isn’t a elongated tortoise there’s a possibility he should be hibernating right now
I"m a fan of the Indotestudo, but definitely not an expert. I have very little hands on experience with them, but that sure appears to be an elongata to me.

What are you feeding it and how are you housing it? What are the temperatures? What type of enclosure? What substrate? What bulbs for heat, light and UV?
he's quite fussy with food but he eats water cres, mushroom, lettuce, watermelon occasionally, cucumber occasionally, I have dandelion pellets which he won’t really touch unless he’s really hungry, I’ve started feeding him meals worms, wax worms and calci worms occasionally… he has top soil as the substrate a humid hide plenty of shade although he’s very active and does like to bask sometimes. A exoterra strip light replaces every 6 months a exoterra basking bulb. The temps range between 24 degrees and 34 degrees. He drinks a lot he loves drinking from his bowl I bath him every other day. He might just be younger then I thing he definitely has grown some what since I had him but I’m not sure how quickly they grow so can’t judge it to well.
 

Tom

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Thankyou I shall see what others say, I’m just worried because obviously because if he isn’t a elongated tortoise there’s a possibility he should be hibernating right now

he's quite fussy with food but he eats water cres, mushroom, lettuce, watermelon occasionally, cucumber occasionally, I have dandelion pellets which he won’t really touch unless he’s really hungry, I’ve started feeding him meals worms, wax worms and calci worms occasionally… he has top soil as the substrate a humid hide plenty of shade although he’s very active and does like to bask sometimes. A exoterra strip light replaces every 6 months a exoterra basking bulb. The temps range between 24 degrees and 34 degrees. He drinks a lot he loves drinking from his bowl I bath him every other day. He might just be younger then I thing he definitely has grown some what since I had him but I’m not sure how quickly they grow so can’t judge it to well.
I see a few potential problems:
1. Soil should never be used as tortoise substrate. It is made from composted yard waste and all sorts of weird stuff you've never heard of, and the people making and selling it do not intend for small animals to be living in/on it in small enclosures. Fine grade orchid bark works best as it allows you to maintain dampness on the lower levels for humidity, but a dry surface to prevent any shell rot from forming due to constant wet conditions.
2. The strip light: What type of bulb is it? None of them should need to be replaced every six months. Get yourself a Solarmeter 6.5 to check UV output and you'll save a ton on bulbs.
3. What type of basking bulb? Is it an "Intense Spot Bulb"? If yes, that is bad. You need a flood bulb, not a spot. If you can't find one or order one, then Arcadia makes basking flood bulbs, but you probably don't need a basking bulb for an elongata.
4. Temperature should be 27-31 all the time in the whole enclosure.

It sounds like you are doing well on the diet. More variety would be good, but you are hitting all the major elements. Shrooms, worms, and greens.
 

zovick

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when I bought my tortoise I was told he was an elongated tortoise, I’ve had him about 8 months now and he’s had little to no growth he’s 4 inches long and about 210 grams I was wondering if by looking at a picture of him anyone could have a look and see why they think. I was pretty sure he was a elongated tortoise but now I’m not so sure…
It definitely looks like an Elongated Tortoise to me. I have kept them myself in years past, and they did not brumate.

The only other tortoises species it might be are the Forsten's Tortoise and the Travancore Tortoise, both of which look very similar to the elongata, Travancores are very rare in captivity so it is doubtful that you would have been able to acquire one. Additionally, they have no nuchal scute and your tortoise has a nuchal scute, making it even more unlikely that you have one of that species.

The shape of the nuchal scute differentiates the elongata and forsteni. In elongata it is long and narrow with virtually parallel sides, whereas in forsteni, it is more trapezoidal in shape, with the two sides converging toward the front of the scute and the base at the back of the scute..

All that being said, the nuchal scute shape on your tortoise might indicate it to be a hybrid between I. elongata and I. forsteni if it is not a pure elongata.
 

TiaAnaise2002

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It definitely looks like an Elongated Tortoise to me. I have kept them myself in years past, and they did not brumate.

The only other tortoises species it might be are the Forsten's Tortoise and the Travancore Tortoise, both of which look very similar to the elongata, Travancores are very rare in captivity so it is doubtful that you would have been able to acquire one. Additionally, they have no nuchal scute and your tortoise has a nuchal scute, making it even more unlikely that you have one of that species.

The shape of the nuchal scute differentiates the elongata and forsteni. In elongata it is long and narrow with virtually parallel sides, whereas in forsteni, it is more trapezoidal in shape, with the two sides converging toward the front of the scute and the base at the back of the scute..

All that being said, the nuchal scute shape on your tortoise might indicate it to be a hybrid between I. elongata and I. forsteni if it is not a pure elongata.
That’s quite interesting as is there anything else that’s could point out that he might be both, I’ve never actually since the pink colouration in his nose during breed season so that’s what made me wonder wether he was one or not. Although he’s not as active at the minute I think it’s because it’s winter but he’s still eating drinking and stuff
 

TiaAnaise2002

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I see a few potential problems:
1. Soil should never be used as tortoise substrate. It is made from composted yard waste and all sorts of weird stuff you've never heard of, and the people making and selling it do not intend for small animals to be living in/on it in small enclosures. Fine grade orchid bark works best as it allows you to maintain dampness on the lower levels for humidity, but a dry surface to prevent any shell rot from forming due to constant wet conditions.
2. The strip light: What type of bulb is it? None of them should need to be replaced every six months. Get yourself a Solarmeter 6.5 to check UV output and you'll save a ton on bulbs.
3. What type of basking bulb? Is it an "Intense Spot Bulb"? If yes, that is bad. You need a flood bulb, not a spot. If you can't find one or order one, then Arcadia makes basking flood bulbs, but you probably don't need a basking bulb for an elongata.
4. Temperature should be 27-31 all the time in the whole enclosure.

It sounds like you are doing well on the diet. More variety would be good, but you are hitting all the major elements. Shrooms, worms, and greens.
I will switch to orchid bark then, so it is meant to be all completely orchid? And I’ll link the bulbs I use. I will make sure to make the heat across the whole enclosure.. I also forgot the mention that the little guy absolutely loves cuttlefish I find it helps to keep him beak from over growing aswell

Exo Terra Reptile UVB 100 Bulb, 25 W, 30 in https://amzn.eu/d/5Tqscvr

Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot Bulb, 100 W https://amzn.eu/d/2aracVm
 

zovick

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That’s quite interesting as is there anything else that’s could point out that he might be both, I’ve never actually since the pink colouration in his nose during breed season so that’s what made me wonder wether he was one or not. Although he’s not as active at the minute I think it’s because it’s winter but he’s still eating drinking and stuff
Looking at the pictures again, I am inclined to think your tortoise is an elongata rather than a hybrid.

If you could get a photo from above the tortoise and taken from a little bit to the front of it, it would be easier for me to visualize the nuchal scute. IE, directly over the nuchal scute.
 

TiaAnaise2002

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Looking at the pictures again, I am inclined to think your tortoise is an elongata rather than a hybrid.

If you could get a photo from above the tortoise and taken from a little bit to the front of it, it would be easier for me to visualize the nuchal scute. IE, directly over the nuchal scute.
Don’t know wether they are any good but I’ve tried to
 

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Tom

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I will switch to orchid bark then, so it is meant to be all completely orchid? And I’ll link the bulbs I use. I will make sure to make the heat across the whole enclosure.. I also forgot the mention that the little guy absolutely loves cuttlefish I find it helps to keep him beak from over growing aswell

Exo Terra Reptile UVB 100 Bulb, 25 W, 30 in https://amzn.eu/d/5Tqscvr

Exo Terra Daylight Basking Spot Bulb, 100 W https://amzn.eu/d/2aracVm
Yes. 3-4 inches of plain orchid bark is ideal. No need for anything else. If you can't find it in bulk from a garden center over there, it is offered as "Repti-bark" in pet stores. Don't let the pet shop talk you into one of their usual tortoise substrates with sand, soil and calcium bits in it. All of that is bad news for tortoises.

Seems like you might need an ambient heat source set on a thermostat. Ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels are best for this.

The florescent tube is fine, but the "spot" bulb is a no go. Swap that one out for a flood bulb.
 

TiaAnaise2002

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Yes. 3-4 inches of plain orchid bark is ideal. No need for anything else. If you can't find it in bulk from a garden center over there, it is offered as "Repti-bark" in pet stores. Don't let the pet shop talk you into one of their usual tortoise substrates with sand, soil and calcium bits in it. All of that is bad news for tortoises.

Seems like you might need an ambient heat source set on a thermostat. Ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels are best for this.

The florescent tube is fine, but the "spot" bulb is a no go. Swap that one out for a flood bulb.
Okay thankyou I will get some orchid bark and a new bulb would this one be okay? And what wattage is ideal?

 

Tom

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Okay thankyou I will get some orchid bark and a new bulb would this one be okay? And what wattage is ideal?

That bulb will be great. Only your thermometer can tell you what wattage you need. Hopefully you are using a large closed chamber to house this guy, and for that you need fairly low wattage so that it doesn't overheat the whole chamber. Also, your tortoise would be considered a "forest" tortoise, so basking lamps are not critical and a basking area around 90-95 degrees should be more than adequate. I would guess that a 50 watt bulb would be enough. 75 watts should get this job done if the 50 is too small. You'd need an enormous closed chamber to accommodate a 150 watt flood bulb without over heating.
 

TiaAnaise2002

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That bulb will be great. Only your thermometer can tell you what wattage you need. Hopefully you are using a large closed chamber to house this guy, and for that you need fairly low wattage so that it doesn't overheat the whole chamber. Also, your tortoise would be considered a "forest" tortoise, so basking lamps are not critical and a basking area around 90-95 degrees should be more than adequate. I would guess that a 50 watt bulb would be enough. 75 watts should get this job done if the 50 is too small. You'd need an enormous closed chamber to accommodate a 150 watt flood bulb without over heating.
I’m looking to get a new chamber for him do u have any recommendations? As I can’t find many that are closed
 

Tom

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I’m looking to get a new chamber for him do u have any recommendations? As I can’t find many that are closed
There is at least one company in the UK that makes large custom closed cambers at a reasonable price, but I can never remember the name...

If possible, have it built out of expanded PVC sheet material as this material is inert, non-toxic, and impervious to water. A 4x8 x 36 inch tall chamber would work well for your situation.
 
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