Are these guys Dalmation Hermanns?

Lainya

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I got these guys a couple months ago at PetSmart...I don't typically buy pets at petstores...they were just so cute I ended up taking them home. I want to identify them so I can make sure I'm taking proper care of them.

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TechnoCheese

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Welcome to the forum! I don’t know the answer to your question, but please take a look at these links and come back with questions-
Sticky: HERMANN'S TORTOISE CARE SHEET *UPDATED
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Sticky:-HERMANN'S-TORTOISE-CARE-SHEET-*UPDATED.101410/
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
These are a territorial and solitary species of tortoise, and they need to be separated.
They need a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet each.
You have some beautiful tortoises!
 
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HermanniChris

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They do not appear to be pure Dalmatians. Most likely eastern Hermann’s (T. h. boettgeri) originating close to the border of where the Dalmatians are native to (intergrades).
 

TammyJ

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Welcome, they are beautiful! All the best. This site is great. All you help you will need to set them up correctly is available from experts here.
 

Lainya

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Welcome to the forum! I don’t know the answer to your question, but please take a look at these links and come back with questions-
Sticky: HERMANN'S TORTOISE CARE
These are a territorial and solitary species of tortoise, and they need to be separated.
They need a minimum enclosure size of 8x4 feet each.
You have some beautiful tortoises!

But I did read that post about Hermanns...and in it he gives the dimensions of his enclosure that houses 2 males and 6 females...and that post says they will encounter each other in the wild and just to watch for bullying and be prepared to separate them if it happens. . So I am confused why you are both telling me to read it and telling me it is wrong? If it's wrong then I can separate them...but if it's right I shouldn't have to...
 

Lainya

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They do not appear to be pure Dalmatians. Most likely eastern Hermann’s (T. h. boettgeri) originating close to the border of where the Dalmatians are native to (intergrades).

So do you think they are mixed Dalmatian /Eastern? Or pure eastern from that region? Your guess is definitely better than mine. Since care seems to be the same, it doesn't really matter to me...I'm just curious
 

TechnoCheese

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But I did read that post about Hermanns...and in it he gives the dimensions of his enclosure that houses 2 males and 6 females...and that post says they will encounter each other in the wild and just to watch for bullying and be prepared to separate them if it happens. . So I am confused why you are both telling me to read it and telling me it is wrong? If it's wrong then I can separate them...but if it's right I shouldn't have to...

Tortoises do fine in groups. They do not do fine in pairs.
In groups, the bullying is spread out, and they establish a pecking order. They would still be much happier separated, but it could work.
In pairs, it is one tortoise always bullying the other, and it never gets a break. In pairs, there is always one dominant and one subordinate, so it won’t work.
Sorry for not clarifying :)
 

Lainya

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Tortoises do fine in groups. They do not do fine in pairs.
In groups, the bullying is spread out, and they establish a pecking order. They would still be much happier separated, but it could work.
In pairs, it is one tortoise always bullying the other, and it never gets a break. In pairs, there is always one dominant and one subordinate, so it won’t work.
Sorry for not clarifying :)

Ahh...I see..

So if I want to keep them together, what is the minimum number for a group? And I guess I should separate them at least unless I get more.

Also, is there any way to guesstimate their age? They are about 5"
 

TechnoCheese

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Ahh...I see..

So if I want to keep them together, what is the minimum number for a group? And I guess I should separate them at least unless I get more.

Also, is there any way to guesstimate their age? They are about 5"

A minimum of 1 male to 2-3 females is what I’ve heard, but even that is risky. If one of the tortoises can’t get along with the others, you have to separate it, and you’re left with a group of two, so you have to have three enclosures to put them in.
And keep in mind, you need a 8x4 enclosure for just one tortoise, so having to separate them all would take up A LOT of space.
There isn’t really any telling with petsmart tortoises, because they are all wild caught. However, they are at least 5 years old, and could be much older.
 
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