Can you help identify Toby's species?

Tim84

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Hi all,

New here and we've got a lot to learn and do in not a lot of time!

First step is identifying the breed of tortoise we have. My grandad has owned her for 45 years and has now asked us to take her on.

Can anyone tell from these two photos what breed of tortoise Toby may be?



 

Lyn W

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Hi Tim and welcome to the forum, a mine of information and inspiration. I am a novice myself so sorry I can't help with the ID but I am sure someone with much more experience will be along to help soon and keep Toby happy and healthy for at least another 45 years!
 

TurtleBug

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Looks like a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca). Lovely spotted pattern.
 

Tim84

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Thanks for the welcome, Lyn, there is indeed a mine of information!

TurtleBug, great, thanks for pointing me in the right direction! I'm just reading up on the Greeks now as I have a lot to learn!
 

newCH

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What a wonderful gift & how nice of you to take her ! She's a beauty !!
 

wellington

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How exciting to get a tortoise that has been in your family for 45 years. There are species of tortoise not breeds. Just so you know, no big deal. I too think it may be a Greek, but others more familiar with them can help varity. @tortadise
 

Gillian M

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That's really nice to hear.....45 years-almost half a century! Take good care of it so that it lives with YOU another 45 years. As for its species, so sorry, I do not know. The experienced members will be able to tell you.

And a very warm welcome to the :tort: forum!
 

Tim84

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Thanks for the replies everyone!

Although Toby has been with my grandparents for 45 years she could be a lot older for all we know; my grandad found her walking up the middle of Marylebone High Street in London 45 years ago and saved her from being squashed! No idea how old she was at that point, couldn't find an owner so kept her after a few days of looking... now my turn!
 

HermanniChris

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Beautiful animal. Definitely Greek but I'd need to see him wetted down, a pic of his plastron and also would need to know his size in order to tell you the correct subspecies he is.
 

Tim84

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Beautiful animal. Definitely Greek but I'd need to see him wetted down, a pic of his plastron and also would need to know his size in order to tell you the correct subspecies he is.

Thank you Chris, much appreciated. I'm at work at the moment but will get some pictures this evening (UK time) and add them to this thread. What does 'wetted down' mean, literally just wet with a mist spray or something?
 

HermanniChris

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Yes just spray him down so I can see his markings and color clearly.
 

Tim84

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My wife just sent some pictures... she thought it odd me asking for pictures of my wet tortoise to post on the Internet... ;)







[
 

bouaboua

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I'm pretty certain Toby is a boy after all too!
Welcome to the forum and you have a very nice looking gal there! ! ! Hahaha......I think Toby is a lady. But I can be wrong.

Welcome! ! !
 

Tim84

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Welcome to the forum and you have a very nice looking gal there! ! ! Hahaha......I think Toby is a lady. But I can be wrong.

Welcome! ! !

Thanks Bouaboua, I'm not very good at this am I!

Found an article that said short and stubby tail = female and longer, rounder tail = male; and going by the illustrations I thought she/he may be a male after all. Apparently not!

P.S. Thanks for changing the thread title and location, mods, makes more sense now!
 

HermanniChris

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There's no question on whether it's a boy or a girl, that is a boy without a doubt. :)
Toby is a Testudo graeca marokkensis and is gorgeous.
 

Tim84

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Looks like a male to me, what a beauty! :)

There's no question on whether it's a boy or a girl, that is a boy without a doubt. :)
Toby is a Testudo graeca marokkensis and is gorgeous.

Thank you both, identity crisis going on for a minute there!

So Toby is a male Testudo Graeca Marokkensis; time to start reading up on how to look after him!

Is there a way to tell age at all? All I know is he's a minimum of 45!
 

Tidgy's Dad

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You can't really tell the age of a tortoise without knowing his hatch date, i'm afraid.
Just that he's of a good age and is a really beautiful guy.
 

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