Can you please help me identify which species is my tortoise?

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linah

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I got this little tortoise (http://imgur.com/a/40iyW) a week ago, and the information about its diet and how to care for it is so confusing and conflicting. I figured it's a desert tortoise, am I right? And how can I tell how old it is and which sex?

Anyway, when it comes to food I sort of got a general idea of what it should be eating, still confused on specifics though due to contradicting information. I tested out with parsly, grass, fresh flowers I picked from the garden, green onions, carrots, and boiled rice, but it doesn't seem to go for green stuff at all. It only goes for colorful things; the red/white flowers and the carrots. Is that normal? Can I only feed it flowers and carrots? I read somewhere that too much protein in its diet can cause its shell to turn out like this (http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet8.jpg). I really don't want that.

Also, how often should I feed it? Some websites say twice a day, and others say every other day to stimulate its appetite. Which is it? Do I leave the food in its tank or take it out when feeding time is over?


As for sunlight, I read that it's very important for growth. So, I put it out in direct sunlight for 2-4 hours a day. Is that enough? Because the weather is too hot and I'm afraid to leave it out at noon so I usually put it inside before then. I place its tank right next to the window, so there's a lot of sun coming in just not direct.

* What kind is this turtle, how old is it, and what's its sex?

* What should it eat specifically? and how often should it be fed?

* It never eats green stuff, doesn't matter what it is, is that normal?

* Is 2-4 hours of direct sunlight a day enough?

If you need any more pictures to look at it better I'll be happy to provide. Thanks!
 

JoesMum

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Hello and welcome to TFO :)

linah said:
I got this little tortoise (http://imgur.com/a/40iyW) a week ago,
I can't make the link work, can you post again please?

and the information about its diet and how to care for it is so confusing and conflicting. I figured it's a desert tortoise, am I right? And how can I tell how old it is and which sex?
Age is anyone's guess based on size, BUT tortoises all grow at different rates depending on diet, environment and whether it is wild caught or captive bred. So the answer is that unless you know the hatch date, you cannot know the age.

Sexing accurately is done once the tort gets to a reasonably mature size. To tell the sex we need a good clear photo of the plastron (undershell) including the tail and need to know how long the tortoise is.

Anyway, when it comes to food I sort of got a general idea of what it should be eating, still confused on specifics though due to contradicting information. I tested out with parsly, grass, fresh flowers I picked from the garden, green onions, carrots, and boiled rice, but it doesn't seem to go for green stuff at all. It only goes for colorful things; the red/white flowers and the carrots. Is that normal? Can I only feed it flowers and carrots? I read somewhere that too much protein in its diet can cause its shell to turn out like this (http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet8.jpg). I really don't want that.
We will be able to recommend diet once we have identified the species. Tortoises have excellent colour vision and will go for brightly coloured food first because its usually sweet and they love it... even the ones that shouldn't eat sugary food because it makes them sick.

Also, how often should I feed it? Some websites say twice a day, and others say every other day to stimulate its appetite. Which is it? Do I leave the food in its tank or take it out when feeding time is over?
Many of us establish a routine so that our tort gets used to things. I would never withhold food.
Advice will be dependant on species, but generally speaking, feed in the morning and leave the leftovers. Offer more if its all eaten.


As for sunlight, I read that it's very important for growth. So, I put it out in direct sunlight for 2-4 hours a day. Is that enough? Because the weather is too hot and I'm afraid to leave it out at noon so I usually put it inside before then. I place its tank right next to the window, so there's a lot of sun coming in just not direct.
You tort needs UVB light to help is make vitamin D3 which it uses to help it digest Calcium. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and shell. Two to four hours er day outside is fine. No useful UVB gets through a window. Depending on species you tort will need a basking spot lamp where it can bask. If your tort is not getting outside for two to four hours a day, then it must have a UVB lamp indoors.


Get the photos sorted and we can help :)
 

linah

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JoesMum said:
Hello and welcome to TFO :)

linah said:
I got this little tortoise (http://imgur.com/a/40iyW) a week ago,
I can't make the link work, can you post again please?

and the information about its diet and how to care for it is so confusing and conflicting. I figured it's a desert tortoise, am I right? And how can I tell how old it is and which sex?
Age is anyone's guess based on size, BUT tortoises all grow at different rates depending on diet, environment and whether it is wild caught or captive bred. So the answer is that unless you know the hatch date, you cannot know the age.

Sexing accurately is done once the tort gets to a reasonably mature size. To tell the sex we need a good clear photo of the plastron (undershell) including the tail and need to know how long the tortoise is.

Anyway, when it comes to food I sort of got a general idea of what it should be eating, still confused on specifics though due to contradicting information. I tested out with parsly, grass, fresh flowers I picked from the garden, green onions, carrots, and boiled rice, but it doesn't seem to go for green stuff at all. It only goes for colorful things; the red/white flowers and the carrots. Is that normal? Can I only feed it flowers and carrots? I read somewhere that too much protein in its diet can cause its shell to turn out like this (http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet8.jpg). I really don't want that.
We will be able to recommend diet once we have identified the species. Tortoises have excellent colour vision and will go for brightly coloured food first because its usually sweet and they love it... even the ones that shouldn't eat sugary food because it makes them sick.

Also, how often should I feed it? Some websites say twice a day, and others say every other day to stimulate its appetite. Which is it? Do I leave the food in its tank or take it out when feeding time is over?
Many of us establish a routine so that our tort gets used to things. I would never withhold food.
Advice will be dependant on species, but generally speaking, feed in the morning and leave the leftovers. Offer more if its all eaten.


As for sunlight, I read that it's very important for growth. So, I put it out in direct sunlight for 2-4 hours a day. Is that enough? Because the weather is too hot and I'm afraid to leave it out at noon so I usually put it inside before then. I place its tank right next to the window, so there's a lot of sun coming in just not direct.
You tort needs UVB light to help is make vitamin D3 which it uses to help it digest Calcium. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and shell. Two to four hours er day outside is fine. No useful UVB gets through a window. Depending on species you tort will need a basking spot lamp where it can bask. If your tort is not getting outside for two to four hours a day, then it must have a UVB lamp indoors.


Get the photos sorted and we can help :)

Sorry about the link! Here's one that hopefully works Thank you! http://imgur.com/a/40iyW
 

shanu303

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i think it's a greek but i am not sure as i'm not so good with other species than stars and the commons..... :)
 

linah

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JoesMum said:
Sexing accurately is done once the tort gets to a reasonably mature size. To tell the sex we need a good clear photo of the plastron (undershell) including the tail and need to know how long the tortoise is.

Get the photos sorted and we can help :)

Here's a picture of its undershell, and its length is 5 cm. http://i.imgur.com/nxp7lcI.jpg
 

JoesMum

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It's way too small to tell the sex of yet. It will need to be at least double the length. I am not sure on the ID, hopefully someone will chip in.

While we are waiting could you post a picture of the enclosure and tell us more about the size of it and the heating and lighting that you have.
 

linah

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JoesMum said:
While we are waiting could you post a picture of the enclosure and tell us more about the size of it and the heating and lighting that you have.

I just got it less than a week ago, so I'm in the process of getting that perfected. Right now, there's no special heating lamp except for the heat from the sunlight (it's hot even through the window). It's in a circular bowl-like habitat, 35 cm in diameter. There's a tiny hill in the middle, a small shallow bowl for water, and a cup for it to hide in. The substrate is this sandy stuff the guy at the store put, I just learned today that it's not good for it and coconut husk would be better. It only eats freshly cut flowers and carrots, I tried giving it parsly/grass/green onions but it would just avoid it.
 

Tom

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It is NOT a desert tortoise. It is a species of Mediterranean tortoise from the genus Testudo. I also think its a greek, Testudo gracea, but I'll happily be corrected if someone who knows better says otherwise. PM GBtortoises. The dude is a master of all things Testudo, but very humble. He can probably tell you which subspecies you have and where it came from.

Be careful with your hours of direct sun. They don't need to be "IN" the sun for prolonged periods. This could overheat and kill them. What they need is to be put in a safe, secure outdoor enclosure where they have ACCESS to sun for a few hours a day. Heavy, deep shade must also be offered so that the tortoise can move from sun to shade and regulate its body temperature.

Sun through a window has killed many tortoises and offers no benefit since the UV is filtered out by the glass. Be careful and use an infrared temp gun to monitor your temperatures early and often.

Your tortoise should be eating mostly broadleaf weeds. No rice. I'd skip the carrots, but carrot tops are good. Most won't eat plain onions. Too strong. Look for dandelions, plantain weed, mallow, filaree, sow thistle, clover, alfalfa, leaves from grape vines, hibiscus, and mulberry trees, spineless opuntia cactus pads, gazanias, nasturtiums, pansies, etc. If you must use grocery store foods try endive, escarole, spring mix, and a whole host of other leafy greens. Feed your tortoise every day. Offer some calcium supplementation a couple of times a week and/or a cuttle bone for them to gnaw at will.

If your tortoise is sunning for 2-4 hours a day, what is it getting the rest of each day? This time of year its nice to let them live outside, weather and climate permitting. If you are keeping them indoors some days and/or overnight, they will need a proper indoor enclosure with an appropriate water bowl, like a terra cotta saucer, and they need a basking lamp set at the correct height to give them a place to warm up for 12 hours a day when they are inside. Unless your house gets abnormally cold, this species does not need night heat, but they do need a place to warm up every day. With daily sunshine they don't need artificial UV indoors, but when winter sets in, you might need to get a mercury vapor bulb or a long florescent UV tube (no coil type bulbs).

Where are you? Where did you get this tortoise? Please click the first link in my signature and read. It might save your tortoises life.
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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I also say it's a baby Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca). It looks like one of the southern subspecies, either T. graeca graeca or T. graeca terrestris.

As Tom said, tortoises should have both sun and shade, so that they can bask when they want to (usually brief periods), and then stay cool the rest of the time.

As for diet, Testudo species eat primarily forbs. That is, leafy greens and broad-leafed weeds. You can offer Romaine lettuce, prickly lettuce, dandelion, chicory, endive, escarole, radicchio, arugula, collard greens, turnip greens, and mustard greens. Two good commercial foods are Mazuri Tortoise Diet and ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. Testudos may also eat a little bit of grass, but this is only a tiny portion of their diet. You can also offer a monthly treat of diced carrots, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, raspberry, or grape. As you can see, variety is important, both for nutrition and to keep them interested.
 

prc93

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I agree with FLINTUS, I recently purchased a hatchling from another member, CGKeith, and mine looks almost identical to your tort. I know for certain he sold me an Ibera.
 

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Jlant85

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>.< I cant view the picture!


prc93 said:
I agree with FLINTUS, I recently purchased a hatchling from another member, CGKeith, and mine looks almost identical to your tort. I know for certain he sold me an Ibera.

She's beautiful!
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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GeoTerraTestudo said:
I also say it's a baby Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca). It looks like one of the southern subspecies, either T. graeca graeca or T. graeca terrestris.

prc93 said:
I agree with FLINTUS, I recently purchased a hatchling from another member, CGKeith, and mine looks almost identical to your tort. I know for certain he sold me an Ibera.

I change my vote. I also think it's a northern Ibera Greek (T. graeca ibera), and not a southern Greek.
 
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