First breakfast!

[PA2019]

This morning was the first breakfast with my group. I couldn’t find one for about 20 minutes and was starting to freak out! They seem to be settling in nicely.

 

[wellington]

Very nice. We don't see many on here.
Keep us updated.

 

[yaycolin]

@PA2019 How are these doing? Did you hatch them yourself? They are beautiful!

 

[PA2019]

They are doing great, much more hardy that I first thought they would be. They don’t like it as hot as my stars, closer to Egyptian tortoise temps. I did not hatch them.

 

[PA2019]

They have returned to me! Missed them a ton, such a beautiful species it’s hard to describe.

 

[yaycolin]

They have returned to me! Missed them a ton, such a beautiful species it’s hard to describe.

Beautiful! What an amazing species. They don't seem too common in the US.

 

[PA2019]

3 years later everyone is growing beautifully, but slowly of course. The yearly brumation is always stressful, but you just have to try and relax and let nature take its course...

 

[wellington]

Wow, coming into their coloring, how exciting. They are looking great.

 

[PA2019]

The youngest love to go back and forth from the food to the soaking dish all day.

 

[PA2019]

Cautious but hopeful with this recent pair I purchased, maybe egg laying come August...

 

[zovick]

Cautious but hopeful with this recent pair I purchased, maybe egg laying come August...

This looks promising. Good luck with them!

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Very nice. We don't see many on here.
Keep us updated.

What type of tortoise is this

 

[zovick]

What type of tortoise is this

They are Spider Tortoises. Pyxis arachnoides. There are three subspecies, P.a. arachnoides, P. a. brygooi, and P. a. oblonga. I cannot tell from the pix which of the subspecies they are.

 

[wellington]

What type of tortoise is this

Yes, what zovick said, Spider

 

[TammyJ]

They are fabulous. Do you have any plastron pictures? Curious how they look.

 

[zovick]

What type of tortoise is this

@wellington @TammyJ

I just noticed that two of the photos in Post #7 show the second species of Spider Tortoise, Pyxis planicauda, which has the common name Flat-tailed Tortoise. The pix showing P. planicauda are the third photo from the left in the third row down from the top and the last photo.

Pyxis planicauda is nearly extinct in the wild now.

 

[PA2019]

They are fabulous. Do you have any plastron pictures? Curious how they look.

Here are a couple. I keep PAA and PP. The PAA have a basic hinge near the front. I cant remember off the top of my head if brygooi or oblonga have the hinge as well. @zovick probably can remember that specific difference between the 3 sub species.

 

[PA2019]

@wellington @TammyJ

I just noticed that two of the photos in Post #7 show the second species of Spider Tortoise, Pyxis planicauda, which has the common name Flat-tailed Tortoise. The pix showing P. planicauda are the third photo from the left in the third row down from the top and the last photo.

Pyxis planicauda is nearly extinct in the wild now.

@zovick right you are. I forgot I added a couple pictures of the planicauda. They are the rarest besides oblonga at least here in the USA. Planicauda were never imported in nearly the same numbers as the other 3 sub species from what a lot of old timer keepers have told me. Incubating their eggs is also difficult, and no one has proven how to incubate for sex with planicauda. A lot of eggs die during early incubation for some reason. I would happily have a million of them, but they are incredibly hard to find and even more expensive than just about anything out there sadly.

 

[zovick]

Here are a couple. I keep PAA and PP. The PAA have a basic hinge near the front. I cant remember off the top of my head if brygooi or oblonga have the hinge as well. @zovick probably can remember that specific difference between the 3 sub species.

P. a. arachnoides have an unmarked plastron with a fully moveable hinge which can touch the carapace when closed.
P. a. oblonga have a plastron marked with black patches and a fully moveable hinge which can touch the carapace when closed.
P. a. brygooi have an unmarked plastron with a hinge which is minimally moveable, and in no specimens will it close into contact with the carapace.

 

[zovick]

@zovick right you are. I forgot I added a couple pictures of the planicauda. They are the rarest besides oblonga at least here in the USA. Planicauda were never imported in nearly the same numbers as the other 3 sub species from what a lot of old timer keepers have told me. Incubating their eggs is also difficult, and no one has proven how to incubate for sex with planicauda. A lot of eggs die during early incubation for some reason. I would happily have a million of them, but they are incredibly hard to find and even more expensive than just about anything out there sadly.

Very nice specimens! Good luck with them.

If you are having a lot of your embryos die early in development, could it be that your incubation temperature may be too high? I know the adult Flat-tailed tortoises like it fairly cool, so maybe their eggs are the same.

In fact, when I kept all 4 of the Pyxis, I had to keep the planicauda in an entirely separate room from the other three because the warm temps the other three liked were oppressive to the planicauda. Just a thought.

Are you familiar with Dan Pearson? He has had pretty good luck with planicauda as I recall. If I can find his article, I will send it to you.