Hingeback ?

[Athertt12!!]

Hi guys just wondering what Kind of hingeback tortoise I got ?
My friend from work gave it to me and he’s in pretty rough shape. Cut on one cheek , dehydrated and runny nose.
He’s had a basking light night now which he loves to use.
I don’t know much about it can you guys tell me what else i can do to give him a good life. Thank you !!!!

 

[Bambam1989]

Hello again.
In your other thread I mentioned that I thought he may be a Spekes hingeback (kinixys spekii) but after looking again I believe it may be a bells hingeback (kinixys belliana belliana) since the shell is not as flattened as I would expect in a Spekes.
@tortadise is very good at IDing hingebacks and will help out when he is available

 

[Athertt12!!]

Hello again.
In your other thread I mentioned that I thought he may be a Spekes hingeback (kinixys spekii) but after looking again I believe it may be a bells hingeback (kinixys belliana belliana) since the shell is not as flattened as I would expect in a Spekes.
@tortadise is very good at IDing hingebacks and will help out when he is available

Thanks Bambam !!! Sorry I didn’t see the other comment.
Thanks for the help

 

[Bambam1989]

Thanks Bambam !!! Sorry I didn’t see the other comment.
Thanks for the help

I'm still learning. So I could be completely wrong.
They are a fascinating group of torts and I think you will enjoy your new family member.

 

[Athertt12!!]

I'm still learning. So I could be completely wrong.
They are a fascinating group of torts and I think you will enjoy your new family member.

He’s an amazing little guy. I’m just concerned by the mucus that came out if his nose.
He seems better after I place a heat lamp for him
In his enclosure.
He didn’t had one in his old house

 

[Bambam1989]

He’s an amazing little guy. I’m just concerned by the mucus that came out if his nose.
He seems better after I place a heat lamp for him
In his enclosure.
He didn’t had one in his old house

If it persists or gets worse then he may need antibiotics. Hopefully he will recover in a couple of days.

 

[Athertt12!!]

If it persists or gets worse then he may need antibiotics. Hopefully he will recover in a couple of days.

I see him eating so I guess that’s a good sign.
I’ve been soaking him and he loves it
(he gets excited if you know what I mean ) so I truly hope he gets better :/

 

[Bambam1989]

I hope so too! Have you named him yet?

 

[Athertt12!!]

I hope so too! Have you named him yet?

No names yet lol I can’t think of anything

 

[Markw84]

Agree with @Bambam1989 Certainly looks to be a Bell's.

For the runny nose/mucous - keep the tortoise at 80% humidity and at least 80° for a few weeks. Ensure a nutritious diet. Never let it get cooler for now. That will normally allow the tortoise to get much healthier and most often will stop the beginnings of what could become respiratory infections.

 

[Athertt12!!]

Agree with @Bambam1989 Certainly looks to be a Bell's.

For the runny nose/mucous - keep the tortoise at 80% humidity and at least 80° for a few weeks. Ensure a nutritious diet. Never let it get cooler for now. That will normally allow the tortoise to get much healthier and most often will stop the beginnings of what could become respiratory infections.

Thank you so much !? That’s great info
Right now the temp is 85 and humidity 65 I’m going to increase it a little more

 

[2turtletom]

Wow...very interesting. Do you know the history of this tortoise? That might help with the ID, since Speke's hingebacks are the only "Bell's" type hingebacks that have been able to be legally imported into the us in the last 18 years.

Also, this tortoise looks very similar to one I saw in a Craigslist ad from the Janesville/Joliet area. Is there any chance it might be the same one?

Question: does this animal have five toenails on each of its front legs?

As far as species goes, I think we have one of three choices:


Kinixys spekii- The makes typically have much for flattened shells, as mentioned above. They do have 5 toenails on each front leg. This species has been readily imported over the past 10-15 years

KInixys belliana belliana- if this animal has been in the US since before 2002, it could be a true belliana belliana. They do have domed shells, and the front of this animal does appear to be fairly domed.

Kinixys nogueyi- Doubtful, since it looks like it has five toenails on at least one of its front feet. Nogueyi have four.

Thanks for rescuing this guy! My guess is that this is a male. What are your long term plans for this animal? It would be wonderful to potentially match it up with a female once we can determine which species it is! Especially if it is a true belliana belliana!

I'm new to this forum but I have been keeping Kinixys species for 25 years, I love this group!

-Tom

 

[Athertt12!!]

Wow...very interesting. Do you know the history of this tortoise? That might help with the ID, since Speke's hingebacks are the only "Bell's" type hingebacks that have been able to be legally imported into the us in the last 18 years.

Also, this tortoise looks very similar to one I saw in a Craigslist ad from the Janesville/Joliet area. Is there any chance it might be the same one?

Question: does this animal have five toenails on each of its front legs?

As far as species goes, I think we have one of three choices:


Kinixys spekii- The makes typically have much for flattened shells, as mentioned above. They do have 5 toenails on each front leg. This species has been readily imported over the past 10-15 years

KInixys belliana belliana- if this animal has been in the US since before 2002, it could be a true belliana belliana. They do have domed shells, and the front of this animal does appear to be fairly domed.

Kinixys nogueyi- Doubtful, since it looks like it has five toenails on at least one of its front feet. Nogueyi have four.

Thanks for rescuing this guy! My guess is that this is a male. What are your long term plans for this animal? It would be wonderful to potentially match it up with a female once we can determine which species it is! Especially if it is a true belliana belliana!

I'm new to this forum but I have been keeping Kinixys species for 25 years, I love this group!

-Tom

Hi ! Thanks for replying to this post I’m actually from Chicago but work in Wisconsin right across the border.
I have no idea where my coworker got this tortoise from but he’s a rescue and they got him in pretty bad shape.
I checked his toe nails but couldn’t really tell.
I just took this pictures today maybe you can tell me what species he belongs to. Thank you

 

[2turtletom]

Hi ! Thanks for replying to this post I’m actually from Chicago but work in Wisconsin right across the border.
I have no idea where my coworker got this tortoise from but he’s a rescue and they got him in pretty bad shape.
I checked his toe nails but couldn’t really tell.
I just took this pictures today maybe you can tell me what species he belongs to. Thank you

Hmmm...One foot looks like it has five toenails, one looks like it has four! I'd love to hear if your friend posted this animal on Craigslist or responded to a Craigslist ad, as you're in the same area where it was advertised. I think this is too strange to be a coincidence. I'm going to share these photos with a few friends and see what they think. These are very rare tortoises here in the US- especially if it turns out to be a the Western Bell's Hingeback, Kinixys nogueyi, which I think it could be. Thanks again for rescuing it!

 

[Athertt12!!]

Hmmm...One foot looks like it has five toenails, one looks like it has four! I'd love to hear if your friend posted this animal on Craigslist or responded to a Craigslist ad, as you're in the same area where it was advertised. I think this is too strange to be a coincidence. I'm going to share these photos with a few friends and see what they think. These are very rare tortoises here in the US- especially if it turns out to be a the Western Bell's Hingeback, Kinixys nogueyi, which I think it could be. Thanks again for rescuing it!

When I tried to count it’s claws I couldn’t because of that exact same reason I kept counting 4 and then 5 in the other side but the one that looks like it has five looks more like a scale because all the other claws are very yellow/brown in color so I’m very confused.
I just want to give him the best care I can so far it seems like he is improving,he’s been eating and basking under his light, he loves when it’s time to soak too ! He poops every time.

I’ll try to post more and better pictures of him

 

[2turtletom]

Yeah, sometimes the claws look like scales. I also agree that the shell doesn't look flat on top. If you snap a photo, snap one that shows the profile of the shell. Glad to hear he is getting better.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Looks like a male K.nogueyi to me. Seemed I saw 4 claws on both front feet. Too bad it's a male as I'd really like to get at least 1 female to go with my males.
I hope his health problem is worked out successfully as very one I've had with one died.

 

[Athertt12!!]

Yeah, sometimes the claws look like scales. I also agree that the shell doesn't look flat on top. If you snap a photo, snap one that shows the profile of the shell. Glad to hear he is getting better.

Here are some more pics of him. I just took this ones hopefully they will help with his identification

 

[Athertt12!!]

Looks like a male K.nogueyi to me. Seemed I saw 4 claws on both front feet. Too bad it's a male as I'd really like to get at least 1 female to go with my males.
I hope his health problem is worked out successfully as very one I've had with one died.

He seems to be better. waking around and eating more. Hopefully he will recover :/

 

[2turtletom]

Looks like a male K.nogueyi to me. Seemed I saw 4 claws on both front feet. Too bad it's a male as I'd really like to get at least 1 female to go with my males.
I hope his health problem is worked out successfully as very one I've had with one died.

How long have you had your males William? I would love to see pictures of them- are they fairly plan colored like this one?