Largest mainland tortoises

[Kristina]

Wow, cool....

So the Meps are actually quite hefty for their over all length.

 

[egyptiandan]

Not really

Sulcata.............6.98 lbs per inch
Leopard............4.01 lbs per inch
Yellowfoot.........4.00 lbs per inch
Asian Mountain...2.60 lbs per inch

Danny

 

[Kristina]

LMAO are you calling me out too?

I just had noticed that the Bolsons were longer and lighter than the Meps.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

I wonder why Sulcata are so much heavier than Yellowfoots?

I haven't seen that many photos of Yellowfoots, but they don't look...light, I guess. Do they eat less, or exercise more?

 

[DeanS]

Just got off the phone with a friend of mine who says his largest MEP is a tick under 75 lbs and the breeder's largest was 80+...so I gotta revamp my original statement

1) Sulcata
2) Mep
3) Leopard

There ya have it...I guess that makes me half-a-dumbass for not knowing that in the first place.

---

If you want to do maximum length,

Sulcata...............33.26 inches
Yellowfoot...........32.28 inches (I have heard of a 36 inch male that would make Yellowfoots the biggest)
Leopard..............30.70 inches
Bolson................26.77 inches
Asian Mountain....25 inches

If you want to do maximum weight,

Sulcata............232 lbs (264 lbs in captivity)
Yellowfoot........129 lbs
Leopard............123 lbs
Asian Mountain....65 lbs
Bolson................45 lbs

Danny

I've seen (and measured) 4 sulcatas that were ALL longer than 36" SCL, the largest being 39''+...every rule has its exception.

 

[Tom]

Okay. I'm late to the party, but Walter Allen had some really big Asians at his Casa De Tortuga. I thought that made them the second biggest until I went to South Africa in 2005. I saw a few really big Gpp. I estimated them to be around 100 pounds at the time. So I'd say: Sulcata, Leopard, MEP. I've never seen a yellowfoot that big, but I'll entertain the possibility that they exist. I think Danny's numbers add up.

Now, what's a Bolson's Tortoise? Scientific name? In 30 years, I've never heard of that one. Show's you all how ignorant I am.

 

[DeanS]

Okay. I'm late to the party, but Walter Allen had some really big Asians at his Casa De Tortuga. I thought that made them the second biggest until I went to South Africa in 2005. I saw a few really big Gpp. I estimated them to be around 100 pounds at the time. So I'd say: Sulcata, Leopard, MEP. I've never seen a yellowfoot that big, but I'll entertain the possibility that they exist. I think Danny's numbers add up.

Now, what's a Bolson's Tortoise? Scientific name? In 30 years, I've never heard of that one. Show's you all how ignorant I am.

Gopherus flavomarginatus Just went from dumbass to smartass in a matter of minutes...thanks Tom!

 

[egyptiandan]

Dean what was the length of the 80 pounder?

So we say for now

Sulcata........39 inches
Yellowfoot....36 inches
Leopard........30.7 inches

Sulcata......264 lbs
Yellowfoot..129 lbs
Leopard......123 lbs

So even at 80 lbs, the Asian Mountain doesn't crack the top 3

Danny

 

[Yvonne G]

But I think you're missing the point. The majority of leopards and yellowfoots DON'T get that big, while the majority of Meps DO.

---

I've re-read Nerd's post, and I don't think he was joking, like Maggie was. Nerd's comment was out of line.

 

[tortoiseguy65]

I guess I am gonna have to get down to the St. Louis Zoo some time soon and take some photos of their huge Yellow Foots. As I said in another post, they keep them with their Galpas and Aldabras and they are almost as big. I have a couple of friends that are keepers there and they have let me go behind the scenes, perhaps I can get in with the big guys and get some accurate measurements and some weight data as well. An even better idea...maybe we could make a TFO roadtrip to the zoo some time this summer. Like I said, they have an awesome collection of turtles and tortoises. Just a thought!

 

[harris]

Redfoot NERD - The most interesting man in the world. He's allowed to touch the art at museums.

Seriously though, if anyone on here let's this guy work you up, especially the old timers, that's stupid.

 

[Itort]

According to the World Chelonian Trust website it's sulcata, MEP, and then yellowfoot (20") or leopard (18") with cases of much larger individuals (up to 26" or even 40"???) for both species.

 

[egyptiandan]

So they are going with average, but they are averaging both subspecies of leopards and not both subspecies of Asian Mountain tortoise. I would think if you averaged the 2 subspecies of Asian mountains, they and Leopards would be pretty much the same for the species.

Danny

 

[mightyclyde]

Sheesh! I don't think weight should be such a big factor. I mean, if you say a tortoise is too big to fit through a certain door way, its SIZE that comes to mind, not weight. The heaviest tortoise would be another thread entirely, I suppose.

 

[Itort]

So they are going with average, but they are averaging both subspecies of leopards and not both subspecies of Asian Mountain tortoise. I would think if you averaged the 2 subspecies of Asian mountains, they and Leopards would be pretty much the same for the species.

Danny

In the case of leopards they talk of exceptionly large ones from Ethiopia and the Sudan which I assume are babcocki not pardalis ssp though on average we agree pardalis average larger.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm going off topic for just a little bit. Terry says that his dumba** comment was directed towards Kristina. He was saying to KRISTINA that being a smarta** was better than being a dumba** So Maggie took it personal and it wasn't directed towards her. Would have been nice of Terry to come back and reassure Maggie that the comment wasn't directed towards her.

I apologize to Terry for warning him about calling people dumb. It was meant in jest, but taken the wrong way.

 

[DeanS]

Dean what was the length of the 80 pounder?

So we say for now

Sulcata........39 inches
Yellowfoot....36 inches
Leopard........30.7 inches

Sulcata......264 lbs
Yellowfoot..129 lbs
Leopard......123 lbs

So even at 80 lbs, the Asian Mountain doesn't crack the top 3

Danny

Sorry Danny...

Didn't see this until right now...the 80 pounder was a hair under 26 inches, but this is going to be a group effort I think taking in everyone's varied experiences, because the sizes you mention for Leopards and Yellowfoots are extraordinary whereas 200 pound sulcatas are more 'common' than most are willing to accept

 

[dmmj]

First of all I was told size does not matter, with that being said what about those seychelle tortoise?

 

[egyptiandan]

Thanks Dean

If we do average weight, here goes

Sulcata.............150 lbs
Asian Mountain....50 lbs (as a species)
Leopards............40 lbs (as a species)
Yellowfoots.........35 lbs

Danny

 

[DeanS]

Thanks Dean

If we do average weight, here goes

Sulcata.............150 lbs
Asian Mountain....50 lbs (as a species)
Leopards............40 lbs (as a species)
Yellowfoots.........35 lbs

Danny

Sounds pretty accurate to me...although I might even drop sulcata average to 100-125

And (for the record you sulcata keepers) whose got the largest specimens and how big are they?