Maybe she’s not a Greek!

Sheenacleek

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We have had our Greek tortoise for about eight years. She has grown a lot since we got her. She is 12 inches on her shell alone. She is extremely friendly climbs up into our lap all the time always wants to be with us. If she can’t get into your lap she will head butt you and tell she can. She does hibernate in the winter. During the spring and summer and early fall she lives outside if it gets cold at nightShe sleeps inside. I’m beginning to think she’s too big to be a Greek? Please help. Thank you.

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Yvonne G

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Looks like it might be a desert tortose except for the plastron. Let's ask someone with more knowledge - @Markw84
 
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Markw84

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We have had our Greek tortoise for about eight years. She has grown a lot since we got her. She is 12 inches on her shell alone. She is extremely friendly climbs up into our lap all the time always wants to be with us. If she can’t get into your lap she will head butt you and tell she can. She does hibernate in the winter. During the spring and summer and early fall she lives outside if it gets cold at nightShe sleeps inside. I’m beginning to think she’s too big to be a Greek? Please help. Thank you.

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Can we see a good picture of the front legs and face from the side to see the eyes? Also one from the back from above? Looks like a desert tortoise so far from what I see. Those back feet are desert tortoise!
 

MichaelL

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I feel like it's just a rather large Greek, that shell shape doesn't look like a desert tortoise but I'm not sure, the people above definitely are more experienced.
 

Sheenacleek

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Yes. Here we go it’s so funny to try and get a front back shot of her because she folllows like a shadow!! She is honestly moved sooo fast!

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Yvonne G

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The front leg scales on a desert tortoise are a uniform size all up and down the whole leg. The leg scales on THIS tortoise for from small to large. Plus, the anal scutes don't look desert tortoise to me. Does he have a couple pretty big spurs on the back legs, the thigh area?
 

Sheenacleek

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The front leg scales on a desert tortoise are a uniform size all up and down the whole leg. The leg scales on THIS tortoise for from small to large. Plus, the anal scutes don't look desert tortoise to me. Does he have a couple pretty big spurs on the back legs, the thigh area?
Ohh ok! No no spurs. Looks like we might just have a larger Greek!!
 

Yvonne G

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Might it be an off color marginated? With that size... Or possibly a hybrid?
I wondered that too. Besides they've said no spurs in the back thighs. Is there a greek sub species that doesn't have spurs?
 
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Sheenacleek

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The front leg scales on a desert tortoise are a uniform size all up and down the whole leg. The leg scales on THIS tortoise for from small to large. Plus, the anal scutes don't look desert tortoise to me. Does he have a couple pretty big spurs on the back legs, the thigh area?
Oh my gosh. I just looked and she actually DOES have some spurs! I have never noticed them before. Wow.
 

Markw84

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Might it be an off color marginated? With that size... Or possibly a hybrid?
My best guess is an Ibera Greek. Testudo graeca ibera. Marginals aren't flared like a large marginated would have. Ibera can get that big and the look matches. But I'm not the Testudo expert Chris is. I still find them hard to tell sub-species wise. And it could be a hybrid. Let's see if we can get Chris to help. @HermanniChris HELP!
 
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