NEED HELP! (What species?)

[JadePotterton]

Hello,

I have recently adopted a baby tortoise and I am in love with her, she had soft shell and an infection when I got her, the vet gave her antibiotics and I nursed her night and day.... she is now perfect!

Only problem being, I do not know what species she is and cannot therefore do more research to care for her better than I already am!

Please help

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome.
Well done for helping her back to good health.
I'm not too hot on IDing torts but I'm sure someone with experience will be along soon.
When you find out look under Species Specific for a caresheet which will tell you all about diet temps humidity and substrate etc.
The Beginners Mistakes is useful for all species and a great place to find out a few do's and don'ts (link below).
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk will help you ID tort safe plants for enclosures and food.
A few quick do's and don'ts common to all torts are

• Coiled bulbs can damage torts eyes so avoid those; red lights can confuse torts
• Pellets straw/hay and wood chips are too dry and sand and soil with white bits in it can cause the gut to become impacted
• cheap terracotta plant saucers are safer and easier for torts to use than steep sided water dishes
• a temp gun is more accurate than the pet shop dial type of thermometers and great for spot checking your 4 temps.

There's a lot to learn but this is the best place to learn it so read and ask as many questions as needed someone will be along in good time to help.

 

[JadePotterton]

Hi and welcome.
Well done for helping her back to good health.
I'm not too hot on IDing torts but I'm sure someone with experience will be along soon.
When you find out look under Species Specific for a caresheet which will tell you all about diet temps humidity and substrate etc.
The Beginners Mistakes is useful for all species and a great place to find out a few do's and don'ts (link below).
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk will help you ID tort safe plants for enclosures and food.
A few quick do's and don'ts common to all torts are

• Coiled bulbs can damage torts eyes so avoid those; red lights can confuse torts
• Pellets straw/hay and wood chips are too dry and sand and soil with white bits in it can cause the gut to become impacted
• cheap terracotta plant saucers are safer and easier for torts to use than steep sided water dishes
• a temp gun is more accurate than the pet shop dial type of thermometers and great for spot checking your 4 temps.

There's a lot to learn but this is the best place to learn it so read and ask as many questions as needed someone will be along in good time to help.

Thank you so much! That's already a few things that I will be looking into, as much as everything that I bought was specifically for tortoises I guess that doesn't mean anything

I can't wait to know everything I need to know for her, again thank you!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

She's an interesting looking one. What part of the world are you in?

 

[JadePotterton]

She's an interesting looking one. What part of the world are you in?

I'm in the UK but I really could not tell you where in the world she is from, I never asked the person who gave her to me where they obtained her originally

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Looks like a Hermann's tortoise. Im not an expert at all though. But when i i google "baby hermann's tortoise" they look like yours.
Someone with more experience will confirm.
And welcome to the forum

 

[JadePotterton]

Looks like a Hermann's tortoise. Im not an expert at all though. But when i i google "baby hermann's tortoise" they look like yours.
Someone with more experience will confirm.
And welcome to the forum

Hello, yeah I was thinking that they look similar but wanted to make sure just incase! Thank you very much

 

[Lyn W]

Thank you so much! That's already a few things that I will be looking into, as much as everything that I bought was specifically for tortoises I guess that doesn't mean anything

I can't wait to know everything I need to know for her, again thank you!

You're welcome. Unfortunately pet shops don't always give the best advice especially with regards to bulbs and substrate and one of the best things I learnt was to check everything here before spending my hard earned cash. I still learn something new everytime I log in!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

It's hard to tell the mediterranean type babies apart at that size, but I'll bet @HermanniChris can help you. Let's wait for him to see this thread.

 

[JadePotterton]

You're welcome. Unfortunately pet shops don't always give the best advice especially with regards to bulbs and substrate and one of the best things I learnt was to check everything here before spending my hard earned cash. I still learn something new everytime I log in!

I'm sure I will be learning the same now too, thank you

 

[JadePotterton]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

It's hard to tell the mediterranean type babies apart at that size, but I'll bet @HermanniChris can help you. Let's wait for him to see this thread.

Hello,

Yeah she is still tiny bless her, I hope he can help, thank you

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[HermanniChris]

You have a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) for sure. Beautiful animal.

 

[JadePotterton]

You have a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) for sure. Beautiful animal.

Ah thank you so much! How can you tell?! That's amazing She really is, thank you!

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

You have a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) for sure. Beautiful animal.

Aww man i thought i had it !

 

[Rue]

Thanks for taking her and nursing her back to health! She's adorable.

My baby - in the avatar - is an Eastern Hermann's.

 

[Yvonne G]

Ah thank you so much! How can you tell?! That's amazing She really is, thank you!

The markings on the shell, for one thing. I'm sure Chris looks at other stuff to, like the shape of the head, etc. But mostly it's the shell.

 

[JadePotterton]

Thanks for taking her and nursing her back to health! She's adorable.

My baby - in the avatar - is an Eastern Hermann's.

It's a pleasure with her! This was her when I first got her

 

[Rue]

Wow! She looks a lot better! Much perkier!

 

[JadePotterton]

The markings on the shell, for one thing. I'm sure Chris looks at other stuff to, like the shape of the head, etc. But mostly it's the shell.

That's amazing to be able to tell, thank you! I can really focus on what she needs specifically now!