Sulcata or dessert tortoise

[Distardie]

I got a one month old tortoise in January of this year was told he was a sulcata tortoise but now I am questioning everything because he hasnt really grown since I have had him. He is still only 45 grams and and is only 2.5" shell. He has the same humidity, food, lights and heat lamp as my Leopard tortoises (not housed together) and they are growing really well. so was just wondering if he was a dessert tortoise instead (have not done research on desserts yet. Any help would be great.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I got a one month old tortoise in January of this year was told he was a sulcata tortoise but now I am questioning everything because he hasnt really grown since I have had him. He is still only 45 grams and and is only 2.5" shell. He has the same humidity, food, lights and heat lamp as my Leopard tortoises (not housed together) and they are growing really well. so was just wondering if he was a dessert tortoise instead (have not done research on desserts yet. Any help would be great.

Id say until we get the PHOTO UPLOAD function working, we won’t really know for sure. How do the claws look? Big clunky diggers or smoother?

 

[Distardie]

I am not sure of the difference of smooth or clunky I do have a pic and was trying to up load them but didnt succeed now I know why .

 

[Tom]

I am not sure of the difference of smooth or clunky I do have a pic and was trying to up load them but didnt succeed now I know why .

We are having a problem with uploading pictures to the forum right now. Waiting to hear when it will be resolved.

 

[Markw84]

Browse through the sulcata and desert tortoise sections. Pay attention to the scales on the front of the front legs. The sulcata has really big prominent scales that you will see easily once you look back and forth at examples. Also, the rear of the top shell (carapace) A young sulcata has a very serrated, wavy edge to the rear of its shell, while a desert tortoise is much more smooth. Another easier way to tell - right above the head in the very center of the front of the shell, a desert tortoise has a scute called a nuchal scute that separates the marginals on either side. A sulcata will not have that scute. You will see a deep "V" directly above the head and the 1st left, and 1st right marginal on either side of the "V".

 

[Dovey]

I got a one month old tortoise in January of this year was told he was a sulcata tortoise but now I am questioning everything because he hasnt really grown since I have had him. He is still only 45 grams and and is only 2.5" shell. He has the same humidity, food, lights and heat lamp as my Leopard tortoises (not housed together) and they are growing really well. so was just wondering if he was a dessert tortoise instead (have not done research on desserts yet. Any help would be great.

I got a one month old tortoise in January of this year was told he was a sulcata tortoise but now I am questioning everything because he hasnt really grown since I have had him. He is still only 45 grams and and is only 2.5" shell. He has the same humidity, food, lights and heat lamp as my Leopard tortoises (not housed together) and they are growing really well. so was just wondering if he was a dessert tortoise instead (have not done research on desserts yet. Any help would be great.

A "dessert" tortoise? Like this one?

I think you mean "desert." Common error!

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Hey Distardie - I'm a fairly new member, take a look at some of my posts, I recently posted a bunch of closeups of my baby DT where you can see what Mark is referring to. I didn't know what my little guy was but these fine folks here say definitely DT, and you can see that nuchal scute.

 

[Blackdog1714]

If you post your photos to an outside host you can then just add a link in a reply to your topic

 

[Amelia.Walton]

Are we having difficulties with the main Tortoise Forum site? I can’t get it to open and see all the postings and pics.