What species is my tortoise?

aerisama

New Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Messages
1
Location (City and/or State)
Mexico
Hello and nice to meet you, I don't know why it took me so long to find this forum and reach out for help.

I found my girl 14 years ago starving and just, dying on the road, while going to a little town in Cancun (south of Mexico) and brought her home. She has seen a fair amount of veterinarians but none know for sure what species does she belong to nor how to take care of her.

She only grew about 7cm long in these years although her shell did get way bigger than when we found her. She eats lettuce, spinach, fruits and her favorite is grilled fish with no seasoning of course.

She roams free around the house, pees on her substrate but only poops when we put her in a little bin with water just below her head & sleeps in a terrarium at nights.

I am sure we could do way better taking care of her and I really want to have some starter points to make her life as better as possible.

20200428_104232.jpg20200428_104224.jpg20200428_104140.jpg20200428_104103.jpg
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
Hmm, I'm stumped. I don't think it's a tortoise though I think it's a turtle. @Markw84
 

turtlesteve

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
711
It’s a species of Rhinoclemmys, not sure which one. Maybe R. areolata?
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima Mexican Painted Wood Tortoise (but is, in fact, a turtle). They have several colorations depending on the area of mexico or central america it's found. This animal meets the color morph of the subspecies in the cancun area.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
The bits of fish are fine, but also get her some earthworms or slugs. She'll slurp them down. At least once a week. They are great pets. All she needs is a warm place in the morning, water for a soak & drinking, and lots of dark leafy greens and worms & slugs. They are very spirited little turtles. Careful with letting her roam the house. She can easily crawl into cleaner residue or pesticides and absorb it into her lungs and get sick... or get stepped on. Get her decent sized crate with a leaf-litter flooring.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I agree. Rhinoclemmy genus for sure. Species does look like the Rhinoclemmys areolata. As @LasTortugasNinja mentioned, from the southeastern parts of Mexico, and Belize and the very north of Honduras and Guatemala.
 

New Posts

Top