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Happy_camper

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Jul 22, 2022
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San Diego, CA
Hi. A good friend is moving to NY and offered me their tortoise (I've had them in past and have great yard etc) so he/she doesn't have to be in the cold. They got it from a school who got it from who knows where. S/he is quite battle worn and has a really thick shell. Can you help identify the species? Thanks!
 

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Happy_camper

New Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 22, 2022
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego, CA
Yes, she seems to have had some crazy growth history in the past (before my friends), and many scutes are beat up. But she seems perky with a good appetite and has been getting great sun at their house. With the wear it is hard for me to tell her species. I don't know if her really thick plastron is from poor diet in the past or species specific.
 

OliveW

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2022
Messages
286
Location (City and/or State)
Branford, FL
Poor thing! I hope she is in better hands now!

She looks like she's been run over or thrown or something. 😭😭😭 I'm a complete newbie, so could be WAY wrong. She has the most loving little face.
 

TammyJ

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Jun 21, 2016
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Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
Poor thing! I hope she is in better hands now!

She looks like she's been run over or thrown or something. 😭😭😭 I'm a complete newbie, so could be WAY wrong. She has the most loving little face.
Yes, she's been around all right! Tough old gal. Love and proper care is much deserved.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi. A good friend is moving to NY and offered me their tortoise (I've had them in past and have great yard etc) so he/she doesn't have to be in the cold. They got it from a school who got it from who knows where. S/he is quite battle worn and has a really thick shell. Can you help identify the species? Thanks!
Its hard to tell the species with the damage and weathering, but it looks to be a greek or a hermanni. This is the care info for whichever one it is:
 

Sarah2020

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Tortoise Club
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London, UK
Hi welcome. Looks like the shell has done its job and defended it. Hopefully now you can provide a safe and secure home and new growth will start to show. It will need a secure large enclosure with shade and sunny spots. Next look at diet and I recommend regular warm water shallow soaks to help with hydration and well being. Please read care sheet and ask questions as required.
 

William Lee Kohler

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879
Location (City and/or State)
Eugene, OR
That's not a sad tortoise but it is a very old one. The shell growth is rounded and not pyramided but very worn and "eroded". One indication of age besides a lot of wear is that the growth lines both top and bottom begin to develop waviness and squirm away from the even edges they had in the first few years as they grew up. This one has very irregular ones below but it can also be seen up on top. Consider this one a treasure and a rugged survivor that probably had a pretty good life as a younger individual. And I could add that some of the nails could use a bit of a trim.
 
Last edited:

Yvonne G

Old Timer
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Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Ok, here's MY two cents:

I think that at one time in this tortoise's life he was mauled/chewed by an animal (dog, coyote, etc.) and some of the top layer of keratin was scraped off. It's been such a long time ago that now new keratin has grown over the scraped spots. That's why we can't see his original pattern.

@TeamZissou is pretty good at I.D.ing species. Let's see if they can get this one for us.
 

TeamZissou

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Joined
Aug 23, 2020
Messages
1,048
Location (City and/or State)
Albuquerque, NM
This looks like it's a Moroccan Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca marokkensis. Aside from the carapace damage, the plastron and everything else looks fairly normal. Tortoises are survivors to be sure!

Glad that you can give her a good home.
 

Happy_camper

New Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 22, 2022
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego, CA
That's not a sad tortoise but it is a very old one. The shell growth is rounded and not pyramided but very worn and "eroded". One indication of age besides a lot of wear is that the growth lines both top and bottom begin to develop waviness and squirm away from the even edges they had in the first few years as they grew up. This one has very irregular ones below but it can also be seen up on top. Consider this one a treasure and a rugged survivor that probably had a pretty good life as a younger individual. And I could add that some of the nails could use a bit of a trim.
Thank you! The wavy seams have been puzzling me and I wondered if the wear was indicative of age. I am sure she could tell some stories!
 

Happy_camper

New Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 22, 2022
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego, CA
This looks like it's a Moroccan Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca marokkensis. Aside from the carapace damage, the plastron and everything else looks fairly normal. Tortoises are survivors to be sure!

Glad that you can give her a good home.
Thank you for helping sort out who she is!
 

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