Tortoise ID

[snakeluvver]

When I lived in Dubai I got a pet tortoise. I was very young, and we got it without a license, we didnt give it lighting or heating, it was very wrong (of course I was 6 at the time so I didnt know it was wrong). Anyway, the pet shop owner was fairly useless and knew nothing, so we have no idea what species he was. Can anyone take a guess?

 

[woody101]

not sure but i love it wish we could have them here in aus

 

[snakeluvver]

Yeah he was a lovely little guy

 

[TheReptileShop]

looks like a sulcata from the photo.

 

[snakeluvver]

Really, arent they pretty big? He was quite small, possibly a baby then. In the 1 year we had him he didnt seem to grow though. We had no idea how old he was or anything...
He didnt have spurs on his thighs.
Another pic of him I just found

He was about 20cm long

 

[dihsmaj]

Pygmy sulcata?

 

[snakeluvver]

Please can someone experienced with tortoises make an ID?
And plimpy, I don't think Pygmy sulcatas exist

 

[Mace699]

Hey mate,

I'd say by the looks of it in my opinion its a testudo (horsfieldi or graece) both are a small tortoise hope that helps with your enquiry.

 

[Fuscus]

looks like a sulcata from the photo.

It looks like it but I think that there are a lot of different tortoise species in that area African spurred tortoise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
It could also be a Spur-thighed_Tortoise Spur-thighed tortoise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pygmy sulcata?

The similar Greek tortoise can be grown very slowly. I know of one that did not change apparent size in five years.

 

[-Peter]

It looks like a Testudo species, as Mace699 has said, I am going with Testudo graeca though horsfieldi can look very similar.

 

[scratchy]

It could be the endangered Eyptian tortoise , looking at the colour and carapace shape.

 

[snakeluvver]

In dubai I wouldnt be surprised if it was a Egyptian Tortoise, you can get ANYTHING in dubai Even snow leopards :shock:

 

[-Peter]

I'm pretty sure its not kleinmanni. You should have a look at the Tesdudo gallery at chelonia.org

 

[snakeluvver]

I'm pretty sure its not kleinmanni. You should have a look at the Tesdudo gallery at chelonia.org

Thanks, after looking at those photos I am almost certain that he is, like you guys way, a Greek Tortoise. I'm surprised you guys couldnt ID it with certainty. Are Tortoises are to identify?

 

[scratchy]

Yeh, just had a look at the photo gallery. Who knows, didnt realise there were that many species, forms and colour varieties!
You might have to ask an overseas person that is familar with land tortoises.