Can someone help to identify the little one

[ieva]

Hello everyone!I've recently become an owner of little Bobik and I need a help for identifying his species. All I know he arrived from Morocco.

 

[Gillian M]

A warm welcome to the forum!

Very sorry, I do not know. But it's a very cute little tort. GOD bless.

 

[newCH]

Pretty little tort !

 

[mikeylazer]

No idea what it is, but make sure you feed him nutritious greens instead of that rommaine and iceberg lettuce.

 

[dmmj]

LOL, desert tortoise. Head is the giveaway.

 

[mike taylor]

Where are you ? Are you somewhere in the USA?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Doesn't look Moroccan to me, but I'm usually wrong.

 

[Gillian M]

No idea what it is, but make sure you feed him nutritious greens instead of that rommaine and iceberg lettuce.

I've tried that time and once again with my Greek tortoise but....it just would NOT EAT and few are those who have been able to understand this point, I regret to say. I am expected to make it "starve" and it then is expected to eat what I offer and not what it wants. I CANNOT be so HARD-HEARTED, no matter what the concequences. (I do know that torts can fight hunger).

 

[Tom]

I've tried that time and once again with my Greek tortoise but....it just would NOT EAT and few are those who have been able to understand this point, I regret to say. I am expected to make it "starve" and it then is expected to eat what I offer and not what it wants. I CANNOT be so HARD-HEARTED, no matter what the concequences. (I do know that torts can fight hunger).

There are lots of finicky tortoises in the world. It is really a simple, albeit time consuming, matter to get them to eat better foods that they are not used to. It has nothing to do with starvation or being hard-hearted. If you give up trying, you cannot possibly succeed and your tortoise will suffer for it.

The consequences of you failing to do this is a slow painful death due to malnutrition.

Just keep adding small amounts of the new stuff all mixed in with the old stuff. Over time the new stuff becomes more familiar and accepted as food. Its not that hard, and your tortoises life depends on it. Sometimes this process takes weeks or months. They are, in most cases, not going to eat a plate of something new and unfamiliar the first tie they see it, especially if they have been eating the same food items for months or years and are not used to seeing new stuff.

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone!I've recently become an owner of little Bobik and I need a help for identifying his species. All I know he arrived from Morocco.
View attachment 129996 View attachment 130000

What you have there is most likely the Moroccan variant of the Greek tortoise. Testudo gracia. I don't know all my Greek subspecies, but that is my guess based on appearance and origin.

@HermanniChris is much better versed in subspecies ID than I am.

Chris, Can you lend some knowledge for us here?

 

[HermanniChris]

It is without a doubt a Greek tortoise and yes definitely fits all the traits of the North African variants such as those seen in Morocco, but unfortunately, as babies, they all look almost identical. I do believe you have a T. graeca graeca but that's not to say it isn't actually T. g. soussensis or T. g. marokkensis.
Time will tell as it grows but care for those is all pretty much the same. Follow the advice you're being given and keep in mind that although these animals require rather arid conditions as adults, humidity and hydration are CRUCIAL at this stage of life.

 

[Killerrookie]

It is without a doubt a Greek tortoise and yes definitely fits all the traits of the North African variants such as those seen in Morocco, but unfortunately, as babies, they all look almost identical. I do believe you have a T. graeca graeca but that's not to say it isn't actually T. g. soussensis or T. g. marokkensis.
Time will tell as it grows but care for those is all pretty much the same. Follow the advice you're being given and keep in mind that although these animals require rather arid conditions as adults, humidity and hydration are CRUCIAL at this stage of life.

That's what I was thinking but to scared to say Greek Tortoise because I hate being wrong.

 

[mike taylor]

Jump in with both feet ! That's how you learn to swim .

 

[ieva]

A warm welcome to the forum!

Very sorry, I do not know. But it's a very cute little tort. GOD bless.

Thank you Gillian!

 

[ieva]

It is without a doubt a Greek tortoise and yes definitely fits all the traits of the North African variants such as those seen in Morocco, but unfortunately, as babies, they all look almost identical. I do believe you have a T. graeca graeca but that's not to say it isn't actually T. g. soussensis or T. g. marokkensis.
Time will tell as it grows but care for those is all pretty much the same. Follow the advice you're being given and keep in mind that although these animals require rather arid conditions as adults, humidity and hydration are CRUCIAL at this stage of life.

Thank you HermanniChris! How do I keep him hydrated?He doesn't like water at all

 

[ieva]

What you have there is most likely the Moroccan variant of the Greek tortoise. Testudo gracia. I don't know all my Greek subspecies, but that is my guess based on appearance and origin.

@HermanniChris is much better versed in subspecies ID than I am.

Chris, Can you lend some knowledge for us here?

Thanks Tom

 

[ieva]

I've tried that time and once again with my Greek tortoise but....it just would NOT EAT and few are those who have been able to understand this point, I regret to say. I am expected to make it "starve" and it then is expected to eat what I offer and not what it wants. I CANNOT be so HARD-HEARTED, no matter what the concequences. (I do know that torts can fight hunger).

My Bobik wasn't eating anything but iceberg salad but I gave him broccoli and spinach again today and he enjoyed it!

 

[longlivethetorts0912]

He is so adorable! I bet he will only keep getting more gorgeous as he grows. I know I do not know much about torts, but through my research, I believe you can soak him to keep him hydrated. Can anyone with more experience speak any wisdom to this?

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[ieva]

Where are you ? Are you somewhere in the USA?

We are in London

 

[crimson_lotus]

Yes soaking will keep them hydrated, I would soak daily as he is just a baby, then you can do it less frequently as he gets older. They do not have to actively drink in their soak as they can also take in water through their cloaca. It's a good way to know your tortoise is kept hydrated, as dehydration is a major problem in captive tortoises.

I don't know how often you feed broccoli/spinach/kale/turnip greens, but they should not be fed in excess as they are high in oxalates. When bound together with calcium they can create kidney stones which they may or may not be able to pass.

Please check out this website for reference:

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp

If you click on the fruits and vegetables section you can see which foods can be fed more regularly and which should not. If you have variety in the diet then I wouldn't worry - variety is key.