My name is Tartaruga

[questionit]

Hi everyone, I am new here. As much as I do not own a tortoise, I have a picture from a family member who has just adopted one from a lady retiring. I am in South Africa but I guess Tartaruga may not be a common breed native to SA. Here is a pic or two but my question is to find out what Tortoise she is. If anyone can tell me that would be most appreciated.

 

[TammyJ]

Can you ask for pictures of the underside (plastron) and side views?

 

[TammyJ]

I am guessing a Hingeback?

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone, I am new here. As much as I do not own a tortoise, I have a picture from a family member who has just adopted one from a lady retiring. I am in South Africa but I guess Tartaruga may not be a common breed native to SA. Here is a pic or two but my question is to find out what Tortoise she is. If anyone can tell me that would be most appreciated.

View attachment 364726

The shell is very weathered and faded, but this looks to be a leopard tortoise, judging by the leg scales and color pattern on the second vertebral scute.

 

[questionit]

Can you ask for pictures of the underside (plastron) and side views?

Sorry about the delay - here we go.

 

[MaNaAk]

The shell is very weathered and faded, but this looks to be a leopard tortoise, judging by the leg scales and color pattern on the second vertebral scute.

Dear @Tom,

Do you think there is pyramiding there as well?

MaNaAk

 

[questionit]

The shell is very weathered and faded, but this looks to be a leopard tortoise, judging by the leg scales and color pattern on the second vertebral scute.

That's interesting for me. I didn't think leopard because I have never seen one with 'tent' shell. You mention the shell is weathered and faded - is there anything my mom can do to improve her health. She seems very happy and she has a little dog house to be in

 

[Tom]

Dear @Tom,

Do you think there is pyramiding there as well?

MaNaAk

Yes, but that happened long ago. Nothing to do about it now.

 

[Tom]

That's interesting for me. I didn't think leopard because I have never seen one with 'tent' shell. You mention the shell is weathered and faded - is there anything my mom can do to improve her health. She seems very happy and she has a little dog house to be in

I don't know what you mean by "tent" shell. Are you referring to the pyramiding on each individual scute, or are you referring to the over all height of the dome?

Fading and weathering happens over time. It has no effect on health and is more an observation of how long this tortoise has been alive and out I the world.

Dog houses are designed for dogs. They don't make good tortoise shelters. Something like this would work much better:

Single Tortoise Night Box

I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...

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