Rare Tortoises

Killerrookie

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So lately I've been looking at some rare or endangered tortoises and turtles. I was wondering if anyone here on TFO has any of these beautiful and unique creatures. Here are a list of some of them I've been looking at lately:
1. Chaco Tortoise
2. Forsten's Tortoise
3. Travancore Tortoise
4. Kleinman's Tortoise
5. Speckled Padloper Tortoise
6. Spider Tortoise: any kind really!!
7. Black Breasted Leaf Turtle
8. Radiated Tortoise
Those are a few I can think of on the top of my head. I was wondering if any of you have any and are willing to teach me about them and show pictures!! I would really appreciate it if you could teach me about these unique creatures and some other TFO people might like to learn about them as well. I probably missed quiet a bit of other endangered or rare tortoises, if so name some that you have been curious about and or have one.
Thank you
-Austin
 

crimson_lotus

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I don't know about the others, but Chaco's don't do well in captivity at all, which is why they're so rare. From my understanding a lot of them die from stress.
 

Killerrookie

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I don't know about the others, but Chaco's don't do well in captivity at all, which is why they're so rare. From my understanding a lot of them die from stress.
That's what I read from a bunch of websites, I guess it's from stress and their small size.
 

Turtlepete

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1. Chaco Tortoise
2. Forsten's Tortoise
3. Travancore Tortoise
4. Kleinman's Tortoise
5. Speckled Padloper Tortoise
6. Spider Tortoise: any kind really!!
7. Black Breasted Leaf Turtle
8. Radiated Tortoise

-Austin

Chaco's are pretty rare, but present in the hobby. Kelly @tortadise owns a group. Forsten's are rare but present as well. I have a small group of them myself. Travencore are very rare as there were never many imported, and now importation is banned. There are a couple successful breeders of Kleinmanni. Speckled Padlopers are incredibly rare, as their husbandry is, from what I understand, very challenging. They are under-studied in the wild and never imported into the US, so they are almost non-existent here in the states. There are a couple members with spider tortoises. @Anthony P @Tim/Robin. Go check out theTurtleRoom website for some great pics of forstenii and spider tortoises. They have black-breasted leaf turtles as well. And finally, radiata are pretty much just the high-profile, pretty tortoise that costs more then any other tortoise on the list, but really aren't that rare at all in captivity. You can get one yourself, for a mere $1000 (or much, much more, depending on the amount of white/yellow).

EDIT: Bill Zovickian produced some Travencoria at one point in time, so there are surely a few scattered individuals in private hands.
 
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Killerrookie

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Chaco's are pretty rare, but present in the hobby. Kelly @tortadise owns a group. Forsten's are rare but present as well. I have a small group of them myself. Travencore are very rare as there were never many imported, and now importation is banned. There are a couple successful breeders of Kleinmanni. Speckled Padlopers are incredibly rare, as their husbandry is, from what I understand, very challenging. They are under-studied in the wild and never imported into the US, so they are almost non-existent here in the states. There are a couple members with spider tortoises. @Anthony P @Tim/Robin. Go check out theTurtleRoom website for some great pics of forstenii and spider tortoises. They have black-breasted leaf turtles as well. And finally, radiata are pretty much just the high-profile, pretty tortoise that costs more then any other tortoise on the list, but really aren't that rare at all in captivity. You can get one yourself, for a mere $1000 (or much, much more, depending on the amount of white/yellow).

EDIT: Bill Zovickian produced some Travencoria at one point in time, so there are surely a few scattered individuals in private hands.
Can you show me your Forstens? I just really love their pale skin and cool markings!!
 

Onidara

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are there any impressed tortoise breeders? been looking for one for a while now.
 

Turtlepete

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How about a Ploughshare Tortoise?

There are none in private hands in the US, that I am aware of. I think the Behler Chelonian Center has some, and of course a few high-profile zoos. From what I understand, you can get your hands on some in Asia, for a high dollar and highly illegally.
 

Killerrookie

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There are none in private hands in the US, that I am aware of. I think the Behler Chelonian Center has some, and of course a few high-profile zoos. From what I understand, you can get your hands on some in Asia, for a high dollar and highly illegally.
I just love their army helmet shape shell, it's so beautiful and amazing.
 

bouaboua

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Just love to see some of them~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Any of them.....
 

tortadise

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Yes most of these species are quite difficult to obtain in the pet trade.

Travancore are only found in a very remote area in India,does not allow export of any chelonian, or even possession (legally) of citizens. There's some here and there in Europe. Bill zovikian did have a small group. Some from India pre ban(1970s) and some from Europe. Those animals are now in a private keepers possession in south Florida. Offspring is rarely offered for sale.

Chacos are quite rare because they're protected in the nations they reside. Only captive farmed individuals are cleared for export. There's not many people that know of valid sources to fulfill orders(which are small) so they don't come in often. Sadly husbandry is very inadequate by most keepers and they do perish. We've even lost captive adults here from kidney failure from prior poor husbandry. Sad. But hoping the eggs will hatch from expired females.

Spiders are more present than they were. Lots of people have successfully found the niche of this species lengthy incubation and are quite successful. We have planicauda, brygooi, and arachnoides. The rarest of the Pyxis is oblonga(in no my collection all over the world) and in Madagascar. There much more sensitive of species and very few came In as imports and most perished unfortunately.

Homopus are quite rare as well. Republic of South Africa does not permit commercial exportation of animals. Not to mention most speckled cape and parrot beaks are quite small as babies-juveniles and the United States has a 4" law.

Radiated are quite a success story of how the private sector can bring an endangered animals population up to speed and mitigate any wild collections.

Egyptians are fun. Small feisty little guys.males can be quite combative when breeding though. Quite a few successful breeders of this species now in the US.

Impressa are only produced by Dwight Lawson and Ron Tremper currently. This species of Manouria is quite touchy when wild collected. But once established are just like emys and phayrei. They are exact like the others and take. 16-20 years to fully sexually reproduce. Ova is soft shelled as well and requires a tricky niche of incubation requirements,

Chilensis 20+ year captive female
image.jpg
Egyptian(6 year old captive female )image.jpg Pyxis planicauda(7year old captive male)
image.jpg
Pyxis oblonga male(LTC WC male 16 years)
image.jpg
Another 20+year captive chilensis female
image.jpg
Wild collected male (been in country for 30+ years) quite old of guess 50-80 years.
image.jpg
Captive young adult male(12 years old now)
image.jpg
6 year old female Egyptian with 20 year old male(WC) breeding
image.jpg

Should be enough for now. Oh wait here's a travancore in situ in western India in a captive conservation group.
image.jpg
 

bouaboua

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Yes most of these species are quite difficult to obtain in the pet trade.

Travancore are only found in a very remote area in India,does not allow export of any chelonian, or even possession (legally) of citizens. There's some here and there in Europe. Bill zovikian did have a small group. Some from India pre ban(1970s) and some from Europe. Those animals are now in a private keepers possession in south Florida. Offspring is rarely offered for sale.

Chacos are quite rare because they're protected in the nations they reside. Only captive farmed individuals are cleared for export. There's not many people that know of valid sources to fulfill orders(which are small) so they don't come in often. Sadly husbandry is very inadequate by most keepers and they do perish. We've even lost captive adults here from kidney failure from prior poor husbandry. Sad. But hoping the eggs will hatch from expired females.

Spiders are more present than they were. Lots of people have successfully found the niche of this species lengthy incubation and are quite successful. We have planicauda, brygooi, and arachnoides. The rarest of the Pyxis is oblonga(in no my collection all over the world) and in Madagascar. There much more sensitive of species and very few came In as imports and most perished unfortunately.

Homopus are quite rare as well. Republic of South Africa does not permit commercial exportation of animals. Not to mention most speckled cape and parrot beaks are quite small as babies-juveniles and the United States has a 4" law.

Radiated are quite a success story of how the private sector can bring an endangered animals population up to speed and mitigate any wild collections.

Egyptians are fun. Small feisty little guys.males can be quite combative when breeding though. Quite a few successful breeders of this species now in the US.

Impressa are only produced by Dwight Lawson and Ron Tremper currently. This species of Manouria is quite touchy when wild collected. But once established are just like emys and phayrei. They are exact like the others and take. 16-20 years to fully sexually reproduce. Ova is soft shelled as well and requires a tricky niche of incubation requirements,

Chilensis 20+ year captive female
View attachment 127237
Egyptian(6 year old captive female )View attachment 127238 Pyxis planicauda(7year old captive male)
View attachment 127239
Pyxis oblonga male(LTC WC male 16 years)
View attachment 127240
Another 20+year captive chilensis female
View attachment 127241
Wild collected male (been in country for 30+ years) quite old of guess 50-80 years.
View attachment 127242
Captive young adult male(12 years old now)
View attachment 127243
6 year old female Egyptian with 20 year old male(WC) breeding
View attachment 127244

Should be enough for now. Oh wait here's a travancore in situ in western India in a captive conservation group.
View attachment 127246
Like, Like, Like, LIKE!!!!!

Major like!!!!:)
 

tortadise

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Ah yes couldn't forget about the forsteni either. They're becoming endangered more so from consumption and pet trade over the past few decades. They're natural range is quite small compared to elongata but much larger than travancorica. Very cool species. Quite aggressive and territorial though. I'm not gonna lie I don't remember how many we have here.

Some captive 2 year old F2
image.jpg
image.jpg
Sub adult wild collected female
image.jpg

Some 3-6 month olds
image.jpg
 

Killerrookie

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Ah yes couldn't forget about the forsteni either. They're becoming endangered more so from consumption and pet trade over the past few decades. They're natural range is quite small compared to elongata but much larger than travancorica. Very cool species. Quite aggressive and territorial though. I'm not gonna lie I don't remember how many we have here.

Some captive 2 year old F2
View attachment 127247
View attachment 127248
Sub adult wild collected female
View attachment 127249

Some 3-6 month olds
View attachment 127250
Thanks for all this great info @tortadise !!! May I ask what tortoise is that on your profile picture?
 

tortadise

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Thanks for all this great info @tortadise !!! May I ask what tortoise is that on your profile picture?

That's a Kinixys zombensis. Quite rare too in collections. East African Hingeback species.
Female been in Us for 20 years. She had some previous bad husbandry.
image.jpg

Male WC from a confiscated shipment from Mozambique almost toe years ago now.
image.jpg
 

Killerrookie

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That's a Kinixys zombensis. Quite rare too in collections. East African Hingeback species.
I've seen one for sale once for a hefty price, I was thinking about buying it but I settled for the Red foot. You own one?
 

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