Chersobius Signatus Signatus

NorCal tortoise guy

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Very cool!!

I know nothing about this species can you point me in the direction of some basic info?

I did a google search and didn't find much.
 

Koen

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Thanks, you’ll find more under the Homopus species but 2 subspecies or localities have been renamed to Chersobius. They are indeed endemic to South Africa and a very small population in Namaqualand. Here in Belgium/Netherlands we have a foundation aimed to improve genetic healthy captive insurance colonies. Smallest torts in the world but they make up with their ‘large’ personalities
 

Markw84

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Love the padlopers! Very interesting and such small tortoises. The speckled is the most attractive to me. I have never seen them here in the US. What is the "foundation" to which you are referring? Can you give some details about your enclosure? I recall you thought you would be getting a C. angulata. Did you get that as well?

thank you for sharing.

Very cool!!

I know nothing about this species can you point me in the direction of some basic info?

I did a google search and didn't find much.
This is a confusing genus to try to follow. There have been many changes and disagreement over what to officially name them.

These are commonly called Speckled Padlopers. They are from the greater costal area of western S. Africa. Perhaps your search did not show much as they were until recently classified as Homopus signata but now accepted as Chersobius signata. There were 5 Homopus previously, but currently the Common Padloper - H. areolatus and the Greater Padloper - H. femoralis have kept the Homopus genus designation. The other 3 were put back in their own genus designation recently - Chersobius. So now there are 3 species in the Chersobius genus - C. boulengeri, C. signatus, and C.solus.
 

NorCal tortoise guy

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5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,217
Location (City and/or State)
Northern California
Love the padlopers! Very interesting and such small tortoises. The speckled is the most attractive to me. I have never seen them here in the US. What is the "foundation" to which you are referring? Can you give some details about your enclosure? I recall you thought you would be getting a C. angulata. Did you get that as well?

thank you for sharing.


This is a confusing genus to try to follow. There have been many changes and disagreement over what to officially name them.

These are commonly called Speckled Padlopers. They are from the greater costal area of western S. Africa. Perhaps your search did not show much as they were until recently classified as Homopus signata but now accepted as Chersobius signata. There were 5 Homopus previously, but currently the Common Padloper - H. areolatus and the Greater Padloper - H. femoralis have kept the Homopus genus designation. The other 3 were put back in their own genus designation recently - Chersobius. So now there are 3 species in the Chersobius genus - C. boulengeri, C. signatus, and C.solus.
Thanks, you’ll find more under the Homopus species but 2 subspecies or localities have been renamed to Chersobius. They are indeed endemic to South Africa and a very small population in Namaqualand. Here in Belgium/Netherlands we have a foundation aimed to improve genetic healthy captive insurance colonies. Smallest torts in the world but they make up with their ‘large’ personalities
Thanks for the info!!
 

Koen

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2016
Messages
105
Location (City and/or State)
Belgium
Love the padlopers! Very interesting and such small tortoises. The speckled is the most attractive to me. I have never seen them here in the US. What is the "foundation" to which you are referring? Can you give some details about your enclosure? I recall you thought you would be getting a C. angulata. Did you get that as well?

thank you for sharing.


This is a confusing genus to try to follow. There have been many changes and disagreement over what to officially name them.

These are commonly called Speckled Padlopers. They are from the greater costal area of western S. Africa. Perhaps your search did not show much as they were until recently classified as Homopus signata but now accepted as Chersobius signata. There were 5 Homopus previously, but currently the Common Padloper - H. areolatus and the Greater Padloper - H. femoralis have kept the Homopus genus designation. The other 3 were put back in their own genus designation recently - Chersobius. So now there are 3 species in the Chersobius genus - C. boulengeri, C. signatus, and C.solus.

The foundation I am talking about is the Homopus Research Foundation - www.Homopus.org. The animals we keep are all being owned by the foundation with the approval of the SA Governement. We do have a breeding program with a Studbook plan to have genetic healthy CB animals with no commercial intentions.

They are indeed spectacular and when set up correctly, relatively easy to keep.

I keep them in an open table 2.30cm*85cm with a warm side between 28-32 with a basking area of 37. Cooler side between 21-25C on a loam sandy mix and obviously a lot of rocks :)

They appear to be very hardy so will not bother about night temps during winter.

UVB provided through Arcadia 54w 12% T5 tube and 2 additional HQI’s. basking spots are 3 - 75w reptech spots and I spray 1-4 weekly depending on the season

Yes I was expecting a C. Angulata but it appreared to be a WC animal and u feel very strong about not keeping WC animals so declined it after all.

There were 6 angulata’s available through a German ‘dealer’ and all 6 of them died within 3 months apparently..
 
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