CHACO Tortoise!!!!!!

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
Yep it’s me Again sorry, just is there any Chaco keepers that help me identify it. or tell me how you cared for it. i had been said that my sulcata is now a Chaco.

73A9A6E8-AB93-45AB-B68B-276FFE546EB4.jpegFC867992-E7E4-4D8A-AD9B-81763352E9A3.jpeg727932FE-04CD-4FFA-BEE7-FB5491C1D74A.jpegF340C12E-CD3A-4021-851F-79F610321DE5.jpegEC2191FF-D010-43D5-BEED-F100E169B72C.jpegA991E494-018C-4271-90F2-72B1CACB9A1E.jpeg
 

russian/sulcata/tortoise

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
8,458
Location (City and/or State)
Northern California, bay area
That’s a sulcata tortoise 100%. Baby Chaco tortoises have distinct speckled dots on there shells when they are younger.

baby Chaco tortoise
 

Attachments

  • C0816E70-F0E7-4BBF-9BBA-579BC4FDACBF.jpeg
    C0816E70-F0E7-4BBF-9BBA-579BC4FDACBF.jpeg
    244.2 KB · Views: 50

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
That’s a sulcata tortoise 100%. Baby Chaco tortoises have distinct speckled dots on there shells when they are younger.

baby Chaco tortoise
Nick, please don't confuse this guy. Markw84 has affirmed this is NOT a sulcata. One only has to note the front leg scale to see it's NOT a sulcata. It is 100% a Chaco tortoise baby. I think because it's several months old, it has lost its spots.
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
Nick, please don't confuse this guy. Markw84 has affirmed this is NOT a sulcata. One only has to note the front leg scale to see it's NOT a sulcata. It is 100% a Chaco tortoise baby. I think because it's several months old, it has lost its spots.
when i purchased it, it did had spots but not a significant amount just 1 in each scale in the shell.
 

turtlesteve

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
711
I'm going to say 100% that it's a Sulcata. I actually made the same mistake a few years ago, in that I picked up a really stunted sulcata on craigslist and thought it might be a Chaco. I know better now :)

Having now seen adults and hatchlings of both species in person - this is NOT a Chaco. The hatchlings look very different and distinctive, and have much lower profile shells. Not to mention that Chaco hatchlings are smaller. An adult Chaco can look superficially like a juvenile Sulcata, especially one that is stunted / not growing normally, but that's about it in terms of similarity in appearance. This hatchling has very dark new growth, but this is fairly common in both species.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Look at the front leg scales, man. Sulcatas have big klunky armor on their front legs. This tortoise has little leg scales with several of a different color, not like a sulcata at all.
 

turtlesteve

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
711
Leg scales or not, it's still a sulcata.

Here are a couple hatchling Chaco tortoises of about the same size. The shell is completely different in shape, especially around the nuchal scute. The edge of the shell is concave above the head (nuchal). They also have a very flat shell profile, unlike the high dome of a sulcata. The scute centers are also typically heavily patterned although I expect this is variable between individuals.

chaco2.png

chaco1.png

Please, we want to see photos of this guy as he or she grows. It should take about 9 months for it to be bigger than any known Chaco...
 

MichaelL

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Messages
983
Location (City and/or State)
Ocala, Fl
I'm going with chaco. There are very few pictures online of baby chaco tortoises, and from a few pictures you would not be able to say it's NOT one. Like, just cuz the few online have prominent spots, the color can vary from individual to individual, some may have darker, some may have lighter. And as they grow, they lose them. I have seen tons of baby sulcatas, and this one just strikes me as NOT a sulcata. The leg scales do not strike out as armored up like a sulcata, and on sulcata babies the eyes seem more plump, sticking out of the head more prominently; the eyes seem to have a rounder shape when viewed from above. I would not bet money on it, though.
 

MichaelL

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Messages
983
Location (City and/or State)
Ocala, Fl
Can you send a front picture again of the face, arms, etc.?
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
1,322
Location (City and/or State)
Alief
I'm going with chaco. There are very few pictures online of baby chaco tortoises, and from a few pictures you would not be able to say it's NOT one. Like, just cuz the few online have prominent spots, the color can vary from individual to individual, some may have darker, some may have lighter. And as they grow, they lose them. I have seen tons of baby sulcatas, and this one just strikes me as NOT a sulcata. The leg scales do not strike out as armored up like a sulcata, and on sulcata babies the eyes seem more plump, sticking out of the head more prominently; the eyes seem to have a rounder shape when viewed from above. I would not bet money on it, though.
we will see, i’m sure it’s a Sulcata what is making people think it’s not s sulcata? lol
 

MichaelL

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Messages
983
Location (City and/or State)
Ocala, Fl
we will see, i’m sure it’s a Sulcata what is making people think it’s not s sulcata? lol
The main thing that makes it look different is the lack of large, armor-like scales on the front legs. I am actually 50/50 now I really can't tell. Logically, it makes sense that it was a sulcata as it was not as expensive as a chaco, and it is captive bred and I'm sure a captive breeder of chacos would make sure they get their money's worth. However, the lack of armor and the way the head looks to me just don't look sulcata. I'm not sure.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'm going to say 100% that it's a Sulcata. I actually made the same mistake a few years ago, in that I picked up a really stunted sulcata on craigslist and thought it might be a Chaco. I know better now :)

Having now seen adults and hatchlings of both species in person - this is NOT a Chaco. The hatchlings look very different and distinctive, and have much lower profile shells. Not to mention that Chaco hatchlings are smaller. An adult Chaco can look superficially like a juvenile Sulcata, especially one that is stunted / not growing normally, but that's about it in terms of similarity in appearance. This hatchling has very dark new growth, but this is fairly common in both species.
As usual Steve, you are correct.
 
Top