Magav

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Hi All,

As a child I had a mature Horsfield tortoise and always wanted a pet tortoise with my kids. I love them, but confess to being a novice.

Completely out of the blue and with no prior warning my farther-in-law bought his grandchildren a tortoise for Christmas.

He doesn’t know the species, but told me it is a large frowning variety. He bought it as a hatchling part way through 2020.

To me it looks like a Hermann’s, but I know they don’t grow big. Could it be a Marginated? Or a Sulcata?

I’ll attach some pictures.

I am obviously desperate to know, so I can read about it and care for it properly.

Happy new year and thank you
 

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TeamZissou

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You've got a Greek!

My guess is that it's an Ibera Greek.

 

Magav

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Thank you very much. I’ll get reading. :)

Whist I have your ear, can you tell the sex from the images?
 

Magav

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Okay okay.... so slight development.

My father-in-law has contacted the breeder/seller.... they’re saying that it’s a Marginated cross Hermann’s!?!?

Could that be so?
 

zovick

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Okay okay.... so slight development.

My father-in-law has contacted the breeder/seller.... they’re saying that it’s a Marginated cross Hermann’s!?!?

Could that be so?
It is a possibility, but hybridizing tortoises is not something that most persons would recommend. I wonder why the breeder did that, although perhaps it was "accidental". IE he/she kept the two species together (another thing which is not recommended) and didn't realize that they were interbreeding until eggs were produced. Many people I know would have destroyed the eggs, not incubated them.
 

Magav

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It is a possibility, but hybridizing tortoises is not something that most persons would recommend. I wonder why the breeder did that, although perhaps it was "accidental". IE he/she kept the two species together (another thing which is not recommended) and didn't realize that they were interbreeding until eggs were produced. Many people I know would have destroyed the eggs, not incubated them.

Thank you.

I don’t know the seller and I don’t know the circumstances.

From my perspective, the tortoise arrived unannounced at Christmas (dubious gift I know), now it’s here, I just want to care for it the best I can.

I will certainly not be breeding from him/her.
 

TeamZissou

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It's hard to say. I do not know what such a tortoise would look like. The main way to tell the different testudo babies apart is by plastron markings:


If it were a mix between marginated and Hermanns, you'd think larger solid markings would be present. The blotchy speckling on the plastron is consistent with what you see with Greeks in general.

Plus, you had the Testudo expert (@HermanniChris) confirm that it's an Ibera Greek, so that's gotta count for something!
 
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Magav

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Yes, it’s a Testudo graeca ibera

You guys were right all along he/she is Greek!!

Considering there is a certificate, I have no idea how my father-in-law managed think he was buying a large species and then subsequently think it was cross breed!?!? ?‍♂️?‍♂️

Thank you for your help and I’m glad I now know for certain.
 

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