Can you tell me what kind of tortoise this is?

erdavis

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
204
Location (City and/or State)
Gainesville, Fl (Go Gators!)
Hey guys! Someone I know has a tortoise and they aren't sure what kind it is. They said they got it off of Craigslist 2 years ago and was told it was a sulcata. As a baby it looked like it could be one but not anymore. They said they've researched to try to find out what it is but they just can't figure it out so I said I'd post it on here and try to help them. By this picture I am going to guess a red footed tortoise but I really suck at IDing anything besides a sulcata!
 

Attachments

  • 1414284926699.jpg
    1414284926699.jpg
    156.1 KB · Views: 121

erdavis

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
204
Location (City and/or State)
Gainesville, Fl (Go Gators!)
Yes she does live in Florida but I don't think she got it when she lived in Florida. When she first told me that it looked like a sully as a baby I brought up a gopher because to me they look similar as hatchlings. She said she would do the right thing if it was a gopher. To me it looks more like a red foot, she said it has red on its legs, but like I said I have no idea. I'll see what others have to say before I let her know.
 

tortdad

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
5,567
Location (City and/or State)
NW Houston TX
The shell looks like a Redfoot but the picture is blurry. I don't see and red on the head or the legs. Got any other pics?


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
My first guess was gopher tortoise too. RF tortoises usually have spots on their heads, either yellow or red. But, like was said up above, I'd like to see more and better pictures.
 

erdavis

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
204
Location (City and/or State)
Gainesville, Fl (Go Gators!)
I sent her a message asking if she could send me a better picture. Im waiting for her to get back to me. I really hope it's not a gopher, she was just telling me all her plans on making a better outdoor enclosure for it I think she would get another tortoise if it turned out being a gopher. Just out of curiosity what would whoever do with the gopher? Would they release it into the wild? Or keep it captive or something?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I'm not current on Florida's regulations regarding the gopher tortoises, but here in California, you can't take them from the wild and once they've been in captivity, they can't be released back into the wild. Also, there's a pretty hefty fine in the authorities catch you with one and you don't have a permit. Let's ask @ALDABRAMAN He's in Florida and I'm pretty sure he knows the laws.
 

tortdad

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
5,567
Location (City and/or State)
NW Houston TX
My guess is that it's been in captivity too long to be let go. I'm sure she can get a permit and keep it. Got anymore pics yet?


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
The color and shape don't look like a gopher to me. I see them quite regularly. The ones I see are solid colored. Dark brown. (This guy looks like a jouvenile RF,YF). and almost always have zero pyramiding and very scaley front legs. Recently a saw that a friend of mine had three sulcatas he was selling. He is very experienced, but I pointed out that one of his sulcatas was a gopher tortoise. It's much easier in person to tell, but even then, not an easy thing. Are there any red or yellow spots on the limbs at all?
 
Last edited:

erdavis

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
204
Location (City and/or State)
Gainesville, Fl (Go Gators!)
Thanks for all of the help guys. Unfortunately she hasn't responded to me since. She did say before that it does have some red spots on its legs. I passed on all of the information that you guys have given me and I believe she'll do whatever she needs to. If she end up able to get a hold of her I will let you all know, hopefully I can.
 
Top