Dalmatian, eastern or hybrid?

[Grace-Sophia]

Would anyone happen to know if my tortoise Murphy happens to be a Dalmatian Hermann’s? He seems to be missing that long triangular scute Eastern’s seem to have.

 

[Michael Bird]

Kinda looks like a Dalmation to me...

https://www.hermannihaven.com/comparing-hermann-s-tortoise-subspe

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Kinda looks like a Dalmation to me...

https://www.hermannihaven.com/comparing-hermann-s-tortoise-subspe

Thanks! Is there a reason why?

 

[Grace-Sophia]

@Tom
@zovick
@Yvonne G
@wellington

 

[Michael Bird]

Thanks! Is there a reason why?

Mostly the lack of inguinal scute by the back legs. That's one of the defining characteristics of a Dalmation vs. Eastern.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Mostly the lack of inguinal scute by the back legs. That's one of the defining characteristics of a Dalmation vs. Eastern.

Does it look like he’s missing it?

 

[TeamZissou]

Looks like an Eastern to me.

The lighting of the photo of the leg area isn't good enough to tell clearly, but it looks like the inguinal scute is there. Here's a post with a photo I took of my Greek tortoise that has the inguinal scute. In Dalmatians the abdominal scute blends all the way back down into where the leg skin begins. In other species the inguinal scute is present. Even in Dalmatians, only 60% supposedly lack the inguinal scute.

Eastern or western hermann's?

I'm wondering if anyone here could help me figure out if my juvenile Dash is an eastern or western hermann's tortoise? The place I purchased from didn't give any information about it. Also I'm very aware of his slight pyramiding, he already had it when I got him and I'm trying my best to fix his...

tortoiseforum.org

Other observations that point to pure eastern:

• Well defined edges black/brown on carapace scutes (Dalmatians have more ragged edges)
• Pectoral scute sutre is V-shaped rather than more U-shaped seen in Dalmatians
• Dalmatians also have blotchier/more ragged edges on the plastron black spots
• Shape of the head

This tort's beak is overgrown, and either needs to be trimmed or you need to increase the amount of calcium and minerals you're giving him in effort to slowly wear it down. Increasing fibrous foods with more clover, dandelion, radish greens, etc and less grocery store food can help too I believe.

 

[wellington]

@Tom
@zovick
@Yvonne G
@wellington

I could only tell you if it were a dalmatian dog, and that, it is not. Lol sorry.

 

[TammyJ]

I could only tell you if it were a dalmatian dog, and that, it is not. Lol sorry.

😂 that's what I could tell too!

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Looks like an Eastern to me.

The lighting of the photo of the leg area isn't good enough to tell clearly, but it looks like the inguinal scute is there. Here's a post with a photo I took of my Greek tortoise that has the inguinal scute. In Dalmatians the abdominal scute blends all the way back down into where the leg skin begins. In other species the inguinal scute is present. Even in Dalmatians, only 60% supposedly lack the inguinal scute.

Eastern or western hermann's?

I'm wondering if anyone here could help me figure out if my juvenile Dash is an eastern or western hermann's tortoise? The place I purchased from didn't give any information about it. Also I'm very aware of his slight pyramiding, he already had it when I got him and I'm trying my best to fix his...

tortoiseforum.org

Other observations that point to pure eastern:

• Well defined edges black/brown on carapace scutes (Dalmatians have more ragged edges)
• Pectoral scute sutre is V-shaped rather than more U-shaped seen in Dalmatians
• Dalmatians also have blotchier/more ragged edges on the plastron black spots
• Shape of the head

This tort's beak is overgrown, and either needs to be trimmed or you need to increase the amount of calcium and minerals you're giving him in effort to slowly wear it down. Increasing fibrous foods with more clover, dandelion, radish greens, etc and less grocery store food can help too I believe.

I also checked with Tort Stork and Space Coast Tortoise and they both confirmed he was Dalmatian based on his plasteron, and the bluntness of the head.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Blunt head for reference

 

[Grace-Sophia]

@wellington

 

[wellington]

@wellington

So is it more the color of the skin, carapace or plastron or all the above?
He is really a nice looking tort.
Wish someone had side by side of the Hermann's, that makes it easier to see the differences. I haven't heard a dalmatian mentioned in a long time. When I first joined and the first few years after I joined, we were getting threads all the time asking for a dalmatian or if "it" was one. This the first thread I remember seeing in a long time. I wonder if they got all mixed together like the leopards have.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

So is it more the color of the skin, carapace or plastron or all the above?
He is really a nice looking tort.
Wish someone had side by side of the Hermann's, that makes it easier to see the differences. I haven't heard a dalmatian mentioned in a long time. When I first joined and the first few years after I joined, we were getting threads all the time asking for a dalmatian or if "it" was one. This the first thread I remember seeing in a long time. I wonder if they got all mixed together like the leopards have.

Interesting! So do you think he’s a hybrid?

 

[wellington]

Interesting! So do you think he’s a hybrid?

I have no idea. I know nothing about the different strains of the Hermann's. It's just strange that we used to hear a lot about them and then nothing. The one member that would probably know, no longer is on here. Tork stork would be another good source. I would go with their opinion.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

I have no idea. I know nothing about the different strains of the Hermann's. It's just strange that we used to hear a lot about them and then nothing. The one member that would probably know, no longer is on here. Tork stork would be another good source. I would go with their opinion.

I am so so sorry! I meant to tag @TeamZissou 🤦‍♀️

 

[wellington]

I am so so sorry! I meant to tag @TeamZissou 🤦‍♀️

I was wondering why you tagged me, with what my first post was lol. That's okay. If I could have remembered who to tag for you I would have.