Galapagos in San Diego

[Lulu]

Who is coming down to get this one?

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/grd/2662620301.html

 

[dmmj]

Now I am no expert but that tortoise looks aldabrish to me, anyone else?

 

[dmarcus]

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the photo...

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Yvonne or Greg could tell us. Yvonne posted something awhile back about the difference between Aldab's and Galop's, it has something to do with their eye placement or noses I think??? I am off to find that thread...

 

[cdmay]

It is a Galapagos tortoise although from which island or population is anyone's guess.
It is not an Aldabra tortoise.
The simplest way to tell one from the other is that Galapagos tortoises do NOT possess a nuchal scute and Aldabras DO. The nuchal scute is that little one in the center of the carapace just above the head.

 

[fbsmith3]

Ok I give up, how is this turtle on craigslist?
Aren't they extremely rare? I'm surprised to even see one in private hands, there must be many zoos begging for such a fantastic animal.

or maybe I am foolish.

 

[Laura]

a few members here own one.. or is it just one? they do occasionally come on th market.. but who can afford that price! ?

 

[dmmj]

I know of only one member who owns one, they are perfectly legal to sell in the states and you don't need a permit if you sell it within the same state, the high price and very very few breeders make them not common .

 

[ewam]

Ok I give up, how is this turtle on craigslist?
Aren't they extremely rare? I'm surprised to even see one in private hands, there must be many zoos begging for such a fantastic animal.

or maybe I am foolish.

That is true, and he lives in San Diego which is where the San Diego zoo is. I was there a few months ago at the San Diego zoo and they had at least 30 galopagos torts there.

 

[EricIvins]

Go to Fauna if you want to see the rest of the add........

I do find it odd why anyone would question these animals in private hands though........There's no reason why they shouldn't be, and the private sector has more successes and firsts because they aren't govenerned by AZA regulation and politics........Most Galop groups in the private sector are barely mature, but they are in good hands........

 

[dmmj]

I worked the pomona reptile show one year with spikethebest and his galap littlefoot, I was amazed at how many people actually had them,.

 

[zesty_17]

very cute, she does look like an aldab, has a little nuchal and everything. hmm

 

[fbsmith3]

Go to Fauna if you want to see the rest of the add........

I do find it odd why anyone would question these animals in private hands though........There's no reason why they shouldn't be, and the private sector has more successes and firsts because they aren't govenerned by AZA regulation and politics........Most Galop groups in the private sector are barely mature, but they are in good hands........

It's not that I question having a Galapagos tortoise in private hands. I question having it posted on Craigslist. If anyone is in possession of one, I would figure they would be in contact with others who also raise and house them.

Maybe I'm prejudice, but I do not think craigslist is where you go for quality knowledgeable people. Sorry

 

[dmmj]

I have to admit that is the first galap on CL I have seen

 

[jackrat]

very cute, she does look like an aldab, has a little nuchal and everything. hmm

I don't see a nuchal scute.

 

[Lulu]

I think if you want to rehome something, you may want to cast your net pretty wide. I don't have a problem with him putting it on Craigslist. He might attract some people with tortoise experience that might be outside the Galapagos circles. It's a pretty tortoise. I wish I had the money, space and time, but I've already committed to a future monster tort (not that I have that kind of money laying around either).

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

For sure Galop. This tortoise has been for sale a long time. I have seen it advertised on King Snake and Fauna for well over a year.

 

[Neltharion]

This is the Spectrum Reptiles tort. I seem to remember the price tag to be as high as $12,000 at one time. A friend of mine actually got to see it in person, when he was down there buying Indian Spotted Turtles from Barry.