Introducing Aesop (Sri Lankan Star Tortoise)

[gummybearpoop]

I recently picked up a new Sri Lankan Star tortoise born on 2/2/2009.
His/her name is Aesop.

Aesop thinks he/she can fly!

Size comparison to Kala & Indu:

 

[jorrow]

What a beautiful tort.... If its not to nosey, How much paper did he put you back?

 

[gummybearpoop]

400 bones...

 

[jorrow]

Man thats more than i could afford, but they sure are pretty.... I think they have my faverate shell pattern

 

[Meg90]

I showed these baby pictures to my three yr old god daughter, and she was enthralled. When I clicked off she practically shouted, "No bring the turtle back!"

It was cute. Just like your pictures!

 

[TKCARDANDCOIN]

That is one beautiful tortoise! I took my daughter to the Cleveland Zoo today and we got to see the three star torts that they have!I love the designs on the shell.Anyway, good luck with the new one!

 

[Crazy1]

gummybearpoop, now I know little or nothing about stars so help me out. Will Aesop keep the distinct pattern on her shell, or will it change as she grows? Reason I ask is I just love how h/she has the distinctive yellow star that is framed in dark as the marking over her head. The others have it also but the yellow star tails merge. They are all beautiful. And I do like h/her flying pic, very cute.

 

[gummybearpoop]

gummybearpoop, now I know little or nothing about stars so help me out. Will Aesop keep the distinct pattern on her shell, or will it change as she grows? Reason I ask is I just love how h/she has the distinctive yellow star that is framed in dark as the marking over her head.

Robyn,
I am not to sure if she will keep that distinctive yellow star, but usually hatchling star tortoises start to develop the more intricate adult pattern around 6 months. Usually a good portion of the star designs connect with each other as shown below:

Pic courtest of tortoise trust

 

[smoke_kush]

how cute!!!

 

[Crazy1]

Thanks, either way h/she is a beauty.

 

[Jacqui]

He's exactly the one I would have picked. Just love his little star.

 

[Isa]

Sooo adorable

 

[terryo]

Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.

 

[gummybearpoop]

Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.

hahah I actually got a cheap one! There is someone on kingsnake selling his babies for $700 each though $400-$550 is more common. Mine was $400 SHIPPED, but it was a BIG chunk out of my check.

Thanks everyone for the comments.

 

[Yvonne G]

Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.

And not getting any cheaper! A friend and I went to a big reptile show in Southern California about 15 years ago. They were selling Star hatchlings for $500 apiece. In 15 years the price has NOT come down!

Yvonne

 

[gummybearpoop]

Aesop is beautiful! I never realized that they were so expensive.

And not getting any cheaper! A friend and I went to a big reptile show in Southern California about 15 years ago. They were selling Star hatchlings for $500 apiece. In 15 years the price has NOT come down!

Yvonne

True Yvonne and also star tortoises from Sri Lanka are less common. There are only a handful of breeders who produce true Sri Lankan star tortoises such as Douglas Beard who comes on this forum when he has time for us...haha.

There was a time, I believe about 15 years ago, when indian star tortoises were around 175-200 because of huge shipments of imports, the majority being illegal. A lot of these imports died...giving indian stars a bad rap. The majority of wild caught imports of any species don't do so great in captivity.

My captive bred star tortoises are doing great and in my opinion, are easy to care for than red-footed tortoises. BUT, I live in Arizona which has a similar climate/habitat to the natural habitat of star tortoises in India and Sri Lanka. It is more difficult (more effort) to keep red-foot tortoises in Arizona than a lot of other species. Thus, I have decided to keep mostly arid species. Luckily, there is a good variety of arid species I can keep with relatively low maintenance in Arizona.

---

He's exactly the one I would have picked. Just love his little star.

You will never ever ever forgive me....haha. Early bird gets the worm! You were snoozing in your snow cave! Just Kiddin!

 

[Jacqui]

He's exactly the one I would have picked. Just love his little star.

You will never ever ever forgive me....haha. Early bird gets the worm! You were snoozing in your snow cave! Just Kiddin!

Nah the way I look at it, your just paying for, feeding and caring for MY tort! Hey you know I have to have something to tease you about, Brat.
'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt...

 

[gummybearpoop]

"'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt..."

Better be careful with that snowball Jacqui, because you know I have plenty of cactus pads to go against your snow balls.

 

[Jacqui]

"'Sides I do have first chance when she produces don't I? Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Hmmm no answer??? *rubs chin* *slides a snowball down the back of his shirt..."

Better be careful with that snowball Jacqui, because you know I have plenty of cactus pads to go against your snow balls.

I dare ya! (ulterior motive here, I want some cactus pads to try growing).

 

[torto_x]

GBP, she's so cute!
LoL about she thought she cud fly Love that pic!

Btw, how can everyone here be so sure that the star baby they bought is a sri lankan, not indian?
Babies look all the same.
I gave up about this sri / ind issue. I guess in the end they call all the good lookin stars as sri lankan star,
and the regular or not so lucky one as indian star. Hehehe..