that bridge looks like one i dealt with when there... where is this located?
new from south africa, questions!
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hi and welcome! great pictures. wish i was there! lol" lindy
Wow cool tort. Id like to know what that is.
OK, so my original guess was based on a location in western SA. I don't know why I made that assumption...maybe in hopes of it being one of the more unusual (Homopus, Chersina or Psammobates) species.
The updated version is now northeastern SA and the critter in question is a Speke's Hingeback (Kinixys spekii) or possibly Lobatse Hingeback (K. lobatsiana) - assuming you are in the Mokopane area or parts north of an east-west line through Mokopane. The Lobatse range is almost entirely overlapped by the Speke's and distinguishing between the two is difficult.
If you are closer to Mozambique, it could be a Natal Hingeback (K. natalensis). These have a distinctive symmetrical plastral pattern consisting of 'bulls-eye' rings on the scutes and a longitudinal band with transverse branches along the seams of the plastral scutes.
If you could ship me a dozen of them, I could ID it with certainty!
In the meantime, I'm sticking with Speke's.
The updated version is now northeastern SA and the critter in question is a Speke's Hingeback (Kinixys spekii) or possibly Lobatse Hingeback (K. lobatsiana) - assuming you are in the Mokopane area or parts north of an east-west line through Mokopane. The Lobatse range is almost entirely overlapped by the Speke's and distinguishing between the two is difficult.
If you are closer to Mozambique, it could be a Natal Hingeback (K. natalensis). These have a distinctive symmetrical plastral pattern consisting of 'bulls-eye' rings on the scutes and a longitudinal band with transverse branches along the seams of the plastral scutes.
If you could ship me a dozen of them, I could ID it with certainty!
In the meantime, I'm sticking with Speke's.
wow, thanks!!
I'm essentially just south of the magaliesburg mountains, northwest of joburg, by the cradle of humankind. Its arid grassland here, with rocky koppies and a lot of succulents, acacia, karees - etc.
He doesn't seem very active. He pokes his head out and watches us a lot, but chills and does very little except look goregeous. He still hasn't decided to leave though! :-D
What food should I try to tempt him with? Or just leave him to the veldt?
I'm essentially just south of the magaliesburg mountains, northwest of joburg, by the cradle of humankind. Its arid grassland here, with rocky koppies and a lot of succulents, acacia, karees - etc.
He doesn't seem very active. He pokes his head out and watches us a lot, but chills and does very little except look goregeous. He still hasn't decided to leave though! :-D
What food should I try to tempt him with? Or just leave him to the veldt?
HLogic said:OK, so my original guess was based on a location in western SA. I don't know why I made that assumption...maybe in hopes of it being one of the more unusual (Homopus, Chersina or Psammobates) species.
The updated version is now northeastern SA and the critter in question is a Speke's Hingeback (Kinixys spekii) or possibly Lobatse Hingeback (K. lobatsiana) - assuming you are in the Mokopane area or parts north of an east-west line through Mokopane. The Lobatse range is almost entirely overlapped by the Speke's and distinguishing between the two is difficult.
If you are closer to Mozambique, it could be a Natal Hingeback (K. natalensis). These have a distinctive symmetrical plastral pattern consisting of 'bulls-eye' rings on the scutes and a longitudinal band with transverse branches along the seams of the plastral scutes.
If you could ship me a dozen of them, I could ID it with certainty!
In the meantime, I'm sticking with Speke's.
I would guess a fruit of one of the local plants or a juicy snail would be a rather sumptuous treat for him/her. Although not recommended for regular consumption, if you wanted it to love you forever, try a strawberry...
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