Not sure of the species

[dreamerguy44]

Hello I recently adopted this tortoise and I’m not sure if it’s a sulcata or California dessert. I would really appreciate the help in identifying it’s species so I can properly care for it. Thanks

 

[Maggie3fan]

I am generally wrong...but I believe it is Gopherus agassizzi...California desert tortoise...please read up here on their care as they are an endangered species. If you found it in the wild maybe you should put it back...Anyhow, please hang around and ask questions...you will need advice on them and we certainly are willing to help...

 

[dreamerguy44]

Thanks it’s was a captive bred hatchling, unfortunately I don’t have direct contact with the breeder so I’m unable to ask him the species. I have been caring for it as a Gopherus. Thanks for the help.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'd like to see more pictures, the head, the front legs. It's a little too round to be a desert tortoise, maybe Texas tort, but I'm leaning towards sulcata. Please wet the tortoise and take more pictures.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'd like to see more pictures, the head, the front legs. It's a little too round to be a desert tortoise, maybe Texas tort, but I'm leaning towards sulcata. Please wet the tortoise and take more pictures.

Well...my succession of wrong guesses in species identification continues...and i'm gonna stop replying to these questions as I don't want my advice on that question to lead to crappy care... ?

 

[Yvonne G]

Well...my succession of wrong guesses in species identification continues...and i'm gonna stop replying to these questions as I don't want my advice on that question to lead to crappy care... ?

You may turn out to be right, Maggie. Let's wait for more pictures.

 

[dreamerguy44]

Thanks for the input here are some more close ups.

 

[Tom]

I think its a dirty sulcata. Give it a long warm soak, and use a soft tooth brush to clean it off.

Since we are not sure, I would care for it like a sulcata. If you care for a DT (Or other temperate species...) like a sulcata, nothing bad will happen. If you care for a sulcata like DT, it will die.

This is a new baby. It really should have spent a week in a brooder box, but too late now. Soak it every day and keep it warm day and night. Room temp is too cold.

Here is the care info:

Beginner Mistakes

To comment on Tom's article, go here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-split-Beginner-Mistakes#axzz1tG8s05M5 Over the years many of us, myself included, have made many of these mistakes, and we have certainly seen them made many times by others. With springtime upon us and many new...

tortoiseforum.org

How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0

It's been three years since the original care sheet, http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-63788.html , and I think its time for a review and an update. A lot of new info has come to light over the last three years and new insight has been gained through numerous experiences. What follows is my...

tortoiseforum.org

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[dreamerguy44]

Thanks for your time and input I’ll make sure to do the best I can to raise it.

 

[dreamerguy44]

Tortoise after soak and light brush maybe now we can definitely say what species it is

 

[Yvonne G]

What a difference a bath makes! Sulcata.

 

[Tom]

Tortoise after soak and light brush maybe now we can definitely say what species it is

When they hatch out of the ground, or when they are left outside a lot, that is what they can look like.

Get that baby set up in a warm indoor closed chamber with damp substrate and high humidity. Give it a warm water soak every day. All the care and feeding info is in the previous post I made.

 

[Hippytort]

Amazing. My first guess, as I have both, was Desert tort.. After the bath, Sulcata !

 

[Terrapin 3]

Yeah, I wasn't so sure if mine was a Sulcata or not because she's 8 and is still 7-inches in length. I compared her to a Sonoran Desert Tortoise and they look so similar. So I'm pretty positive that's what mine is. I do give her baths twice per month but she doesn't change.

 

[dreamerguy44]

Thanks guys I’ll be back when I have other questions/comments.

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

I'd like to see more pictures, the head, the front legs. It's a little too round to be a desert tortoise, maybe Texas tort, but I'm leaning towards sulcata. Please wet the tortoise and take more pictures.

haha my guess that a dirty tortoise can be any tortoise if you know what i mean, i’m leaning with a sulcata as well it looks dirty

 

[silverbird]

What a beautiful little sulcata.

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

Tortoise after soak and light brush maybe now we can definitely say what species it is

View attachment 290787

definitely a sulcata not a chaco. ?

 

[jeneliza]

Hello I recently adopted this tortoise and I’m not sure if it’s a sulcata or California dessert. I would really appreciate the help in identifying it’s species so I can properly care for it. Thanks

View attachment 290756View attachment 290757

Not sure, but I think it looks like a cailf, dessert,

 

[DesertGirl]

I'd like to see more pictures, the head, the front legs. It's a little too round to be a desert tortoise, maybe Texas tort, but I'm leaning towards sulcata. Please wet the tortoise and take more pictures.

I’m with Yvonne. Looks like a sulcata.