Please help ID unknown tort

kirby2591

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One of my friends asked me to ID these torts for him. I know they are not his and not sure where he came across the photo. However I still insisted on telling him to never house torts on pellets as in the photo :) The best ID I can come up with is a Bowsprit tortoise (chersina angulata). Thank you for your time.
1383451014731.jpg
 
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wellington

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Wow, I don't know. They are beautiful though. Really wish they weren't on those pellets. I'd like to shove those down the store owners throats. Anyway, the torts, I have never seen any on here like that. Will be fun to see what they are.
 

diamondbp

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Wow so neat! I have no clue what they are. They almost look like a leopard radiated hybrid lol. I'm curious to see if anyone can know for sure.
It's crazy to see such rare tortoises on pellets on all things. Ironic and kinda sad
 

Vegas_Leopard

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Bowsprit Tortoise. Some of the most unique looking tortoises, they're rare. They're also South African natives.
 

sibi

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I tell your friend he can't get them back!:p Boy, I wish I could get my hands on a pair!
 

FLINTUS

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Chersina angulata are extremely valuable, and these are even more special as they are reddish and could be described as 'high white'. Never seen them for sale in UK, but in Europe they go for a MINIMUM of the equivalent of $1000 for the normal sub-adults, usually more like $1500.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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They are only "rare" in captivity. They are very common in the wild, some people have been heard to say "box turtle common". Frankly I think they are more common in the wild in RSA than box turtles are here in the US.

They have a pretty big range, there seems to be several "types" that range from coastal, to far inland, to higher altitude very seasonly cold tolerant populations.

For the most part there are no legal exports, and so those suitcase imports that surface now and again have Lacey Act protection, and you would probably not get good locality info, which is critical for knowing the native climate of those at-hand. They "map" very strongly so that too complicates the deal.

Sometimes I see people refer to "starter" tortoises, whatever that means. Bowsprit, they are at the far other end of that scale. No mixing words here 99% who attempt it with these guys fail.

The good news is, they are common in the wild.
 

bouaboua

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Sulcata_Sandy said:
Dang it! Now I want some.

Gorgeous tortoises. Very striking. Thank you for posting.



Me toooooooooooooooooooo...
 

bellamia

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What are these ??

image.jpg
 
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Sulcata_Sandy

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What are these ??

Also called Bowsprit. I have been wanting one badly. There is a breeder in Europe. Otherwise they are apparently illegal to export from SA.
 

bouaboua

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More I look at it, more I like it. May they find a good home.
 
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