The ultimate list?

[Meg90]

I was just wondering if we could maybe compile a list of all of the torts commonly (and uncommonly I guess) kept as pets...

After joining this forum, I have learned about alot of species that I didn't even know existed. And I tried to google a list, but to no avail...(just for kicks this semester in my writing class, I am writing a mini tort care book about Greeks--but would love to include a listing of the species too)

These are the ones I am aware of so far:

African Sulcata

Pancake Tortoise

Aldabra Tortoise

Galapagos Tortoise

Hermans Tortoise

Marginated Tortoise

Hingeback Tortoise
---Forest/Homes Hingeback
---Bells Hingeback
---Spekes Hingeback

Leopard Tortoise (more than one subspecies??)

Greek Tortoise
---Golden Greek
---Jordanian Greek
---Libyan Greek
---(I know there are more than that...would love to have them all)
---Black Greek? (?--saw this on a website, what is it really?)

Indian Star

Burmese Mtn. Tortoise

Red Foot Tortoise

Cherry Head Red Foot Tortoise

Yellow Foot Tortoise

Spider Tortoise

Elongated Tortoise

Russian Tortoise

Egyptian Tortoise


Would love input on this! Hope I am not just being a waste of bandwidth here, but in my defense, I was suuuuper bored!

 

[Yvonne G]

Homopus and Speckled padloper

Yvonne

Also, the Burmese forest tortoise

 

[SFCMARK]

I have a Madagasgar Spider Tortoise.....the sub species are the Common Spider, The Norther Spider and the Southern Spider. Mine is the Northern Spider

 

[egyptiandan]

Here's a list of the species Meg with sizes

Southern Albermarle Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis vicina-----------150cm
Aldabra tortoise, Dipsochelys dussumieri---------------------------140cm
Southern Indefatigable Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis porteri--------130cm
Northern Indefatigable Galapagos tortoise, C. sp---------------------120cm (soon to be named)
Northern Albermarle Galapagos tortoise, C. becki---------------------105cm
Abingdon Galapagos tortoise, C. abingdonii---------------------------98cm
James Galapagos tortoise, C. darwini---------------------------------97cm
Chatham Galapagos tortoise, C. chatamensis-------------------------89cm
African spurred tortoise, Centrochelys sulcata-----------------------84.5cm
Duncan Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis duncanensis-----------------84cm
Yellowfoot tortoise, C. denticulata----------------------------------82cm
Leopard tortoise, Stigmochelys pardalis------------------------------78cm
Hood Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis hoodensis----------------------75cm
Redfoot tortoise, Chelonoidis carbonaria-----------------------------61cm
Asian mountain tortoise, Manouria emys-----------------------------60cm
Plowshare tortoise, Astrochelys yniphora----------------------------49cm
Radiated tortoise, A. radiata----------------------------------------45cm
Patagonian tortoise, Chelnoidis chilensis------------------------------44cm
Bolson's tortoise, Gopherus flavomarginatus--------------------------40cm
Marginated tortoise, Testudo marginata------------------------------40cm
Greek tortoise, T. graeca--------------------------------------------38cm
Star tortoise, Geochelone elegans------------------------------------38cm
Desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii-----------------------------------38cm
Gopher tortoise, G. polyphemus--------------------------------------38cm
Hermanns tortoise, Testudo hermanni--------------------------------36cm
Elongated tortoise, Indotestudo elongata----------------------------36cm
Travancore tortoise, Indotestudo travancorica-----------------------34cm
Chaco tortoise, Chelonoidis petersi----------------------------------32cm
Forest hingeback tortoise, Kinixys erosa-----------------------------32cm
Celebes tortoise, Indotestudo forstenii------------------------------31cm
Impressed tortoise, Manouria impressa------------------------------31cm
Russian tortoise, Agrionemys horsfieldii------------------------------28cm
Bowsprit tortoise, Chersina angulata--------------------------------26cm
Burmese Star tortoise, Geochelone platynota------------------------26cm
Home's hingeback tortoise, Kinixys homeana-------------------------25cm
Texas tortoise, Gopherus berlandieri--------------------------------23cm
Bell's hingeback tortoise, Kinixys belliana----------------------------22cm
Speke's hingeback tortoise, K. spekii--------------------------------20cm
Geometric tortoise, Psammobates geometricus----------------------20cm
Pancake tortoise, Malacochersus tornieri---------------------------20cm
Lobatse hingeback tortoise, Kinixys lobatsiana----------------------17cm
Natal hingeback tortoise, K. natalensis-----------------------------16cm
Karoo cape tortoise, Homopus femoralis----------------------------16cm
Spider tortoise, Pyxis arachnoides---------------------------------15cm
Tent tortoise, Psammobates tentorius-----------------------------15cm
Egyptian tortoise, Testudo kleinmanni------------------------------14cm
Serrated tortoise, Psammobates oculifer----------------------------13cm
Flat-tailed tortoise, Pyxis planicauda-------------------------------12cm
Parrot-beaked tortoise, Homopus areolatus-------------------------12cm
Boulenger's cape tortoise, H. boulengeri----------------------------11cm
Namibian tortoise, H. solus-----------------------------------------10cm
Speckled tortoise, H. signatus--------------------------------------9.5cm

There are a few here you won't see in captivity, private or public.
The Geometric tortoise being one of those.

Danny

 

[purpod]

Goodness Gracious, Danny ~ Sounds like you should be writing a book, lol ~ xllnt reply, Bud!

Purpod

 

[Kristina]

I have wanted a Homopus signatus for years... They are just too precious!

Kristina

 

[Isa]

Wow Danny
amazing list, thanks a lot.

 

[kevantheman35]

great list!

 

[Meg90]

I love the Speckled Torts...I did a net search on them a few weeks ago, and I cannot believe how tiny they are!


Thanks Danny!

 

[Kristina]

I love the Speckled Torts...I did a net search on them a few weeks ago, and I cannot believe how tiny they are!


Thanks Danny!

About the size of a 6 month old Sulcata, lol. It is too bad that they are so difficult to care for. They are not readily available in the pet trade because they only lay one egg a year!

Kristina

 

[SFCMARK]

The Northern Spider Tortoise female will lay one egg every 3 years. That one egg will take 12-14 month to incubate. VERY hard to reproduce, which is just one reason why they are on the "critically endangered" list

 

[brymanda]

Just came across this list - impressive! I thought it would be neat to revive it and maybe get people to add characteristics onto each tortoise, such as environment (arid, mediterranean, humid), lifespan, difficulty of care?

 

[GBtortoises]

I had a trio of 2.1 Speckled Cape tortoises, (Homopus signatus signatus) about 18 years ago.

I also had a group of Parrot Beak tortoises, (Homopus areolatus) at the same time. Nice but still didn't compare to the Speckled Capes!

One of the most awesome tortoises I've ever encountered.

 

[stells]

I really don't want to sound rude here and hope i don't... but was wondering how you will write a carebook on "greeks"... when they are so variable? You really can't bundle them all into the same catagory and have a good care book....

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, it couldn't be a sort of "Greek Tortoises for Dummies." There would have to be chapters on each specie that needs different care. Sounds like a pretty big job, but I'll bet someone could do it.

 

[stells]

Someone who has kept nearly all of them... * cough... Danny*

 

[GBtortoises]

I agree with Stells. The care and needs of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African tortoises is different in several aspects. Even within those three regions some subspecies are found in different microclimates making their captive needs slightly variable.

The only way they can be considered in one book is to give them different chapters or sections based specific to each subspecies needs.

 

[Meg90]

I really don't want to sound rude here and hope i don't... but was wondering how you will write a carebook on "greeks"... when they are so variable? You really can't bundle them all into the same catagory and have a good care book....

It did sound rude to me, but what do I know right?

If you reread that post I said "mini care book" IE just the basics like diet, substrate, heating, lighting, etc.

Its not that difficult.

 

[stells]

Oh but it is.... as some need more night time heat than others... some don't like to much of a drop in temps... some need to come in if there is a cold day... others will hang with it... My graeca graeca for example will graze on grass... my Ibera won't... My graeca graeca are very personal... my antakyensis are the grumps... their personalities are also completely different... Some hibernate... some don't there are quite a few differences within the different subspecies... quite a few variations within the natural habitats... Some are more prone to RNS than other... the list is endless

Tunisians are another... although i don't keep them... but plenty do over here... but they can be ultra sensitive....

You can't just clump them altogether...

Sorry for being honest...

 

[Meg90]

Well, considering I was focusing on Jordanians, its not that big of a deal. I got through several sections before my semester ended.

But the way you are speaking, lends me the idea that you don't believe in general care books? Are there not several different types of Red foots? Hingebacks? The general care does not differ that greatly within the same species. I have seen books of this type for years. There are even box turtle care books, and the sub-speciation among them can be quite diverse.

Its not the honesty that's prickly. Its the tone. Everyone has the right to their opinion, usually its the delivery of said opinion that sets people off.