Tortoise ID

[doowopp]

View attachment 238View attachment 238View attachment 239View attachment 240Need to know the genus/scientific name. country of origin, for customs so I can take this tortoise to the Carribeean to live. My brother passed and left him/her to me to care for, He had it for 25 years. thanks Mike

 

[TestudoGeek]

Need to know the genus/scientific name. country of origin, for customs so I can take this tortoise to the Carribeean to live. My brother passed and left him/her to me to care for, He had it for 25 years. thanks Mike

Welcome to TF, doowopp. Sorry to hear about your brother.

This tortoise seems like a Testudo graeca ibera (Mediterranean Spur Thigh or Greek Tortoise): http://www.cheloniophilie.com/Photos/Testudoibera.php

(Maybe Danny or Chris can back that up?)

Do you know how to care for this animal?

 

[doowopp]

Need to know the genus/scientific name. country of origin, for customs so I can take this tortoise to the Carribeean to live. My brother passed and left him/her to me to care for, He had it for 25 years. thanks Mike

Welcome to TF, doowopp. Sorry to hear about your brother.

This tortoise seems like a Testudo graeca ibera (Mediterranean Spur Thigh or Greek Tortoise): http://www.cheloniophilie.com/Photos/Testudoibera.php

(Maybe Danny or Chris can back that up?)

Do you know how to care for this animal?

 

[doowopp]

thanks for the info so it comes from greece i assume. I have a heat lamp during the day and in a cage with rocks and a box where is goes at night. feed it dog food, lettuce and veggies bananas etc. any other suggestions. I will hopefully be bringing it to the island of Montserrat where it is a rain forest and warm all year round.

 

[TestudoGeek]

thanks for the info so it comes from greece i assume. I have a heat lamp during the day and in a cage with rocks and a box where is goes at night. feed it dog food, lettuce and veggies bananas etc. any other suggestions. I will hopefully be bringing it to the island of Montserrat where it is a rain forest and warm all year round.

dowopp,

Your tort will need a UVB light with the heat lamp you have now.

You should also NEVER feed it dog food or other high protein food (bannas and other fruit are also out of the question).

"a high fiber, low protein and calcium-rich diet will ensure good digestive tract function and smooth shell growth. Mediterranean tortoises fed on cat or dog food, or other high protein food items such as peas or beans, frequently die from renal failure or from impacted bladder stones of solidified urates. Peas and beans are also very high in phytic acid, which, like oxalic acid, inhibits calcium uptake. " - from this article: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Basicmedcare.htm

How big is the cage you have it in? You can also add organic soil or Coconut COir\husk - http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/coco_husk.php because this torts like to dig
Also, keep a shallow dish with water so it can drink and bath.

Don't beat yourself to much. It's normal to make mistakes. We've all been there.

Here are some usefull links:

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/cgraeca.html (care sheet)
http://www.russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm (care sheet #2 - great site w\ lots of info. The care for Russians is very similar to Greeks)

http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm (diet)
http://shelledwarriors.co.uk/weedmenu.htm (edible weeds)

Ideas for enclosures:
http://tortoiseforum.org/showthread.php?tid=39
http://forums.shelledwarriors.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5329

I hope I'm not leaving anything out. I'm sure you'll get more suggestions soon. If you have any questions feel free to ask us.

 

[Crazy1]

TestudoGreek is right no dog food, no fruits, Try and get some dandelion or grape leaves or mulberry leaves some lettuce such as red leaf or green leaf or Romaine to start. You can also go to www.reptileeats.com and order food for your tort to start it off, this is chemical free food much better than Groceries stores . It will need calcium powder and a good vitamin. www.carolinapetsupply.com has some and they have TNT that is good.

Greeks come from several places like Jordon Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey places around the Mediterranean. It is thought they were called Greek because they thought their shell looked like a Greek mosaic.

Their Genus is Testudo the species is Graeca and there are several subspecies including the ibera, graeca, terrestris, anamurensis (Chris or Egyptiandan can hopefully help you out here)
Here is another link that may be of help.
http://www.tlady.clara.net/id16.htm

Posting pics of the belly(plaston) and the under side of its tail as well as a shot from the rear may help

 

[trogdor89]

Best help I got was to think of our tortoise like a cow! Hay and grass, for the most part, with some greens thrown in (dandelions, endive, curly mustard) - no protein, no fruit for the most part. (Maybe for a treat, but seems they may stop eatting the good stuff)

thanks for the info so it comes from greece i assume. I have a heat lamp during the day and in a cage with rocks and a box where is goes at night. feed it dog food, lettuce and veggies bananas etc. any other suggestions. I will hopefully be bringing it to the island of Montserrat where it is a rain forest and warm all year round.

dowopp,

Your tort will need a UVB light with the heat lamp you have now.

You should also NEVER feed it dog food or other high protein food (bannas and other fruit are also out of the question).

"a high fiber, low protein and calcium-rich diet will ensure good digestive tract function and smooth shell growth. Mediterranean tortoises fed on cat or dog food, or other high protein food items such as peas or beans, frequently die from renal failure or from impacted bladder stones of solidified urates. Peas and beans are also very high in phytic acid, which, like oxalic acid, inhibits calcium uptake. " - from this article: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Basicmedcare.htm

How big is the cage you have it in? You can also add organic soil or Coconut COir\hust - http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/coco_husk.php because this torts like to dig
Also, keep a shallow dish with water so the the tort can drink and bath.

Don't beat yourself to much. It's normal to make mistakes. We've all been there.

Here are some usefull links:

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/cgraeca.html (care sheet)
http://www.russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm (care sheet #2 - great site w\ lots of info. The care for Russians is very similar to Greeks)

http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm (diet)
http://shelledwarriors.co.uk/weedmenu.htm (edible weeds)

Ideas for enclosures:
http://tortoiseforum.org/showthread.php?tid=39
http://forums.shelledwarriors.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5329

I hope I'm not leaving anything out. I'm sure you'll get more suggestions soon. If you have any questions feel free to ask us.

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Mike,
You have a Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca ibera. Country of origin is probably Turkey.
You've gotten some great advice and been directed to some great caresheets.
The only thing I'd worry about is where your going. Try to keep him as dry as possible in Montseratt and with lots of sun and he should do just fine.

Danny

 

[doowopp]

Hi Mike,
You have a Greek tortoise, Testudo graeca ibera. Country of origin is probably Turkey.
You've gotten some great advice and been directed to some great caresheets.
The only thing I'd worry about is where your going. Try to keep him as dry as possible in Montseratt and with lots of sun and he should do just fine.

Danny

Thank you all for the info. i assume from my research on the web that this is a female and her name is Annie. Yes I do keep her in a nice cage with sand and dirt so she can dig. She does stay outside in my fenced yard and digs two or three burrows and stays there for most of the summer. I have to bring her in in early October as I am located in Northern Wissonsin. The only thing I am worried about is if Montserrat will not take this lovely animal I need to find a new home for it. She is in excellent health according to my vet. Please confirm that you think this is a female. and whatever ideas anyone has. thanks again for all of your help and there are nice folks left in this confused world. Mike

 

[JustAnja]

Hi Mike,

If you have troubles getting the tort into Montserrat (I have no idea what their import laws are), please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide a good home for it. I live in South Central WI near Fond du Lac. If your needing a reptile Vet you can look on www.hervetconnection.com for Wisconsin listings and see if you can come up with one close by. (Not all herp vets are well versed in Torts so be sure to ask allot of questions when you call to make sure they know and understand torts as well)

Please keep us updated on your progress on how things go.

 

[doowopp]

Hi Mike,

If you have troubles getting the tort into Montserrat (I have no idea what their import laws are), please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide a good home for it. I live in South Central WI near Fond du Lac. If your needing a reptile Vet you can look on www.hervetconnection.com for Wisconsin listings and see if you can come up with one close by. (Not all herp vets are well versed in Torts so be sure to ask allot of questions when you call to make sure they know and understand torts as well)

Please keep us updated on your progress on how things go.

ok will do thanks again for the help-Mike

 

[TestudoGeek]

Thank you all for the info. i assume from my research on the web that this is a female and her name is Annie.

Mike,

I can't really tell by these photos, but I'd also say female ( the plastron of the male is slightly concave and this seems not to be the case)

Check this http://www.chelonia.org/sexing/sexing_testudo_graeca.htm

 

[egyptiandan]

It is a female Mike.

Danny