- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Messages
- 28,939
- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
This is all very interesting
Gopherus morafkai to my eye, and because of those eyes. Shell color and pattern can just be so variable in tortoises. Plus this one looks very clean and perhaps wet which might be throwing us off. There must be some distinct morphological features that differentiate Chaco tortoises as being members of the genus Chelonoidis that could easily eliminate this from being a Chaco. I just don’t happen to know those....
"If it wasn't just so hard to believe, I could think this a cross between a chaco and desert tortoise!?!?"
Or even Chaco/Gopher tortoise. Personally tend to agree with hybrid hypothesis. One thing for sure this is a female. Maybe she'll lay eggs and see how babies turn out?
Wait.... female? Why do you say that? From what I discovered online this tortoise behaves like a male. When we first got it he would go around and start doing this head bobbing thing whenever he saw one of my dogs or even my son. Then he started “ramming” that piece under his neck as to try and flip something over in this case a piece of wood. He’d march right up to my son or my toy poodle and get right up
to them and bob it’s head. It’s my understanding that these are all traits of a male. Plus he has very long claws. Now I’m so confused.
Can we get a picture of its tail and plastron?
Already was posted. Didn't you look at all the pictures? What self respecting guy would have a dainty little tail like that? That's where I got my opinion from.
I agree. Females don't have chin glands.To me, the chin glands suggest that this is a male.
I got one just like it at home. Definitely a Sonoran DT. Interesting color variations.After doing some online research personally agree with this ID.
Wait.... female? Why do you say that? From what I discovered online this tortoise behaves like a male. When we first got it he would go around and start doing this head bobbing thing whenever he saw one of my dogs or even my son. Then he started “ramming” that piece under his neck as to try and flip something over in this case a piece of wood. He’d march right up to my son or my toy poodle and get right up
to them and bob it’s head. It’s my understanding that these are all traits of a male. Plus he has very long claws. Now I’m so confused.
Oh, the females do that head bobbing thing too. Chasing and ramming to the point of flipping the victim.Wait.... female? Why do you say that? From what I discovered online this tortoise behaves like a male. When we first got it he would go around and start doing this head bobbing thing whenever he saw one of my dogs or even my son. Then he started “ramming” that piece under his neck as to try and flip something over in this case a piece of wood. He’d march right up to my son or my toy poodle and get right up
to them and bob it’s head. It’s my understanding that these are all traits of a male. Plus he has very long claws. Now I’m so confused.
Oh, the females do that head bobbing thing too. Chasing and ramming to the point of flipping the victim.