What kind tortoise do i have

Booklet includes: Accommodation, Diet and Hibernating techniques. A complete guide to hibernating your tortoise written by The Tortoise Shop. Booklet includes: the wind down, boxing your tortoise, waking up time. This website uses cookies in order to work correctly.

No personal data is stored. Accept Cookies Read More. Welcome visitor Login or Register. Most people use the terms "tortoise" and " turtle " interchangeably. Tortoise breeds are generally land animals, only going into ponds or creeks to drink. Look at the feet. Most types of tortoise have clawed front and rear feet to help them move better on land and to make burrows.

Freshwater turtles, such as snapping turtles and soft shell turtles, have webbed rear feet and clawed front feet. If it has a squared, blunt beak, it is a tortoise species. If it has a sharp pointy beak, it is a snapping turtle. If it has a long, pig-like snout, it is a soft shell turtle. A hooked beak similar to a bird of prey will likely belong to a box turtle. Look at the tail. If the tail is long and has spikes, it is probably a snapping turtle. If the tail is short and stubby, it is more likely a land type of tortoise.

If it appears soft and flat, it is a soft shell turtle, which will bite. Hunting for food and medicine, damage to natural habitat, and the introduction of predators are all common reasons as to why the numbers of certain tortoise species are so dwindled. Probably the most typical species that comes to mind when thinking of tortoises, the Galapagos tortoise is the largest of all tortoises, and has an equally large and fascinating history to match.

First discovered by sailors in the 16th century, the Galapagos tortoise, as its name might suggest, is native to the tropical Galapagos islands. The Galapagos tortoise was observed by Charles Darwin on his second voyage of the Beagle. He noted that the tortoises living upon humid highlands appeared greatly different to those who lived on dry low lowlands, the former having a domed shell, larger size, and shorter neck, and the latter being smaller, with a flatter shell and long necks.

It was this crucial observation which helped give Darwin grounding and development to his famous theory of evolution. The giant tortoise and its 15 subspecies have had an unstable history, mostly due to the interventions of man. Of the original 15 subspecies, only 10 remain today.

Species became extinct due to over exploitation of the creatures for use in medicine, food, as well as destroying their habitats and introducing non-native animals such as pigs and rats. Luckily, intensive conservation work has helped increase these numbers to around 19,, which while a great improvement, is still a fraction of what the numbers of this tortoise once were. A final fascinating fact about these majestic creatures is that they practice mutualism.

This the interaction with other types of animal for the mutual benefit of both parties. For the Galapagos tortoise, this interaction involving being groomed by indigenous birds who consume the parasites found on their skin. The bird gets a filling meal, and the tortoise is freed of annoying itches. Maybe the Galapagos tortoise shows us as humans the benefits of caring and healthy mutualistic interactions between species.

While these two species of tortoise can be domesticated, as they require a more specified environment, including a yard that they can burrow in, they are best reserved for experts. However, as they are native to the USA mostly in the Mojave desert , you have seen one of these species in the wild.

Because they live in a harsh desert environment, the desert tortoises are some of the more hardy of the tortoise breeds. They are able to survive imbalances in their diet, such as a lack of water, and can survive both high and very low temperatures in their underground burrows. The Pinta Island tortoise is one of the 5 now-extinct species of giant tortoise. Its last known individual Lonesome George died in captivity in at the age of While this species of lowland giant tortoise shares most of the characteristics of its 10 surviving breeds, the Pinta Island Tortoise is particularly important due to the message the fate of this species sends.

The hunting, removal of habitat and introduction of non-native animals have caused the tortoise one of the oldest animal families to become endangered on a widespread level. Tortoises are wise, soulful creatures, with a lifespan that can cross decades and even centuries. Common tortoise species include the Greek tortoise Testudo graeca , and the Russian tortoise Agrionemys horsfieldii — but, it is the giant tortoise, also known as the Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis nigra that many of us picture in our minds.

Their speed makes them a very fun pet tortoise! A small species, usually growing to 7 inches long , they do not need much space. Their enclosure should have a screen-top or high walls as they can climb very well for a tortoise.

Like many breeds in this list, Pancake Tortoises eat leafy greens and grasses and have fairly easy-care requirements. They are not as popular as others in this list because their export is heavily monitored and they do not always breed readily in captivity. The Leopard Tortoise is the second-largest species native to Africa and the fourth largest tortoise in the world. They are 17 inches long and weigh up to 40 pounds. Because of their large-size, they must be kept in an outdoor enclosure at least 80 square feet.

If they are to be housed indoors, they can take up a whole room. Their enclosure can be high-maintenance to set up initially, however, the upkeep becomes easy with practice. This tortoise usually comes in shades of black, yellow, and brown and has a unique blotchy-pattern on their shell. Leopard Tortoises are herbivorous, but their diet differs from other tortoises, because they eat forbs e.

In the wild, they spread these seeds over their home territory, which helps to grow plants. As their name suggests, they often have red legs. This is a medium-sized tortoise , growing no longer than 14 inches long. The Red-Footed Tortoise is relatively inexpensive and has a curious nature making them very suitable for beginners. Most of their diet consists of the leafy greens and fruits that so many tortoises enjoy, but the Red-Footed also enjoys insects or small mice.

They must be housed in an outdoor warm, environment, and should have at least 16 square feet of space. Like the Pancake Tortoise, they need an enclosure with high walls, as they are very active and like to climb! Similar to other breeds, they enjoy leafy greens like dandelions and kale and will occasionally eat fruit.

This breed is famous for the star-like pattern they are named after. Despite being very beginner friendly, their export status makes them the most expensive breed in this list. It is key to get your tortoise from a trusted, captive breeder.

What makes this tortoise a great beginner pet is their adaptability to survive in different humidity levels; this is because India faces monsoons and dry periods each year.

Unlike most tortoises in this list, they are very sociable with each other, so if you have enough space, you can have more than one. They make a great beginner pet because of their general ease-of-care, and you can adopt more than one.

The Sulcata Tortoise, found in the Sahara Desert, is one of the largest tortoise species in the world.