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Old 02-07-2009, 11:28 PM   #1
dae
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Default Wild Caught torts?

Hi All,

I have 10 Horsefields and suspect 2 of being wild caught, I was wondering-

1. Are there indicators that I should look for that may suggest they are wild caught.

2. Can anyone just clarify the situation regarding imported/wild torts!

Thank you!
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Old 02-07-2009, 11:36 PM   #2
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Can anyone just clarify the situation regarding imported/wild caught Horsefields as I massively suspect someone but I emailed the TT and they never replied! What should I do?
I'm not sure. Certificates aren't required as far as I know. One of your horsfields might be a different sub species, not sure how many different ones there are but there are some
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Old 03-07-2009, 01:28 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by caledonia View Post
I'm not sure. Certificates aren't required as far as I know. One of your horsfields might be a different sub species, not sure how many different ones there are but there are some
There is 3 sub species.1.Testudo horsfieldii horsfieldii .2.Testudo horsfieldii kazachstanica.3.Testudo horsfieldii rustamovi.Here is a sticky about this aswell.http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=28051
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Old 03-07-2009, 11:09 AM   #4
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Thankyou. Well I'm shocked now. I think Winston may actually be a subspecies. Can anyone tell me does this mean he'll not be able to be bred with me others? I'm gonna post some pics for Danny and others to help identify him. He's the most perfectly formed beautiful tort you ever saw!
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Old 03-07-2009, 11:22 AM   #5
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I have posted in the identification section for his subspecies so please have a look!
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Old 03-07-2009, 10:38 PM   #6
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They will breed-that's why there's so many sub species. There are over 200 sub types of Ibera for example. I have my Revenue and Customs seized Horsfields now and it's intereting what you say; at first I thought they may have shell rot but actually I think that it looks like how females sometimes get after mating and I reckon they were all crammed in together and the marks are from them scuffing each other in a frenzy, bless. (I've not handled them much-just hydrated them well when I got them and have been self controlled enough not to keep picking them up) but tomorrow need to worm them via a bath and want to try to get the tippex off their shells as it takes up nearly all their shells (and they are supposed to be 3 yrs!) but need to be very gentle. Apparently athletes foot cream is ok to use on their shells. I was asked how many I wanted as I already have 2 rescue Horsfields-one was from an ex pupil who was moving but was being fed on whole apples and celery and living in a viv on a heat mat. The mum said (and I know she was telling the truth) that she got them from a local market. How awful is that? She was told he was 2! He's very similar looking to the imports and he is actually 20, so he could have been an import at some point. I then have another rehomed one, which I thought was female then realised he'd had his tail bitten off from living in a viv with leopards and red foot-how awful is that (and they didnt like him(her) cos it was 'viscious'-think I would be if someone bit my bits off!) but this one is only 4 (again in theory) but is 12cm but only weighs 400gm-didnt hibernate it last year but will this year-although do need to find this HF ratio. Anyway, he is a different type-apparantly the 'original' HF is a much bigger animal-mine is much more golden shelled, has a more pointed face (not nearly as pretty face as any of the others I possess) and not quite so rounded. Also he looks like he's been sunbathing-when he stretches his legs out-his skin goes from dark to golden-looks like he's wearing socks! Again, this one is very traumatised but improving but this could be from poor husbandry in the past-not sure if british bred-in theory he is. The original one was in such a state, would hiss and go back into his shell, now you can (um!) pick him up and stroke his head and no flinching-very rewarding. These four babies have made huge strides in the week-they are nervoius when a shadow falls over them, but their heads come out again very quickly., They behave very differntly with their climbing and digging all the time-can see they've only just come over. dont know if the others have 'lost' some of the natural behaviours (they climb everywhere, but I've not seen them dig). IT alos depends where they have come from originally-Afghan/kazakhi/Russian Steppes. I wasnt even allowed to know where my new ones have come from, but they are definitely the same as my original and the other one rehomed with me last year is different
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