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About Jeannie
Expertise
TORTOISE QUESTIONS ONLY. Questions regarding husbandry of Russian tortoises and other Mediterranean species; general tortoise care; box turtle care. If I can't answer a specific question, I can provide sources for further research. PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT EXPERIENCED WITH AQUATIC SPECIES (TURTLES). If you ask a question about red-eared sliders or other aquatic species, I won't be able to answer your question other than to give you general information or refer you to other sources.

Experience
I have kept and bred Russian tortoises for over ten years and have other Mediterranean species plus redfoots. Have kept box turtles in the past. I work with other tortoises species at a local rescue, mostly sulcata but some leopards, California desert tortoises, yellowfoots, and box turtles.

Education/Credentials
My knowledge is based on hands-on experience keeping, breeding, and working with tortoises.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Exotic Pets > Turtles > matine

Turtles - matine

Expert: Jeannie - 11/6/2009

Question
do different species of turtles create offspring?

Answer
Hi,

If you mean can different species interbreed, the answer is yes. It would be more common among subspecies (of map turtles, for instance, or box turtles), but I've heard of cross-species hybridization among leopard and sulcata tortoises, for instance. I don't think it would commonly occur in the wild, but in captive conditions it might. I don't know if the offspring would be sterile. Hybridization isn't generally encouraged in the captive herp world, so it isn't something you would see often.

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