[See the separate page for information on building a vivarium.]
Mediterranian Spur-Thighed Tortoise Fact sheet [Testudo Graeca]
These tortoises are from a semi-arid environment with seasonal change of vegetation. They will therefore rely on you to provide them with a mixture of whole freshly picked wild foods to help imitate this environment. Under no circumstance should these tortoises be fed protein and high fat content foods. Outdated tortoise husbandry text should be discarded as scientific opinion has changed greatly over the last few years. Fat and protein intake can lead to terminal renal failure and other slow painful conditions which leads to death. Baby tortoises fed the wrong kinds of foods in captivity can develop ‘lumpy shell syndrome’, a metabolic bone disease. This is a disease never found in juvenile tortoises in their natural habitat.
It is very important to provide fresh drinking water at all times. This can be in a low sided dish, like a saucer, which the tortoises can get in and out of unaided.
Tortoises require plenty of calcium for healthy bone growth. Babies grow incredibly quickly so need calcium in abundance. A good quality phosphorus free calcium powder designed for reptiles is best, and multi-vitamin, such as Nutrobal, will give your tortoise a suitable supplement to go with the fresh foods. This is available from your vet or pet food supplier. I use Arkvits which is a readimix of Nutrobal and ACE high. It is available from www.vetark.co.uk Tel:0870 2430384 calcium can be obtained through an agricultural feed supplier as pure calcium carbonate powder. You could also use human calcium tablets. These are recommended as you can crush them up and sprinkle the powder over the tortoises food easily each day.
Although my baby tortoises are housed on a tortoise table most of the time, they get as much natural sunlight as possible. My vet explained that two hours in the natural sun is probably equivalent to a whole week on a tortoise table in terms of the natural light’s health benefits. The UVB lamp, imitates the sun by providing vitamin D, allowing the chemical reaction for essential calcium to be absorbed by the body. A light bulb is totally inappropriate as a source of light in this respect . If It’s sunny and above 15 degrees I tend to take the tortoises outside and put them in an enclosure for a few hours. Do not leave them unattended without a hard mesh top over them - you never know what bird, dog or rodent may think them a tasty little snack or sport. Tortoises can dig, so be sure that they cannot escape that way. It is important to keep an eye on them and allow them some shelter if you think they have had enough sun! If they are lying still with their legs out sunbathing, all is well and they are happy. If they are intent on escape they are either too hot or too cold or have insufficient shelter.
Easily come by wild foods are:
- Dandelions [both leaves and flowers]
- Vetch (vicina spp.)
- clover (trifolium spp.) [leaves and flowers]
- Sow thistles
- Honeysuckle
- Cats ears
- Mallows
- Bindweed
- Sedums
- Bramble
- White nettle
- Plantain-(rats tails)
For further dietry suggestions and advice you can visit the "useful websites" I list elsewhere.
Be careful to avoid picking wild foods from road sides or parks. This is because of pollution and also the risk of contamination. Animal faeces may cross-contaminate foods with parasitic worms. Tortoises should be wormed in the spring and late summer. Seek veterinary advice.
DAILY ROUTINE FOR MY HATCHLINGS
Tortoise table/ Vivarium temperatures - 28 degrees day time/room temperature at night.
A luke warm bath is given about every other day while they are little. This is a good opportunity for the tortoise to drink as when they lie in water they are more likely to drink. Don’t worry if they keep their head under water for a while- tortoises can hold their breath for ages. Fill to throat level so tortoises can put their head under water to wash their eyes with their front limbs. About 10 minutes is long enough - you may have to run cool water out and top up with warm again if they seem reluctant to get out. Bath time also encourages cleansing, so don’t be surprised if the tortoise defecates- simply run the mess away and fill the basin again.
USEFUL TIP: Damp a piece of kitchen roll and place the daily food on it on the flat brick/stone. This is a good system because you can remove the soiled paper and wipe the stone clean afterwards.
HIBERNATION
The hibernation of juveniles is a complex area and so please click here for the relevant part of the tortoise trust website.
Adult Tortoises should be hibernated in the cold winter months. (Seek advice from your vet and the Tortoise Trust when doing this for the first time)
MICROCHIPPING
Before your tortoise's plaston's length exceeds 100mm it will be possible to get your tortoise Micro-chipped by your reptile vet, and this must be done if the DEFRA certificate I handover on purchase is to be superceded. Make sure the vet is experienced with tortoises before you hand them over for the process as it is a skilled job and the reptiles heal very slowly and are prone to infection if the process is not performed correctly. This form of identification is vital for insuring your tortoise and will help find it if lost or taken through theft. If you wish to insure your new tortoise it is usually necessary to take them to the vet within five days of purchase for the vet to assess their health and sign the appropriate documentation.
Testudo Graeca can reach extreme ages in captivity and with good care your tortoise should live for a hundred years of more.
| 
