BASIC CARE OF MEDITERRANEAN
TORTOISES
Above: Testudo graeca graeca pictured in Morocco
A.C.Highfield
This is a very
basic introduction to
keeping Mediterranean tortoises of the genus Testudo,
with special reference to Testudo graeca, Testudo
hermanni and Testudo marginata.
Mediterranean
tortoises may well have been
among the most popular European pets of the last 100
years, but for all that,
most keepers know surprisingly little about them. The
Tortoise Trust has,
of course, done its best to put this right; even so,
we are continually
astonished at some of the questions that crop up
repeatedly in our mailbox or
on the ‘phone…. It is worth highlighting some of the
more frequent issues here.
Feeding
Mediterranean
tortoises in the wild consume
mainly flowers, stalks, and green leaves. They rarely
encounter fruit, and
never encounter tinned dog food, ice-cream, bread,
pizza, cheese, cakes or some
of the other bizarre “treats” some people seem to
think they should be offered.
Most of the tortoises that are fed these inappropriate
diets suffer serious,
permanent, damage as a result. Many die. Don’t do it – and if
you are given a tortoise addicted to such foods, break
the
addiction immediately. Do not give in, but allow the
tortoise to become
sufficiently hungry so that it resumes a normal,
healthy diet. This may take
some time – in the interim, offer only safe and
healthy foods.
In
captivity, a high fiber, low protein and
calcium-rich diet will ensure good
digestive tract function and smooth shell growth. Mediterranean tortoises
fed
on cat or dog food, or other high protein food items
such as peas or beans,
frequently die from renal failure or from impacted
bladder stones of solidified
urates. Peas and beans are also very high in phytic
acid, which, like oxalic
acid, inhibits calcium uptake. Avoid reliance upon
‘supermarket’ greens and
fruits which typically contain inadequate fiber
levels, excessive pesticide
residues, and are too rich in sugar. Fruit should be
given very sparingly or
not at all as it frequently leads to diarrhea,
intestinal parasite
proliferation, and colic in these species. Fruit is,
however, a routine part of
the diet of many tropical species. See separate
caresheets and information relating to these. They are
totally different from Mediterranean species.
Drinking
Unfortunately,
some very misleading advice
on this topic has appeared in print in ‘pet care’
books. Tortoises do drink,
both in the wild and in captivity. Drinking is not a
sign of ill-health
(although a sudden change in drinking behaviour may
indicate that there is a
problem). Ensure that fresh water is
offered daily. Most tortoises prefer to drink by
entering a shallow dish or
pool – and can often be stimulated to drink by
spraying lightly with a garden
hose in fine weather.
Too much water....
Drowning.
Yes, it happens every year. If
you have a pond, make sure that it is completely
safe and is 100% ‘tortoise-proof’.
Mediterranean tortoises cannot swim, and any
open pool or pond should be
considered as a major hazard.
Theft and security
This
is becoming a serious problem. It is
best not to advertise too openly that you have a
tortoise in your garden. Prevent
anyone seeing directly into the garden by means of
high fences. Lock all gates
securely. Be very careful indeed when allowing
strangers access. We have
received several reports of tortoises “disappearing”
after window-cleaners or
repairmen have visited recently…
Predators
Foxes,
hedgehogs, racoons (USA),
badgers, rats, dogs and even large birds can attack
and kill tortoises –
especially juveniles. Ensure that all outdoor
accommodation is 100% secure. If
in doubt, bring tortoises in at night.
Behaviour
Male
tortoises are typically territorial.
Two males can fight quite viciously, sometimes causing
serious injuries. Keep
such males separately. In a restricted enclosure,
males can also cause severe
stress and injury to females. Enclosures need to be
sufficiently large to
permit escape and hiding from unwanted attentions. On
no account, overcrowd
tortoises into an area that is too small. It’s a sure
recipe for trouble.
Placing elderly females with younger, active males is
also extremely risky. We
advise against this.
Testudo marginata - Males are especially aggressive
and can cause each other (and females) quite severe
injuries
Diseases
Never
mix species. We have lost count of
the tales of anguish and woe from people who have
“taken a chance” on this –
and who have come badly unstuck. For every case where
someone gets away with
it, we estimate that there are 10 others who don’t.
Allowing different
tortoises, from other collections, to “meet” your own
is also highly
dangerous. We advise strongly against
taking such a risk. There are a number of fatal,
non-treatable viral diseases
out there. It only takes one contact, and you could
very easily lose every
tortoise you have. Never underestimate this danger. It is very real.
Housing
Small
pens on grassy lawns are not
suitable. Fishtanks are not suitable. Tortoises are
highly sensitive to their
environments. They make extensive use of
“microclimates” and have very specific
needs in terms of temperature, space, and humidity. A
well-designed tortoise
habitat (whether indoor or out) can be both attractive
and functional. It takes effort to provide genuinely
satisfactory accommodation – but your investment will
be well repaid by having
happy tortoises, better breeding success and lower
veterinary bills.
(c) 2002 A.
C. Highfield/Tortoise Trust
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