Land tortoises

Nearly 300 species of chelonian exist throughout the world, which shows that this group, wrongly described as primitive, has acquired a great wealth of forms in order to adapt as well as possible to various ecological constraints. Two thirds of the species are now threatened. This constant disappearance of turtle populations is undoubtedly linked to a poor understanding of their biology.

Housing

• In captivity, the available space is not on its own what determines the animals' welfare. They should therefore be offered a minimum space while respecting a few parameters:
• One enclosure, one species at a time, avoid overcrowding.
• The enclosure is always located in the sunniest corner of the garden
• A water point: a water dish is not the best solution, as they tend to defecate in it. Spraying the enclosure daily provides the tortoises with the hydration they need
• Shelters of 3 possible kinds:
• The hibernaculum is used by the tortoises both during the active season and during the winter.
• In summer, tortoises like to hide under piles of leaves, straw and bark.
• Small garden greenhouses as shelter. Make sure the tortoise always has the possibility of leaving the greenhouse when it wishes.

Diet

In captivity, Mediterranean and tropical tortoises benefit from the same basic diet. Some tortoises of tropical or subtropical origin require a specific diet. In all cases they will have cuttlebones available.

They are mainly herbivorous, and in the wild feed each day on a large quantity of plants. The plants most eaten belong to the families of Compositae, Grasses, Herbaceous plants and Papilionaceae. They also occasionally add all sorts of foods to their menu: fruit, mushrooms, dry leaves, fragments of bark, and sometimes even insects, snails, slugs, earthworms, carcasses of lizards, of rodents and of other mammals. They also ingest animal droppings, bone fragments, egg debris and soil, which provides them with the lime and mineral salts they need. They also ingest small stones that probably play a role in the digestion of plants.

In captivity, a feeding area must be set up for them within the enclosure, that is, a defined space in which numerous plant species are sown and maintained, such as dandelion, watercress, clover, plantain, alfalfa, fat hen, sow thistle, evening primrose and gallant soldier. In addition to these plants, it is advisable to give them others: endives, parsley, radish leaves, cabbage leaves, spinach, celery stalks, dried figs, oranges, prickly pears, leek, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, apples, pears, carrots, squash, cucumber, melon, grapes, etc.

The food can be placed on the ground, and never in the same spot, so that the animals keep a natural instinct to search for food.

Foods to avoid at all costs: pasta, rice, milk, yoghurts, cheeses, melted chocolate, cakes, meats, fish, seafood, dog and cat kibble. Repeatedly giving unsuitable foods considerably reduces their life expectancy.

Reproduction

Breeding Mediterranean tortoises poses no particular difficulties provided certain rules are respected: the enclosure must have enough space and hiding places, the tortoises' biological rhythm (hibernation, feeding, rest) must be respected, and the diet must be balanced and in sufficient quantity.

During the mating period, males tend to persist relentlessly with the females, and the injuries and stress can even cause their death. They can be kept apart for species whose male is too aggressive (such as the Levant tortoise from Turkey, for example). The breeding group always includes a single male for 2 females.

A few weeks after the spring matings, the female will look for a laying site suitable for the proper incubation of her eggs, and she will make from one to three clutches at intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. Incubation of the eggs generally lasts between 2 and 3 months.

Hibernation:

The tortoises spend the whole winter in deep torpor, from late October to March.

Outdoor hibernation: the tortoises must have a shelter in a corner of the enclosure, preferably a solid one (wood rots quickly with damp). Inside, a layer at least 15 cm deep of loose, light soil is placed, allowing the tortoises to bury themselves easily. To fill all the empty space of the hut, plenty of straw, hay, grass and dry leaves is placed on top of the layer of soil.

Indoor hibernation: this is done in regions where the winter is particularly harsh. In October, the tortoise buries itself in the garden. It is then placed in a box filled with loose soil and dry leaves in which it will bury itself. All that remains is to fill the box with straw or hay and cover it with a sturdy mesh against rodents. The box is then placed in a spot where the temperature is between 5 and 10°C. The garage, the attic or the cellar are perfectly suitable places. Regular monitoring (without excessive handling) makes it possible to ensure that hibernation is proceeding well.

Common diseases

In tortoises, most illnesses stem from an unbalanced diet, a lack of sunlight or UVB, or poorly prepared hibernation.

The essential thing to keep in mind: a healthy tortoise needs real sunlight or UVB, a diet rich in calcium and without excess, and well-managed hibernation.

Without enough calcium or UVB, the shell softens or becomes deformed, and the bones become fragile (“metabolic bone disease”). Swollen, closed eyes often suggest a lack of vitamin A.

An overgrown beak and claws hinder the animal in eating and moving about; they often reflect an unsuitable diet or substrate. A runny nose, with noisy breathing, signals a respiratory tract infection.

Hibernation is a delicate stage. A weakened, ill or too-thin tortoise must not hibernate without advice. A health check before winter is strongly advised.