Testudo Hermanni

 

Area: Southern Europe

 

Length: max. 30 cm

 

Feeding: vegetables but also little mice

 

English name: Greek tortoise

My Greek turtles live in a large glasshouse ( 25 m² ). They are very easy to keep.

For there appearance I would suggest to take a look of the pictures. The difference between males and females is very easy. The male has a hollow belly and his tail is much longer.

After a long winter sleep follows the clamorous mating. The turtles have a protected status.

 

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Upkeep: This tortoises are very easy to keep. The temperature in the glasshouse is depending on the Dutch weather. But inside you can compare this with the Mediterranean climate. When it is too cold or too warm the tortoises get into the ground.

The turtles are no feedings specialists, they eat everything but specially vegetables.

Sometimes I feed them also dry cat food or dead baby mice.

 

Breeding: After a long winter of many months they come out of the ground in the end of March. They mate in the spring and summer. The female lay hard eggs. More clutches of 4 or 5 eggs. You must easy dig them out otherwise they will break.

You can incubate the eggs in dry vermiculite. The incubation time will take from 60 days, at an average temperature of 30/31 degrees.