Discover Tortoises

Most tortoises are herbivores and tend to consume grasses and flowers along with leafy plants. But some species, such as Red and Yellow-footed tortoises, are omnivores, and also eat worms and insect larvae.

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Tortoises

Tortoises

Tortoises

The tortoise is a member of the turtle family Testudinidae and is found worldwide. The lifespan of a tortoise can be over 100 years.

What do Tortoises eat?

  • Fruit

  • Vegetables

Tortoises

Hermann's Tortoise

The Hermann's Tortoise is a terrestrial species that is native to various regions across South America. The Hermann's Tortoise can be found in a wide range of habitats, ranging from grassy meadows to arid and often rocky oak forests. They are generally a shy species but have an excellent sense of smell and good all-around vision. In captivity, they love to spend lots of time burrowed down in substrate. One of the most distinctive features of Hermann's Tortoise is its shell, which is black and yellow-patterned.

Spur-Thighed Tortoise

The Spur-Thighed Tortoise is a terrestrial species that can usually be found in grassland, forest, and savannah areas. Commonly referred to as the Greek Tortoise because the fossil attributed to this species was discovered in Greece. Native to a number of regions across the Middle-East and Northern Africa, this tortoise has a large bump (spur) on the inside of its thigh. When young, this tortoise has dark brown markings with a light brown shell. However, the shell usually fades to a plain brown or black with age.

Marginated Tortoise

The Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginate) are terrestrial species, native to Southern parts of Greece and Italy. Their natural habitat consists of dry scrub woodland, hillsides and meadows and spends most of their time buried down in substrate.The Marginated Tortoise can change colour from hatchling to adulthood. When born, their shells are white with a brown border on each scute. Once they become adults, their shells will be almost jet black but with a cream colour in the middle of the scutes.

Red Foot Tortoise

The Red Foot Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius) can be found in dry forests, wet forest areas and grasslands on their native continent, South America. This terrestrial tortoise can be easily recognised by their dark-coloured shell, known as a carapace with a lighter patch in the middle of each scute. Their brightly coloured scales range from pale yellow to dark red, which is most noticeable on their legs and feet.

Horsfield Tortoise

Discovered and named after Physician and naturalist Dr Thomas Horsfall in the early 19th century, The Horsfield's Tortoise has tanned brown bodies, covered by dark-brown carapaces (shells). You will find tints of a pale-yellow between the scutes. However, the variation and intensity can vary between tortoisesNative to Central Asia and the Middle-East, they can be found in lush meadows, grassland and forests. Each limb comprises four claws, handy for foraging and digging around their natural habitat for up to 75 years!

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