Species

South African Leopard Tortoise

stigmochelys pardaliS

There is no question how this species acquired it’s name, just look at those spots! Found in a variety of habitats across South Africa, including savannah, thorn scrub, and grassland, the South African locality of leopard tortoise is hardy, adaptable and easily kept in captivity. This locality is well know as the larger variety available in the US growing to lengths of 24 inches and weighing over 50 pounds. Bold and outgoing personalities makes them a fun and interactive choice for keeping that won’t destroy your landscaping. Males of this species can be aggressive toward one another and care should be taken to give them plenty of space with visual barrier in their habitat.

North African Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

With less spots, smaller then the South African variety and spanning multiple African countries the Northern leopard tortoise also comes from a wide range of habitats and are adaptable tortoises, although more sensitive to cold temperatures than the South African locality. The size range for this group is variable spanning 10-18 inches and up to 30 pounds. There are North African giants from Somalia and Ethiopia reaching 29 inches in shell length, but none are available in the US at this time. This locality is personable as well but does have a tendency to be more shy and less aggressive.

Hermann’s Tortoise

testudo hermanni

Found in the sunny Mediterranean climate of Southern Europe these tortoises are small but mighty. They live in scrubland, oak and beech forests and on rocky hillsides, making them expert climbers. The golden yellow and black make for striking contrast on their shells. Although a smaller species, ranging 6-8 inches, make no mistake they are not slow and enjoy exploring and navigating around their habitat. They make a great beginners pet with their environmental hardiness but do still have certain keeping requirements. While they do not dig deep burrows, if not provided a warm house in the cooler months, they will dig down several inches under the topsoil in order to thermoregulate but they do not hibernate. They are bold, curious and outgoing but can be territorial and if housed together adequate space and hiding spots are required.

Galapagos Tortoise

Chelonoidis species

Perhaps one of the most famous and well know species of tortoise in the world from the infamous Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador is the Galapagos tortoise. As the worlds largest species these giants reach lengths of 4-6 feet and over 500 pounds. Among the Galapagos tortoises there are 10 living subspecies, each originating from a different area on the islands. They inhabit a variety of areas including volcanic mountains, grasslands, scrublands and even the beach. In fact some subspecies have a seasonal migration pattern from the moist mountain highlands to the dry sandy beaches. It’s not uncommon to see these behemoths crowded together in a muddy wallow to stay cool in the hot season. This natural behavior helps them do well in groups although they do seem to form a hierarchy. Once this hierarchy is established they are very peaceful together even sharing one another’s company while sleeping, eating, basking and soaking. If purchasing a Galapagos tortoise in the state you live there are no permits required, however special permits are required to ship across state lines. Due to the lack of permits being issued by US Fish and Wildlife Service we are currently not selling Galapagos tortoises outside of California.

Guerrero Painted Wood Turtle

Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima pulcherrima

This subspecies is one of three and found only in an isolated coastal pocket of Mexico’s, Guerrero and Oaxaca states. Due to habitat destruction most of the populations are found more inland in neotropical deciduous woodlands with plains, steep hillsides and a freshwater source. As a water loving species they spend much of their day in and around the streams and muddy pools. Beautiful red markings on the carapace, plastron and face making them one of the most vibrant species of wood turtles. With the females growing larger then the males adults reach a length of 7-8' inches and do well housed in groups. Like many other species of turtles they are quick to associate you with food and will willingly greet you any time you come near to beg for a snack.

Burmese Star Tortoise

Geochelone platynota

Listed as critically endangered these tortoises are the star of the show with their stunning geometric yellow and black pattern. In the wild they once inhabited dry deciduous forest, thorn scrub and pasture habitat of Myanmar, formally known as Burma. The Burmese star tortoise faced a bleak future and was announced to be functionally extinct in the wild back in the early 2000’s. This made captive and in-situ breeding programs more important than ever; which has lead to a true conservation success story with thousands being produced in Myanmar and the start of wild repopulation in 2014. Although they are not out of the woods yet, as human collection for food and black market trafficking as well as encroachment still pose a threat. When purchasing this rewarding species it is important to know the tortoise was breed and born in captivity.

The Burmese star tortoise is the largest of the star tortoises, with the females slightly bigger than males and reaching lengths of 14 inches. These bold patterned beauties are very friendly and bond well with people, even enjoying a good head scratching. Their non-aggressive behavior amongst each other make them a very peaceful species that does well in groups.

Sri Lankan Star Tortoise

Geochelone elegans

The stunning Sri Lankan star tortoise is a larger geographical variant of the Indian star tortoise and is found only on the island of Sri Lanka in the semi-arid lowlands consisting mainly of scrubland habitat. Their yellow butterfly and black kiss-like pattern make them very attractive as hatchlings. As they grow more yellow radiating lines will start to appear making it exciting to watch their final unique color pattern develop as they reach adulthood. Females of this species’ locality have been know to reach lengths of over 12 inches while the males tend to stay around 8-9 inches, thus making them easy to handle. Housing them in groups, even of just males is no problem with their docile temperaments. This species is more sensitive to their environment than those of a Mediterranean climate so housing them outdoors in cold temperatures is not advised as they can easily become sick and debilitated.

Burmese Black Mountain Tortoise

Manouria emys phayrei

These critically endangered, armored beauties are the most prehistoric tortoise alive today and rank as the fourth largest species of tortoise in the world growing around 2 feet and reaching 70-100 pounds. Found in small pockets of Myanmar and Thailand’s cool highland rain forests with rocky terrain, clear streams and high humidity this species’ habitat varies a lot from those we typically associate with tortoises. They are a crepuscular species who forage for fungi and bamboo shoots, browse on broadleaf plants, opportunistically catch insects and worms for protein and even eat carrion. The high elevation and lack of sunlight exposure in the wild requires them to have extensive shade and cool temperatures when kept in captivity, preferably a range of 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit for adults with a mud wallow provided. While they are quite shy as hatchlings, and spend a lot of time hiding, as they rapidly grow larger they become much more social, curious and fearless. Although not regarded as a social species the Burmese mountain tortoise has the most sophisticated vocalization and communication system of all the tortoises with low vibrations, squeaks and head bobs.

Radiated Tortoise

Astrochelys radiata

Arguably the prettiest species of tortoise in the world, the radiated tortoise gets it’s name from the radiating rays of golden yellow on their carapace. This characteristic also makes it one of the most highly trafficked tortoise in the world, with over 17,000 confiscated in 2018 alone. Besides the black market wildlife trade the tortoises also face extinction by harvest for bush meat and habitat destruction. Their habitat, found in the southern portion of Madagascar, is the rare arid semidesert spiny forest which is shared by the spider tortoise. It is not only their striking shells that make them an attractive pet but also their friendly personalities. They will require a rather good amount of outdoor space as they reach a size of 12-16 inches as adults. Due to their listing as critically endangered and cites appendix I they do require a Captive Breeding Permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service to buy out of your state of residence. However, if you are buying in the state that you live there is no permit required to buy or own a gorgeous radiated tortoise. Buying from a reputable US breeder is imperative to avoid unnecessary pressure on the wild population of this critically endangered species.