anybody keep indian stars?

[fantapants]

as above really, does anybody keep indian stars? have been offered one and i am really thinking about it! are they as finnicky as everybody keeps telling me? indoors 365 or can they go outside? how are they listed with cites? google is not playing very nice today and is bringing back lots of contradictory info.

[terrypin]

hi Ali blond Sarah keeps them .
terry

[-EJ]

They are listed as CITES II but they are also protected throughout their natural range.

You always gotta ask why a person is dumping a Star... Sick... male... divorce... or other financial hardship.

If you key onto the right environment... they thrive but they can be very difficult if you don't get it just right.

Ed

Originally Posted by tinkerbruce

as above really, does anybody keep indian stars? have been offered one and i am really thinking about it! are they as finnicky as everybody keeps telling me? indoors 365 or can they go outside? how are they listed with cites? google is not playing very nice today and is bringing back lots of contradictory info.

[sheldon&shelly]

Star Tortoise UK


he has great care sheets for stars
fantastic looking torts i think

[fantapants]

well its a breeding size female, and while its not exactly free, its pretty cheap considering its an adult female. i dont think i could get a hatchling for the price. i am far from committed to the idea, i still have reservations. she has been kept in a well ventilated viv as the owner was told that the temps need to be perfect in order for her to thrive. and as she is an adult, in lovely condition, it cant have done her that much damage or she would have died. i just dont want to over commit myself.

lots of contradictory info on the net. people say they are very fragile, but then a breeder said thats a myth and aslong as temps are stable they will be fine. just considering it at the minute.

[-EJ]

That particular breeder of stars is one of the best in the UK if not the world. The problem with that is if he is not objective enough to see the trouble I'm sure he went to to get where he's at...

I keep stars and they have been heartbreakers for me. This is a very common story.

I've finally keyed onto a method where I don't even have to look at them.

As to the one you are looking at... It has to be at least 4 or 5 inches before you can have a good guess on the sex.

If it is a known female... jump on it. That would be very easy to pair... even in the UK.

Ed

Originally Posted by tinkerbruce

well its a breeding size female, and while its not exactly free, its pretty cheap considering its an adult female. i dont think i could get a hatchling for the price. i am far from committed to the idea, i still have reservations. she has been kept in a well ventilated viv as the owner was told that the temps need to be perfect in order for her to thrive. and as she is an adult, in lovely condition, it cant have done her that much damage or she would have died. i just dont want to over commit myself.

lots of contradictory info on the net. people say they are very fragile, but then a breeder said thats a myth and aslong as temps are stable they will be fine. just considering it at the minute.

[SWsarah]

I have 3 stars

They need to be kept warm about 27c in cool and 33c in warm.

I dont put mine outside due to stressing them.

They are not a very good tortoise for keeping in large groups, adding another tortoise MIGHT stress them.

They are not as hardy as iberas, hermanns, leopards etc

[fantapants]

well she is deffinately female, she is approx 10-11 inches scl and cute as a button. i have looked at quite a few pics of different ones and while her shell is not perfectly smooth, it seems she falls into the normal star category, in that her normal shape is ever so slightly lumpy. but her growth is even, if you know what i mean. her owner said the same temps as you did sarah, and the only way he could get those exact, steady temps was to put her in a big viv with a pulse stat, basking lamps, uvb and ceramic night time heater. i did hesitate when i heard about the viv, but its actually fan ventilated so its not just a glass box as such.

[SWsarah]

Yes that the problem with stars getting the heat up. Mine are in my garage where all my tortoises are kept at the same heat 27-30c amb temp.

[-EJ]

You would be quite silly to let that animal go.

Also... I wouldn't change a thing with the way it is being kept. I would think that because of the way it was kept that has to do with a great deal of the previous keepers success.

It would have also done just fine without the fan but as long as the temperatures are maintained it couldn't hurt.

Originally Posted by tinkerbruce

well she is deffinately female, she is approx 10-11 inches scl and cute as a button. i have looked at quite a few pics of different ones and while her shell is not perfectly smooth, it seems she falls into the normal star category, in that her normal shape is ever so slightly lumpy. but her growth is even, if you know what i mean. her owner said the same temps as you did sarah, and the only way he could get those exact, steady temps was to put her in a big viv with a pulse stat, basking lamps, uvb and ceramic night time heater. i did hesitate when i heard about the viv, but its actually fan ventilated so its not just a glass box as such.