Tunisian tortoises

[Tortoise Trust]

I was wondering how many of you have these, and what success/problems you've had (I recall Sarah is hoping for some hatchlings soon, which is great!). They're lovely tortoises, and in serious danger in Tunisia, unfortunately. Would you like to see some photos of their natural habitat?

Andy Highfield
www.tortoisetrust.org

[bernards mom]

hi andy i would love to see some pics. i was hoping to get a couple of babies the begining of this year but didnt realise how hard that would be! practically impossible as you will know! i think they are lovely torts and would love to hear experiances that these owners have had

[fantapants]

its always nice to see pics of natural habitat. i dont have any of these but i have heard repeatedly that they are somewhat fragile. but i geuss its the same with any animal, as soon as you key on to the right methods for them, they thrive.

come on Andy, pics!

[gtm]

We want to see the pictures

[SWsarah]

Hiya Andy yes i have my first eggs this year, 9 in total off 2 females.

First female was a rehomer a child purchased of his friend and his mum when mad, it was kept in a glass tank and had an hole in its back (which is fine)

my second female and my boys came from a good friend.

I was having bad luck with them at first, they were getting RNS and losing weight. So i turned the temperture up 25c in cool and 32c in warm. And fed them twise the amount i used to (weeds/plants/flowers)

They were more active and growth was smooth

I have had so much interest into buying my babys when they hatch but im going to keep hold of them for a while to do some more research.

I have been to tunisia and seen the markets where they are sold AWFUL. We went on a quad bike and saw their natural habitat. But would love to see your pictures

[Tortoise Trust]

Originally Posted by blondesarah

Hiya Andy yes i have my first eggs this year, 9 in total off 2 females.

First female was a rehomer a child purchased of his friend and his mum when mad, it was kept in a glass tank and had an hole in its back (which is fine)

my second female and my boys came from a good friend.

I was having bad luck with them at first, they were getting RNS and losing weight. So i turned the temperture up 25c in cool and 32c in warm. And fed them twise the amount i used to (weeds/plants/flowers)

They were more active and growth was smooth

I have had so much interest into buying my babys when they hatch but im going to keep hold of them for a while to do some more research.

I have been to tunisia and seen the markets where they are sold AWFUL. We went on a quad bike and saw their natural habitat. But would love to see your pictures

I'll put some up very soon. As in many such climates, there is massive variation in vegetation (and temperature) season-to-season. The exploitation is truly bad, some of the worst I have ever seen (and that's saying something). They have been wiped out almost entirely in much of the country, and now exist only in "pockets". I visited a large number of locations mentioned by (mostly French) 19th C. naturalists, and found the habitat totally destroyed. No tortoises at all, for many years, according to elderly locals.

Did you manage to see any in the wild, Sarah? What time of year were you there?

Me and Lin (King) were there a few years ago, you know, and found some on Christmas day, which was really something else!

Andy Highfield
www.tortoisetrust.org

[SWsarah]

Around the market the shop owners would drag you in the shops if they caught you looking at the tortoises, they took me and my mum in the shop and under the pitch black table in a box where hundreds of tiny babies.

We went in decemeber for christmas, we didnt see any in the wild but at the top of the quad bike trail there was an old shack where people lived and you could get a drink and they had adult tortoises in bird cages it broke my heart i tried to get them out but i couldnt. This was years back now.

[Tamie]

Pictures please Andy! <g> It is always beneficial for keepers to see your pictures of particular species' natural habitat, I know of a few that are planning adjustments to their enclosures following some recent pictures you posted here.

As you know I have rehomed three groups of Tunisians for the Trust recently and it would be lovely to see their natural habitat. Some of the tortoises were tiny hatchlings, others were a couple of years and one group were 6yrs. Sadly all were holiday pickups.

Tamie

[kev71]

Hi, these are my 4 female Tunisians, they are all sisters and hatched in June 2000, they are a joy to own and are all very friendly, on the photo i kept them on playsand, but have changed them onto topsoil and beechchip, they are in desperate need of a male to join them as they are all mounting each other, finding it very difficult to get hold of a male, any help would be welcome!

[linda.t]

my 2 bob and fifi