The Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni), also known as Kleinmann’s tortoise or Leith’s tortoise, is the smallest species in the genus Testudo. Native to arid and semi-arid habitats of coastal Libya, Egypt, and Israel, this tortoise has become increasingly popular in the pet trade. This article provides a detailed overview of the dietary and nutritional needs of Egyptian tortoises to ensure their health and well-being in captivity.
Understanding the Egyptian Tortoise
The Egyptian tortoise is critically endangered in the wild due to human development, overgrazing, and collection for the pet trade. Adult males typically reach a straight carapace length of 8-10 cm (3-4 inches), while females are slightly larger at 10-12 cm (4-5 inches). Their shell color ranges from gray to ivory to golden, with dark brown or black markings on each scute.
Basic Dietary Needs
Egyptian tortoises are herbivores, requiring a high-fiber, plant-based diet. Variety is key to good nutrition, with a diet consisting primarily of leaves and grasses, supplemented with occasional flowers as treats. The amount of food these tortoises eat and seem to need to remain healthy and breed is phenomenal, especially given their very small size.
Key Components of a Healthy Diet
Leafy Greens: The bulk of an Egyptian tortoise's diet should consist of leafy greens that are high in calcium.
- Recommended Greens: Escarole, chicory, turnip greens, red and green lettuces, dandelions, romaine lettuce, and spring mix.
- Occasional Greens: Small amounts of kale and collard greens can be offered.
Hay: Finely chopped hay, occasionally sprinkled on the salad mix, provides a great source of fiber.
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Commercial Tortoise Chow: Mazuri Tortoise Chow can be used about once per week to provide a balanced diet. Grain-based diets are generally recommended.
Weeds and Flowers: A variety of weeds and flowers can be offered to provide additional nutrients and variety.
- Suitable Weeds: Plantains, white nettle, corn poppy, chickweed, bindweeds, hawkbit, viola's, goats beard, nipplewort.
- Edible Flowers: Nasturtiums, gazania, hibiscus or rosella flowers.
Grape and Squash Leaves: Grape vine leaves, mulberry leaves, and the vines and leaves of cucumber, melon, or squash plants are good sources of fiber and calcium.
Other Options: Cilantro, alfalfa, molokhia, okra pods (occasionally), okra leaves, methi, and purslane can also be included in the diet.
Foods to Avoid
- Greens High in Oxalic Acid: Avoid greens high in oxalic acid, such as rhubarb, chives, parsley, and spinach. Oxalic acid binds with calcium, reducing its availability and potentially leading to kidney or bladder stones.
- Plants High in Goitrogens: Limit plants of the Brassicaceae (Cabbage) family, as they contain goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid activity and potentially damage the liver and kidney.
- Salad Items: Avoid regular feeding of salad items like lettuces, as they have little nutritional value and contain little fiber, leading to loose feces.
- Vegetables: Peas, beans, and root vegetables like carrots and parsnips should be avoided due to their high protein and carbohydrate content.
Supplementation
To ensure optimal nutrition and health, Egyptian tortoises require diet supplementation in the form of calcium, vitamins, and minerals.
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- Calcium: Provide calcium daily by dusting it directly onto the tortoise's food. Ultrafine Rep-Cal is a great source of natural calcium. Fresh broken pieces of cuttlebone should also be available, especially for gravid females, as it assists in natural trimming of their beak.
- Vitamins: Sprinkle Reptilian multiple vitamins lightly on the food about 1-2 times per week. A calcium supplement with D3 (such as Zoomed’s Reptivite and Reptical) should be used. However, when using pellet diets, vitamin supplements may not be necessary, except for calcium carbonate, as most pellet diets contain vitamin D3.
Feeding Schedule and Quantity
- Hatchlings and Young Tortoises: Feed daily or divide the daily portion in two, feeding morning and afternoon.
- Adult Tortoises: Feed daily, or omit feeding for one day a week.
- Quantity: Monitor the tortoise's growth and adjust the amount of food accordingly. For Mediterranean species like Hermanns, Graeca, Ibera, Marginated, and Horsfield, aim for steady, slow growth, with an average weight gain of between 1g - 3g per month.
Water
Fresh drinking water should always be available. Use a shallow dish, such as a flower pot saucer or a reptile water bowl with a ramp, to allow easy access.
Natural Grazing and Sunshine
Whenever possible, allow tortoises to graze naturally outside to benefit from natural sunlight for vitamin D synthesis. Ensure there are no poisonous plants within the tortoise's reach. If housed indoors, provide UVB from an artificial source, as UVB is not transmitted through glass.
Captive Environment
Enclosure
The minimum acceptable enclosure size for an Egyptian tortoise is 12 square feet of floor space. A breeding pair should have a minimum of 0.7 square meters (8 square feet), with an additional 0.2-0.4 square meters (2-4 square feet) for each additional animal. Enclosure walls should be opaque and at least 20 cm (8 in) high.
Substrate
Keep Egyptian tortoises on a dry substrate to avoid increasing humidity. Suitable substrates include:
- Crushed coral (available in pet stores or feed and grain stores)
- Argonite-based sand (made of Calcium carbonate)
- Beech woodchips
- ProRep's Tortoise Life substrate
- A mix of 50% decomposed granite, 25% top soil, and 25% mason sand
Avoid silica sand, as it can cause intestinal blockages.
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Temperature and Lighting
Egyptian tortoises prefer temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The enclosure should have a warm end with a basking spot of about 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit and a cool end of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Heat can be provided by a regular light bulb or ceramic heater, controlled by a timer for about 12 hours.
Humidity
Maintain a humidity gradient of around 30-60%. Provide a humid hide on the cool side with lightly moistened substrate. Spray the pens in the morning, ensuring they do not remain damp past noon.
Hide Boxes
Provide hide boxes to reduce stress and allow tortoises to select their preferred temperature.
Additional Considerations
Aestivation
Egyptian tortoises do not hibernate but may aestivate when exposed to temperatures exceeding 32.2°C (90°F). To simulate the dry season and assist in stimulating aestivation in captivity, maintain the basking area at a constant 35°C (95°F) from May to September.
Breeding
If keeping a male and female together, they may breed naturally if healthy and the conditions are good. A gravid female should have access to a nesting box filled with a soil mix that is wet enough to clump. Incubate eggs in an incubator at 84°F on a dry substrate with water to provide humidity.