The African spurred tortoise is a large, burly turtle that can grow in excess of 2 feet in length. Its front legs are long and sturdy, capable of carrying it in pursuit of prey.
Its side plating is what gives it its namesake—spurred—and makes it look like a Armored Tortoise with a definite nod to other turtles. The plating is what gives the species its name—it keeps coming back for more armor!
Because they are large turtles, many facilities that have African spur tortoises need adequate space for them. There are two main ways of creating space for them: 1) build an enclosure that is self-closing or 2) buy an enclosure.
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Determining the temperature range for your tortoise
Most species of tortoise need a temperature range of aroundubique to ubique. Ubique is the term for either very hot or very cold temperatures for an individual.
Ubique tortoises are ones that do not heat up during summer months, unless they are placed in a heated enclosure. An uninhabited summer home is a good option!
To find out if your tortoise is ubrique or not, check the soles of its feet. If they are thick and leathery, then you have a poor chance of finding any warmth as they will have to pull them up every time they want to move.
If they are small, hard-shelled turtles or small Tortoises like greenbacks that can sometimes heat themselves up, then you do not need to worry about this.
Deciding on the temperature range for your tortoise enclosure
It is critical to know the temperature range and size of your enclosure for optimal health and wellness. All non-carnivorous reptiles, including African spur tortoises, need a temperature range of around sixty to eighty degrees Fahrenheit and a slightly warm environment.
There are two main reasons for this. First, reptiles require temperatures that are close to seventy degrees Fahrenheit in order to thrive. Second, certain types of environments — like Shelters or Dorms — can be cooled down quickly due to this.
In order to have enough heat balance in your snake or spur tortoise enclosure, you must know the following: • The appropriate dry season and wet season temperatures of your habitat, whether it is cool or heat conditioned, and whether it needs more insulation or protection.
• The width and length of your owner’s walkway, how thick the soil must be there to ensure adequate heat balance in the habitat, and whether it needs shade material or protection from other pets or animals.
Selecting the location for your tortoise enclosure
When it comes to choosing the location for your tortoise enclosure, there are two main areas to consider. The first is what type of weather you are going to give your tortoise. If you are a warm weathering tortoise, then an inland location is best as the temperature down south is higher.
The second is how wide the space needs to be. A full-body view is one of the most important parts of choosing a location for your tortoise enclosure. A snake will need a lot of space to move around in, so make sure you have enough room for that!
If you want to increase the size of your tortoise, then the second area must be decreased in size! Go slow and stop trying to impress everyone with bigger enclosures – it will only make things more difficult and create stress in your tortoise.
Overall, choose an enclosure that is comfortable for your animal and that has enough space for him or her to expand.
Optimal size of the tortoise enclosure
Most tortoises will prefer a larger enclosure for optimal temperature and comfort. A large enough space that is comfortable for them to move around in is also big enough that they do not have to be up to view all the time.
An adequate size for a non-superhero-size tortoise is about 25–30 inches (60–76 cm) wide, 1–1.5 feet (40–50 cm) long, and 15–20 inches (40–50 cm) high. A slightly smaller or larger than this would be better if the animal was feeling uncomfortable.
A larger animal might require more material in its enclosure to create heat and protection. The length of the animal also needs to be able to withstand temperature changes, as well as imposing enough space in which to live.
When looking at an animal, try putting a piece of your hand into the enclosure.
Use natural sunlight
an African spurred tortoise needs enough sunlight to maintain a healthy tan. Because the tortoise has a shell, it needs to be slightly offset from the sun to maintain a color.
How much sunlight you receive depends on where you are in the world. In North America, for example, the temperature range is too cool, as there is no solar radiation in winter and new year-round growth starts in spring.
In East Asia, where it is dark during the day, they use artificial lighting during daytime hours to maintain a tan. In Europe and Africa, where it is dark for part of the year, we recommend using artificial lighting so that your animal is always exposed to sunlight.
You can tell if your turtle is enough photophobe by how well its shell reflects light. If it looks pale and thin, then it should be under bright natural light.
Use high-output fluorescent lighting
Allison, a reptile expert at the University of California, Davis, recommends having at least one medium-size enclosure with a minimum of four to six African spurred tortoise individuals.
This size range allows for communal cleaning and hiding spaces, as well as different temperatures and lifestyles. Most species thrive in cool environments, so having enough space is key.
An adequate temperature range exists in reptiles, too – think low 100s Fahrenheit temperatures – so no single individual is missing out. Keeping different social groups is helpful for maintaining a healthy environment, too–think mixing water supply and dryness requirements.
Using heat bulbs or incandescent lights does not affect the climate of the enclosure.
Use incandescent lighting
Most bulbs have a base that is white and a top that is colored. These determine what color of light comes out of the bulb.
These are labeled, such as white, warm, or fluorescent. These determine how the light is distributed in the enclosure. A warm light bulb may distribute its light more evenly and smoothly than a fluorescent one would.
A CFL (compact flu-spring) may not be the best choice for an African spurred tortoise because it may not give them enough lighting to maintain their healthy skin tone. A white paper may be used as a buffer to prevent too much sun exposure and excessive heatstroke.
Add background scenery and decorations
An enclosure should be large enough to demonstrate the effects of its environment. This includes indoor and outdoor elements, as well as the effects of seasons.
When setting up an enclosure, it is important to understand the territory. The territory represents the space that your tortoise has to move around in. This space includes how wide the enclosure is, how high the partition is, and whether or not there are other parts of the tortoise.
A territory that is too small may cause problems such as stress and territorial behaviors, while a small territory may be able to demonstrate more skills such as defense and reproduction. It is important to find what feels right for you and your tortoise!
Another important part of an enclosure is decoration. Terrestrial reptiles do not have natural000001 perimeters so we set them up like dogs do with decorations such as tall walls with places for them to hide, lots of squirrels or chums to keep them interested in their area indoors.