Especially popular among lovers of reptiles is the stellate or Indian stellate tortoise, leading a terrestrial lifestyle. Its Latin name is Geochelone elegans. Adults are small in size and calm in nature. The tortoise shell is decorated with yellow stripes that contrast with its black background. No wonder she is considered one of the most beautiful creatures suitable for captivity.
For the first time, a star tortoise was found off the coast of India. It is also found in Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan. As such, there are no subspecies, however, turtles from different habitats slightly differ from each other in the shape of the shell and its color. The beautiful pattern on the back of the turtle owes its name.
Dimensions and duration of existence
In the Indian star tortoise, the females are much larger than the males. And if the former grow up to 25 cm, then the latter only up to 15 cm. As for the individuals living in the territory of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, they are larger than Indian ones. Females are up to 36 cm long, and males up to 20 cm.
The life expectancy of a reptile can be about 80 years, but this is provided that it lives at home. In the natural environment, the reptile faces many dangers: predators, fires, poachers.
Place of detention and care
It is best to place the turtle in an aquarium or just in a large and strong box. If you need to accommodate two adults, then the terrarium should be at least 100 cm long and 60 cm wide. Height is not the main thing, you just need to make sure that the turtles cannot get out and other animals in the house do not get them. Don't forget to clean and clean their house.
Lighting and heating system
Remember that turtles are native to the tropics. The reptile is accustomed to high humidity and the corresponding temperature, which ideally should warm up from 27 to 32 degrees. If the thermometer in the aquarium shows 27 degrees, then the humidity in no case can be lower. Both values must be made equally high. This species of turtle does not go into hibernation when the temperature drops, so they are not adapted to a state of prolonged cooling. The heating of the terrarium can be stopped at night, but only on condition that the necessary temperature conditions are observed in the house.
Turtles need vitamin D3 and calcium for successful development and a good lifespan. All this they usually get by basking under ultraviolet rays. In our latitudes, hot sunny weather occurs mainly in the summer, so it is difficult to provide a reptile with this kind of heating. However, this problem can be solved with an ultraviolet lamp. It must be installed in the terrarium along with other heating systems. Also, give the turtle special food containing the above vitamins. Then she will grow healthy and active.
When arranging an aquarium, it is very important to make two zones inside: one with heating and UV lamps, and the other with a humid environment, where the reptile can cool down if desired. In the first place, it is necessary to create a high temperature (about 35 degrees), and in the second place, cover the bottom with moss, earth or grass. It does not matter how the wet chamber will be framed, for example, in the form of a pot, box, crate. You just need to make sure that there is an entrance corresponding to the size of the reptile.
Drinker in the terrarium
The star tortoise needs fresh water all the time, so place a special container, saucer or bowl of liquid in its dwelling. Once a day, you need to change the water in the aquarium, because it gradually becomes contaminated and deteriorates. Very young turtles are recommended to bathe about 1-2 times a week in a basin filled with warm water. Don't get your reptile's head wet! If a white thickish mass appears in the liquid, do not worry, turtles can both drink water and defecate into it during such procedures.
Bathe turtles like this:
Diet
Indian star tortoises usually eat plant foods. It is quite possible to treat them with food for pets (cats and dogs), but green grass, rich in fiber, will be the main delicacy for them. These reptiles need to be given plants, vegetables and fruits, as well as artificial feed.
Turtles can be fed:
- cabbage and carrots;
- pumpkin and zucchini;
- lettuce and dandelion leaves;
- apples.
Occasionally they need to give:
- watermelons and melons;
- bananas and strawberries;
- tomatoes.
However, fruits should be fed with caution, because, after overeating them, the animal will suffer from diarrhea. Before serving food in the terrarium, it is crushed and placed in a low bowl so that the reptiles can conveniently reach for food. There are special foods for tortoises, which are also added to the general diet.
Baby feeding:
Diseases
Most star turtles are prone to respiratory diseases. They can easily catch a cold in a draft or freeze in a poorly heated room. The following symptoms indicate the presence of a cold: shortness of breath with a wheeze, a constantly open mouth, swollen eyes, lack of appetite and lethargy.
If the owner immediately noticed such manifestations of the disease, then he can add heating to the terrarium by putting another lamp there and try to adjust the necessary temperature regime in the house. These actions can speed up the immune system, it will fight the infection. It should be hot in the reptile's dwelling. Warm it thoroughly, occasionally bathing the turtle in warm water to avoid dehydration. If the condition worsens, contact your veterinarian immediately. He will prescribe a course of antibiotics and treatment. If you doubt that you yourself can help the reptile, then it is better to immediately take him to the doctor!
Proper Handling
Any turtle is a timid animal. She will immediately hide her head in her shell when trying to touch her, however, she gradually gets used to her master and cheerfully hurries for food if she smells it. Try not to give the turtle to young children to avoid pet stress.
If you also dream of such an unusual pet, but at the same time want to bring someone completely extraordinary into your home, then you should turn your attention to the Indian star tortoise. It is safe to say that if you are a fan of the turtle world, then it will forever win your heart.
In addition to its bright, memorable appearance, this pet is good because caring for it does not require any special skills and abilities to feed such a seemingly exotic pupil, you do not need to have a lot of money or a turtle delicatessen store around the corner. In addition, this Indian star-shaped beauty in a shell is distinguished by its friendliness and peacefulness. She rarely shows aggression, usually quickly adapts not only to new, still unknown to her living conditions, but also to her master. If you plan to buy another individual of this species for your pet in the future, then you can be calm, she also treats her neighbors very peacefully.
Therefore, if the thought flashed through your bright head that this is exactly the smaller friend that you have been looking for for so long, then you can be sure that you are unlikely to ever regret acquiring such a comrade.
But no matter how good and peaceful a turtle is, we must not forget that this animal comes from the wild, so before looking for it in all the nearby pet stores, it is better to get to know it a little closer.
The range and origin of the Indian star tortoise
According to many scientific sources, turtles are one of the most ancient parareptiles that have survived to this day, courageously surviving all the disasters and many other trials, as a result of which our large planet Earth has lost many plant species and a wide variety of animals.
Many scientists have been studying turtles since ancient times, discovering new species and exploring interesting facts about these amazing living creatures, and back in 1795 a new, hitherto unknown species was discovered - the Indian star tortoise. Scientists-zoologists classified it into the class of reptiles, the detachment of the turtle, the suborder of the hidden turtles and the family and genus of land turtles.
Based on its name, it is already possible to guess about the homeland of this reptile. And this is true, but in addition to the lands of India, this creature inhabits a fairly large territory of Pakistan, namely its southeastern part, Sri Lanka and many islands, located nearby.
This turtle with an original appearance in its natural habitat prefers to hide from all its neighbors in the thick of forests, which are protected on all sides by a large amount of shrub vegetation. Forest areas such a miracle of nature chooses with slightly reduced air humidity.
Behavior of the Indian star tortoise in open nature
The period of activity of this crypto-neck falls during the daytime, but at the very height of the daylight hours, when the sun mercilessly spreads its scorching rays, the turtle prefers to lie down in some shaded corner of the forest. Sometimes, climbing deep into the rhizomes of trees and shrubs, they wrap themselves in the thickness of the forest floor, or sometimes these creatures can, on not entirely legal grounds, make their way into burrows built by other animals. In search of food or simply for a walk, the star-shaped beauty goes out either early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
This reptile with a house on its back shows the greatest activity and mobility during a more humid period, if there is a long period of drought in the territories inhabited by the turtle, then it can easily hibernate.
The diet of this star-shaped native of India consists mainly of plant products, but if fortune turns to face her and she gets the opportunity to devour some small tasty animal, she will not refuse under any circumstances. It is no big secret to anyone that animals such as turtles are not famous for their speed of movement and this species is no exception. Due to its rather slow lifestyle, this reptile feeds mainly on what grows at a low altitude, which it can reach. Such feed can be flowers, grass, and if you're lucky - fallen fruits and other fruits. But with her inherent speed and agility, she is unlikely to be able to boast of living prey.
Continuation of the genus star tortoise
The process of puberty in beautiful turtles continues until about the age of 10-14 years. The fact that the animal already has the ability to fully reproduce can be judged by the length of the dorsal part of the shell, it should be approximately 24-31 cm. In the representatives of the male half of the turtle family, puberty occurs much earlier, at the age of about 3-6 years and with a carapace 18–25 cm long.
The beginning of the mating season for these living creatures with a house begins with the debut of the rainy season, usually from the end of May and continues until mid-October. Female turtles lay several clutches, in one such clutch usually from 3 to 8 eggs. The incubation period lasts approximately 50 to 150 days. After this time period, small turtles are born, in which no characteristic features are observed on the shell.
Science has described two varieties of coloring for baby turtles. In some, the main tone is orange; on it you can easily see a wide strip of yellowish color, which is located longitudinally along the spinal column. In another type of babies, their “house on the back” is painted in rich yellow and there is no longitudinal line, but their nature also did not deprive them of decorations. In the projection of the back, several elements are drawn that have an irregular shape, these patterns are painted in dark shades, closer to black. Exactly the same ornament can be seen on the sides of the little turtle body.
Characteristic features of the appearance of a star tortoise
This representative of a large animal kingdom cannot boast of particularly large dimensions of the body, usually its body grows no more than 25–30 cm in length. exceeds 13–16 cm.
Perhaps the greatest attraction of these natives of the family of land turtles is their shell, which is very remarkable and beautiful, both in shape and in the pattern on it. On the surface of this natural structure, a very unusual pattern is visible, which in its shape is very reminiscent of a real star with rays extending from it. This ornament, painted with the brush of mother nature herself, is painted in yellow tones and is absent only on the marginal shields of the shell. Probably, it is thanks to such a natural decoration that this parareptile got its name.
The main tone of the color of the shell of this hidden neck is dark brown or deep black. Such a seemingly slightly remarkable coloration helps reptiles to survive in harsh environmental conditions, since with its help they perfectly camouflage themselves in the rubble of dry grass or shrub vegetation.
Keeping a star tortoise
Probably, for every living creature living on our planet, one of the most important attributes for a happy and comfortable life is having your own roof over your head, also for pets, even if it is a land tortoise. In principle, such a pet as this miracle in a shell can feel very comfortable living in a spacious box. But is it right? After all, the life expectancy of this comrade is over 50 years, then it would probably be better to invest once in a more comfortable and suitable home for your pet.
As his personal house, a spacious horizontal type terrarium is well suited, the height of which is not so important, because its inhabitant is rather short, and will not climb trees and shelves. The main thing is that other inhabitants of your house from the animal world do not get to it.
Correct temperature. Due to the fact that this Indian turtle is used to living in rather hot climatic conditions, your task will be to recreate the microclimate familiar to it in captivity as much as possible. To do this, it is necessary to install an artificial heating source in the terrarium. As the latter, you can use both conventional incandescent lamps and thermal cords or thermal mats, they are currently sold at any pet store. During the daytime, the thermometer should not fall below 27-28 degrees, at night the temperature should fluctuate from 22 to 25 degrees.
There is one golden rule in relation to the star turtle: "The higher the temperature in the terrarium, the higher the humidity ratio should be." Under no circumstances should the temperature drop with a simultaneous increase in humidity, this action is very detrimental to your pet. The correct air humidity must be maintained by daily spraying of the terrarium, but it would be nice to install special devices that will independently regulate the conditions necessary for your pet.
A necessary attribute in the personal space of your friend with a house on his back will be an ultraviolet lamp, it will provide your friend with the necessary amount of ultraviolet rays, which in turn will help the fragile turtle body absorb calcium and cholecalciferol. With a lack of these elements, after some time, serious health problems can begin for your friend, which can promise not only the disability of the animal, but also death.
It is best to install the lamp in the same corner as the heating device, let it be a hot zone, so the reptile will choose for itself where it is better for him at one time or another of his life.
In addition to the hot zone, you can equip your pupil with the so-called wet chamber. To build the latter, you will need some kind of container with low sides, filled with wet moss, soil, or just green grass.
Water is also one of the main components of the happiness and health of the Indian star tortoise. It is best to install a pond filled with clean water in a small turtle house. From there, she will drink water and, if desired, use it as a personal pool, in addition, there will be an additional source to maintain air humidity. Only when building a place for swimming, it must be taken into account that the turtle is a slow and clumsy animal, so the sides need to be made low, otherwise, if your pet even somehow manages to climb in and swim there, then it certainly cannot get out of there.
The flooring in the terrarium should be strewn with a fairly wide layer of soil so that your turtle can burrow into it if desired, as long as the substrate is not too dusty. In one of the corners of the house, you can place a small amount of edible moss, such as sphagnum.
Feed such a pet as a turtle should be daily. As a main course, you can easily buy special food for turtles at any store, your friend will never refuse it, but you can also make a homemade diet, the so-called turtle menu. By nature, these reptiles are accustomed to eating food of plant origin, so there is absolutely no need to retrain them, except that you can diversify their food a little. Foods such as apples, cabbage, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, lettuce, dandelions and even alfalfa are welcomed on the menu of this friend. Occasionally you can indulge your buddy with such goodies as bananas, melons, watermelons or strawberries, but with such delicacies you can overdo it, causing an intestinal upset in the animal.
In addition to the main dishes, your turtle should be given various vitamin and mineral complexes, especially calcium.
You need to serve such turtle delicacies in a shallow plate, it is recommended to chop the dishes beforehand. After the meal is over, the feeder should be removed.
Difficulties in caring for the Indian star tortoise
The star tortoise belongs to the terrestrial species and is the most beautiful of the tortoises suitable for home keeping. Its bulbous carapace has yellow stripes, reminiscent of many stars, hence the name. They are distinguished by a good character, males do not divide the territory among themselves, get along well with other pets.
star turtle
Turtle Characteristics
Not typical for animals, but the female is larger than the males. Characteristics of reptiles:
- Body length - females up to 25 cm, males - up to 15 cm;
- Color - locally yellow, green, brown;
- Life expectancy - up to 80 years.
Turtle living in captivity They need this color for camouflage, they perfectly hide in the grass from predators. They never fall into hibernation, in Sri Lanka and Hindustan, where they live, there is no winter.
It is necessary for home maintenance, but you can get by with an ordinary wooden box. The dimensions of the dwelling must be at least 100 cm long and 60 wide. The health of the turtle depends on the cleanliness inside, so you will have to clean it daily, and there will be no specific smell in the apartment.
Pets' corner The air temperature should be in the range of 27-32 degrees, the humidity is slightly above normal. Install an ultraviolet lamp above the aquarium; without it, the turtle is guaranteed to get sick. Also, install a regular 40-watt incandescent lamp in one of the corners, this will be a heating area where the animal will spend a lot of time absorbing heat. It is not necessary to heat the entire territory, there should be cool zones.
The turtle does not need water procedures, it is not necessary to install a bath for bathing, but you can make a so-called wet chamber. It can be a shelter with a damp washcloth, moss, anything that holds water. The reptile will crawl there periodically, changing thermal baths to wet and cool ones.
Over time, when the animal gets used to the new house, it can be let go for a walk around the apartment.
Turtle food
If they do not bathe in water, then they drink water for a sweet soul. Be sure to have a saucer with fresh water anywhere in the terrarium.
Turtle lunch Their diet includes:
- Vegetables fruits;
- Grass;
- Dandelions;
- Canned food for cats and dogs.
Fruits should be given less often, they can cause diarrhea, especially from berries, tomatoes and apples.
You can also crumble vitamins special for turtles into food, they are sold at any pet store.
Turtle Intelligence
It is useless to train a star turtle, but over time it will begin to recognize the owner, and if at first she hid under the shell, then after a couple of months she will run after him with her tail.
Otherwise, it is a silly, decorative animal.
Buying a turtle
You can buy it only in expensive large pet stores, this is a rare turtle. There are also nurseries, but it’s easier to order at a pet store, and in a couple of weeks they will bring her. The price for one individual is around 10,000 rubles.
Actually, there is nothing more to download about the turtle, care and maintenance is not much different from others. The most important thing is attention, do not forget that she is alive, do not starve, do not let children play unattended, and show the veterinarian with strange lethargic behavior.
And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!
Star tortoise at the zoo, video
The star tortoise (or, as it is also called, the Indian star tortoise) is an unpretentious, friendly pet, characterized by a rather miniature size and unusual coloration: yellow lines on each shield of a dark shell form beautiful patterns resembling stars. Thanks to this feature, the turtle is called star-shaped.
The star tortoise is considered by many to be the most beautiful land tortoise of all captive species.
The length of its carapace averages 15 cm (males) and 25 cm (females), some species can reach 20 and 36 cm in length, respectively.
Lifespan
Star turtles are long-lived. Data on their average life expectancy vary, but usually they fit in the range from 30 to 80 years. Much depends on the conditions of detention and feeding. As a rule, in captivity, provided with proper care, the star tortoise lives much longer than in the wild, where it is threatened by predators and fires.
Features of maintenance and care
Star turtles are not only friendly and very beautiful, but also completely unpretentious in their content. They feel great when placed both in the aquarium and in a spacious box. The main thing is that the pet cannot get out of the "house" without permission, and other pets do not disturb the turtle.
The minimum length of a star turtle tank is 100 cm and the width is 60 cm. The larger the aquarium, the slower it will become dirty and the more comfortable it will be for your pet.
Optimum temperature in the aquarium: from +27 to 32 ˚С and +25 ˚С at night, humidity is high. Star turtles are tropical animals, and the combination of high humidity and low temperature is extremely harmful for them, so the temperature in the aquarium must be strictly controlled.
UV rays are essential for the star tortoise to absorb calcium and vitamin D3 well, and therefore for shell and bone health. In the conditions of housing and in our climate, the turtle cannot receive enough light, so a UF lamp for reptiles and a heating lamp must be installed in the aquarium.
The heating zone in the aquarium should be one, the ideal temperature in this zone is +35 ˚С. The rest of the area should be relatively cool, with standard star tortoise temperatures. In addition, the pet will need a small shelter with high humidity (the inside may be damp moss, grass or earth) where the turtle can rest from time to time.
Despite being a terrestrial tortoise, the star tortoise is also likes to swim, plus, it is very beneficial for her health, so a small pool (with a water level up to the turtle's neck) with clean water is placed in the aquarium. If there is no pool, then you can bathe the turtle in a basin in warm, stagnant water. When bathing, the pet's head should always be above the surface of the water.
Drinking water in the drinker will be replaced daily with clean water. Ready-made balanced diets, plants, succulent grass, some vegetables and fruits act as the main food for herbivorous turtles.
Despite the friendly disposition and ability to recognize the owner, the star tortoise should not be picked up often, because. any contacts are stressful for her. It is very important to explain this to the children so that they do not disturb the turtle with or without reason.
Spreading
The birthplace of star pets is India - the entire territory from the states of Orissa to the south of Hindustan - as well as the south of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the islands closest to it. Star turtles choose forests with dense shrubs and high humidity as habitats. Depending on the location, star turtles can vary slightly in appearance.
The star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) or the Indian star tortoise is popular among tortoise enthusiasts. She is small, friendly and most importantly, very beautiful.
With yellow stripes running across a black background on its shell, it is one of the most beautiful tortoises kept in captivity. In addition, they are not territorial, different females and males can live with each other, without fights.
The homeland of the star tortoise is India, Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan. Although there are no formal subspecies, they differ slightly in appearance in terms of habitat. They have a very beautiful convex shell, with a beautiful pattern on it, for which the turtle got its name.
Dimensions, Description and Lifespan
Female Indian star tortoises are larger than males, reaching a length of 25 cm, while males only 15. Species from Sri Lanka and Pakistan grow somewhat larger than purely Indian ones. Females can reach 36 cm and males 20 cm.
Data on life expectancy vary, but everyone agrees that the star tortoise lives for a long time. How? From 30 to 80 years old. Moreover, at home, they are guaranteed to live longer, as they do not suffer from predators, fires and humans.
An aquarium, even a large box, is suitable as a terrarium for a turtle. A pair of adult turtles needs a terrarium at least 100 cm long and 60 cm wide. The height does not matter, as long as they cannot get out and pets cannot reach them.
More volume is even better, as it will allow you to clean your turtle terrarium less often. And cleanliness is critical to their health.
Lighting and heating
The optimum temperature for keeping star turtles is between 27 and 32 degrees. At high humidity, the temperature should not be lower than 27 degrees. The combination of high humidity and low temperature is especially deadly for them, since this is a tropical animal.
The higher the temperature in the terrarium, the higher the humidity can be, not vice versa.
They do not hibernate like other types of turtles, so they do not have the ability to endure prolonged cooling. However, if at night the temperature in your house does not fall below 25 degrees, then the heating in the terrarium can be turned off at night.
Ultraviolet rays play an important role in the health of the star tortoise as they absorb calcium and vitamin D3. Of course, being under the summer, hot sun is the best way to get UV rays, but in our climate it is not so easy. So in the terrarium, in addition to lamps for heating, you need to use UV lamps for turtles.
Without them, you are guaranteed to get a sick turtle over time, with very big problems. It is also necessary to give her additional feed with calcium and vitamin D3 so that she grows faster.
In a terrarium with a star turtle, there should be a heating zone where lamps for heating and UV lamps are located, the temperature in such a zone is about 35 degrees. But, there must also be cooler places where she can cool down. It is ideal to make a wet cell for her.
What it is? Elementary - shelter with wet moss, earth or even grass inside. It can be anything: a box, a box, a pot. It is important that the turtle can climb in and out freely and that it is humid there.
Water
Indian turtles drink water from containers, so you need to put a drinking bowl, saucer or other source in the terrarium. The main thing is to change the water in it daily so that the turtle does not get poisoned from organic matter that accidentally got into the water.
Baby turtles should be bathed once or twice a week in warm, stagnant water. For example, in a basin, the main thing is that the head is above the water. Star turtles drink at this point, and even defecate into the water, which looks like a white, pasty mass. So don't be afraid, everything is fine.
Feeding
Star tortoises are herbivorous, meaning they eat dog or cat food, but love green, lush grass. They eat a variety of plants, fruits and vegetables, and you can also give artificial feed.
What can be fed?
- cabbage
- carrot
- pumpkin
- zucchini
- alfalfa
- dandelions
- lettuce
- apples
In addition, periodically you can give:
- apples
- tomatoes
- watermelons
- strawberries
- bananas
Nose fruits need to be careful so as not to cause diarrhea. The food is pre-crushed and served in a low plate, which is then removed from the terrarium. As already mentioned, additional calcium and vitamins should be given, but the easiest way to do this is to add commercial tortoise foods to the diet.
Diseases of star turtles
Most often they suffer from respiratory diseases that happen when the turtle freezes or is in a draft. Signs: Difficulty breathing, open mouth, puffy eyes, lethargy and loss of appetite. If the condition is left untreated, more serious problems, such as pneumonia, can follow.
If the disease has just begun to develop, then you can try to add heat by placing another lamp or heated mat. The temperature can be raised a couple of degrees, this will speed up the immune system and help it fight infection.
The terrarium should be kept dry and hot, and in order to avoid dehydration of the turtle, bathe it in warm water.
If the condition does not improve, then a course of antibiotics is needed, under the supervision of a veterinarian. However, it is better to seek the help of a veterinarian immediately, in order to avoid problems.
Appeal
Timid, star turtles hide in their shells when disturbed. However, over time, they recognize their owner and rush for food. You should not give them to children and often disturb, so as not to cause stress.
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