Indian Star Tortoise
(Geochelone elegans)Indian star tortoises
are popular based on their size, personality and appearance. Their care is
similar to the leopard tortoise. With yellow lines radiating from the center of
each scute and contrasting with their black base color, star tortoises are one of
the world’s most attractive tortoise species. They also are not territorial.
Multiple males and females may be kept together without the fighting,
aggressive biting and ramming encountered during breeding by the European
species.Indian star tortoises
are native to India, Sri Lanka and southeastern Pakistan. Although there are no
formally recognized subspecies, there are geographically separate variants. In
the United States herpkeepers typically identify Indian and Sri Lankan star
tortoises, but both are classified as Geochelone elegans.Indian Star Tortoise
AvailabilityOnly captive-bred
star tortoises are available because they are protected throughout their
natural range. There is no legal export of wild-caught specimens.Indian Star Tortoise
SizeFemales grow larger
than males. Females typically attain a length of about 7 or 8 inches, and males
typically only reach 5 or 6 inches in length. Specimens from Sri Lanka and
northwest India grow larger. Sri Lankan females may grow to 15 inches long, but
males only reach 8 or 9 inches long.Indian Star Tortoise
Life SpanReports range from 30
to 80 years. Captive star tortoises under proper care may live longer than wild
tortoises, which might experience droughts, fires and predators.Indian Star Tortoise
CagingThe preferred setup
for adult star tortoises is outdoors. However, if you live in a climate too
cold for the tortoises, you may house them indoors. The size of the tortoise
also plays a role in its caging. Hatchlings are raised almost exclusively
inside. This protects the tortoises from predators and allows better monitoring
of food intake and temperature control.A pen 6 feet long by
6 feet wide is sufficient for one to four tortoises. The walls should be about
a foot high and made of block or wood, so the tortoises cannot see through or
over them. Star tortoises do not dig, so the walls do not need to be buried.
However, sinking the walls into the ground helps to prevent rodents or other
animals from burrowing under them. An outdoor enclosure should have a hide box
and a variety of shrubs, grasses or bushes to provide protection from the
elements and a sense of security. A portion of the pen may be planted with
grass or alfalfa for the tortoises to eat. Some rolling terrain is recommended.
Tortoises often bask on slopes to maximize sun exposure or dig into them to lay
eggs. Bare ground is also required for breeding animals because female
tortoises dig in the dirt to lay eggs.Indoors, adult star
tortoises can be permanently housed in a stock tank, plastic pool or large tub.
Although a pair of adult star tortoises could be maintained in an enclosure 3
feet long by 2 feet wide, larger enclosures allow you to go longer between
cleaning and changing substrates. A clean environment is critical to
maintaining a healthy tortoise. Grass clippings, peat moss or potting soil work
well as a substrate for permanent indoor enclosures. If a tortoise is only
housed indoors at night or during a brief winter period, newspaper works well
as a substrate. An indoor enclosure should include different microclimates,
including a warm, moist hide box and dry area with a basking light.Indian Star Tortoise
Lighting and TemperatureThe optimal
temperature for star tortoises is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They
can handle temperatures around 40 degrees for brief periods, but when nighttime
temperatures drop into the 50s or high temperatures fail to exceed 70 degrees,
the tortoises should be moved indoors or provided with heat. In wet conditions
or high humidity, temperatures should stay above 75 degrees. The combination of
cold and wet can be deadly to your tortoise and must be avoided. Moisture
levels should be low when the temperature is low, and moisture levels may rise
when temperatures are high. High dry temperatures are also acceptable and in
fact are provided most of the summer. Star tortoises don’t hibernate, and they
cannot survive freezing temperatures. If star tortoises are maintained entirely
indoors, temperatures may range from 75 to 90 degrees.Exposure to natural
sunlight or ultraviolet light plays an important role in how a star tortoise
absorbs and uses calcium. UVB light or natural sunlight helps the tortoise
produce vitamin D3, which helps the tortoise absorb and use the available
calcium. Basking in natural, unfiltered sunlight is the best method to ensure
sufficient D3 is available for calcium absorption. It is recommended that
tortoises have a calcium-rich diet with a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 2-1.
Some tortoisekeepers supplement the diet with manufactured vitamins and D3, but
I have not found this to be necessary if the tortoises are provided a varied
diet and exposure to UVB light.Indoors, UVB can be
obtained from fluorescent tubes specially made for use by reptiles or from
mercury vapor bulbs, which also provide some heat. If fluorescent tubes are
used for UVB, a separate lamp may be required for heat, so the tortoise can
thermoregulate and raise its temperature to optimal levels for digestion. This
heat source should provide a basking area of about 95 degrees.Indian Star Tortoise
FoodStar tortoises graze
and feed on a variety of grasses and vegetation. They require a high-fiber diet
rich in calcium. Their captive diet may include grasses, greens, vegetables,
fruit, and prepackaged or commercial diets.Grasses may include
but aren’t limited to Bermuda grass, rye, mature alfalfa (not sprouts), blue
grass and fescue. Greens may include but aren’t limited to collard greens,
turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens and flowers, hibiscus leaves
and flowers, grape leaves, escarole, and mulberry tree leaves. Vegetables may
include but aren’t limited to spineless cactus pads (Opuntia species), carrots,
zucchini, butternut squash, pumpkin, snap or snow peas, mushrooms, sweet
potato, yellow squash and bell peppers.A small portion of
their diet may include fruits, such as tomatoes, apples, papayas, cantaloupes,
honeydews, watermelons, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mangos and bananas.Indian Star Tortoise
WaterStar tortoises
readily drink standing water, so provide a water dish, but check it daily, and
clean it as required. Hatchlings may be soaked once or twice a week in shallow,
warm water. They will drink and often defecate or pass urate waste, which has a
white pastelike appearance.Indian Star Tortoise
HealthStar tortoises are
prone to respiratory problems, which occur when a tortoise is cold or is kept
in suboptimal conditions. Signs of a respiratory problem include labored
breathing, a nasal discharge, a gaping mouth, puffy eyes, lethargy and a loss
of appetite. If not corrected, minor problems can progress to more serious
conditions, such as pneumonia.To correct minor
respiratory problems, increase the warmth of the enclosure with an extra heat
source, such as a fixture with an incandescent bulb or a heating pad under the
enclosure. Bump up the temperature, and increase the hotspot 5 to 10 degrees.
The added heat will help boost a tortoise’s immune system and allow it to
better fight infection. Keep the enclosure hot and dry. Soak the tortoise to
keep it well hydrated, and ensure water is available to drink.Severe cases, or
tortoises that do not respond to added heat, will typically require a course of
antibiotic drugs prescribed by a veterinarian.Indian Star Tortoise
Handling and TemperamentNot a good pet for
young children, tortoises should be handled infrequently. Some star tortoises
are shy. They will withdraw their head and limbs, but they will generally learn
to recognize their keeper and will come for food.
