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African
Spur Tortoise (Geochelone
sulcuta)
African Spur-Thigh tortoises
are the third largest
tortoise in the world.
Adult male tortoises can
reach 125-240 pounds, while
females typically reach
65-100 pounds. African
Spur tortoises originate
from Central Africa where it
is very dry and they get
most of their moisture from
the plants that they eat.
African Spur tortoises are
known to dig and burrow
extensively in the wild.
When keeping your tortoise
outside make sure the area
is escape proof. Also
remember that African Spur
tortoises do not hibernate
and if kept outside you must
provide your tortoise a
heated shelter for the
winter months. The oldest
African Spur tortoise in
captivity is 54 years old
however, one could expect
these tortoises to reach
50-100 years old. Adult
Spur tortoises can be
aggressive towards each
other and they are best kept
alone or in male/female
pairs.
Temperature and UV Lighting
African Spur Thigh Tortoises
need be kept between 90-100
degrees during the day and
the temperature can drop to
about 70 at night. UVB
lighting allows the tortoise
to naturally produce Vitamin
D3. Vitamin D3 allows the
tortoise to metabolize the
proper amounts of calcium. A
UVB light should be on 12-14
hours every day. Without UVB
lighting the tortoise will
eventually get metabolic
bone disease. This causes
the tortoises’ bones to get
soft and eventually will
kill the tortoise. When kept
outdoors no UVB lighting is
needed, natural sunlight
covers all requirements.
Also it is very important to
change your UVB light every
6-8 months, after this time
the light stops producing
adequate UVB. If you’re not
sure if your UV light is
still producing UVB, bring
it in and we’ll be happy to
test the light for you.
Housing
The cage for an African Spur
tortoise should be big
enough for it to have enough
room to move around easily.
For a baby to 4” a 20gallon
is sufficient. From 4”-10”
at least a 60gallon will be
needed. After 10” your
tortoise can be kept
outside.
Bedding
The bedding should consist
of something digestible. If
it is not digestible the
bedding can cause impaction
if the tortoise accidentally
ingests it. The best types
of beddings are CalciSand,
crushed walnut shells,
rabbit pellets, or
compressed carpeting. Make
sure to provide a type of
bedding that maintains a low
humidity.
Calcium
A calcium
and vitamin supplement
should be put on its
vegetables every day as a
baby. This can be reduced to
1-2 times a week as an
adult. When kept indoors the
supplement must contain
Vitamin D3, because the UVB
light alone does not produce
enough D3 by itself. Once
the tortoise is large enough
to live outdoors, you cannot
use a D3 supplement. Natural
sunlight allows the tortoise
to produce the perfect
amount of D3 to keep it
healthy. Over
supplementation of D3 can be
harmful to your tortoise.
Food and Water
African Spur Thigh tortoises
should be fed grasses and mixed vegetables daily. They can be
fed a variety of leafy
greens such as collard
greens, mustard greens, red
leaf lettuce, green leaf
lettuce, romaine lettuce,
dandelion greens, hibiscus
leaves and flowers, green
onions, spinach, green
beans, zucchini, frozen
mixed vegetables, timothy hay, and alfalfa. Fruits
should only make up about
10% of their diet. Never
feed your tortoise iceberg
lettuce because it lacks the
nutritional contents
necessary for proper
health. African Spurs get
the water they need from the
plants that they eat,
however we recommend that
you soak your tortoises two
times a week in shallow
water to prevent
dehydration.
Cleaning and Handling
The terrarium should be
cleaned as necessary. Any
fecal matter or left over
food should be cleaned out
several times a week. The
bedding should be completely
changed once a month. The
inside of the terrarium can
be cleaned out with an
appropriate reptile cage
cleaner, we recommend
Natural Chemistry’s Healthy
Habitat. Fresh clean water
should always be provided.
African Spur Tortoises can
be handled on a daily basis
and always wash your hands
before and after handling
them.