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Twoyoungsters fromSurinam, imported in2008by reptilia24. Photo:FrankSchäfer
Portrait of anadult Red-FootedTortoise fromSurinam.
Photo:FrankSchäfer
observation of the tortoises. The heating
consists of two radiators and underfloor
heating, connected to the oil-fired central
heating in my house. The special heating
pipe from the house is insulated by being
buried 80 cm deep in the ground. This
system permits the permanent high
temperatures required to be achieved. An
automaticshowersystemservestosimulate
showers of rain. Some individuals enjoy a
shower onhot dayswhileothers comeout
only after the rain. Several plant tubs and a
largewoodenboxprovidethetortoiseswith
somewhere to rest and hide. The floor
consists of bark mulch and sand. A large
heap of a peat-sand-humus mixture was
created to serve as a place to lay eggs.The
outside enclosure is planted with grass,
meadow weeds, and a few bushes. The
temperatureatnight isaround25 °Candup
to 45 °C during the day. Automatic
ventilators and the door allow the high
temperature todrop toaround35 °C in the
middle. This comes very close to natural
conditions (Vinke & Vinke, 2000). The
tortoisesare inactivewhen it ishotter in the
greenhouse.Theirmainperiodof activity is
in the morning and afternoon, when they
like to go looking for food or proceed to
mate.
Red-FootedTortoises in theGuianas
In theGuianas theRed-FootedTortoise lives
on dry tropical savannahs bordering
rainforest areas. According to Thomas and
SabineVinke (2000),thevegetation in these
biotopesconsistsmainlyof sedges (
Cyperus
and relatedgenera); inelevatedareas there
are creepers and low scrub which the
tortoises like to use as cover during the
night and/or the noon-day heat. There are
only temporary bodies of water (e.g. rain
puddles) where the tortoises can regulate
theirwaterbudget.Onlya fewspecimensof
Geochelone carbonaria
are to be found in
theadjacent rainforest.Therearenomarked
seasonal fluctuations in the climate. The
temperatureduring theday liesbetween26
and 36 °C and at night between 25 and 29
°C. The humidity is permanently high,
measuring between 80 and 100%. In the
wild these tortoises restwhen it isveryhot .
They are activeearly in themorning and in
the evening,which accordswithmy obser-
vationsduringgreenhousemaintenance.
Always important:thecorrect food!
The accommodation for these tortoises is
certainly an important factor, but many
different roads lead toRome in this respect.
Ingenious
terrarium
keepers
will
undoubtedly be able to create optimal
