Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota)

Short answers

Burmese star tortoise: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 225×110 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 225×110 cm (1997 expert report, at 28 cm shell length).

Burmese star tortoise: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot 32–34 °C (up to 40 °C), at night 22–24 °C (never below 20 °C).

Burmese star tortoise: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential.

Burmese star tortoise: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 30–50+ years.

Burmese star tortoise: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

22–24 °C (never below 20 °C)

Basking spot

32–34 °C (up to 40 °C)

Humidity

Moderate, 50–70 %; more humid for juveniles

UVB

Essential

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 225×110 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 225×110 cm (1997 expert report, at 28 cm shell length)

Substrate

A sand and soil mix, tussocks of grass, hides

Feeding

Food

Herbivorous: grasses, wild herbs, leaves; high in fibre, little or no fruit

Feeding interval

Plant food daily

Key facts

Adult size

~26–30 cm (females larger)

Life expectancy

30–50+ years

Origin

Central Myanmar (dry thorn savannah); almost extinct in the wild

Protection status

CITES Appendix I / EU Annex A – the yellow EU certificate plus a commercial-use permit are mandatory

Brumation

None (a dry, warm species); possibly a slight cool rest period

Cohabitation

Keep as a group, one male with several females: sociable and hardier than the Indian star tortoise. Two males, however, harass each other and the females; if courtship is constant a female may visibly lose weight, so plan for a way to separate animals.

Notes

CITES I, with strict documentation requirements. More robust and less prone to disease than G. elegans; summer outdoors, and a high-fibre grass diet.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) – Intermediate
• Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) – Expert
• Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys) – Intermediate to expert
• Forsten's tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii) – Expert
• Chaco tortoise (Chelonoidis chilensis) – Intermediate
• Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) – Intermediate
• Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) – Expert
• Impressed tortoise (Manouria impressa) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 225×110 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 225×110 cm (1997 expert report, at 28 cm shell length)), substrate (A sand and soil mix, tussocks of grass, hides), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.