Forsten's tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii)

Short answers

Forsten's tortoise: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 200×100 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 200×100 cm (1997 expert report, at 25 cm shell length).

Forsten's tortoise: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–30 °C, basking spot 34 °C, at night 21–24 °C.

Forsten's tortoise: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 6 %).

Forsten's tortoise: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 40–60 years.

Forsten's tortoise: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–30 °C

Night temperature

21–24 °C

Basking spot

34 °C

Humidity

75–90 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 6 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 200×100 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 200×100 cm (1997 expert report, at 25 cm shell length)

Substrate

Damp coco humus with a thick layer of leaf litter

Feeding

Food

Greens, windfall fruit, fungi, a little animal protein

Feeding interval

plant food daily

Key facts

Adult size

20–30 cm

Life expectancy

40–60 years

Origin

Sulawesi, Halmahera – rainforest

Protection status

CITES II; severely threatened

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keeping singly, or a pair if the male can be removed as soon as it harasses the female - a second enclosure should be planned for. Those with more space keep one male with several females, spreading out the courtship pressure.

Notes

A forest turtle with a very high humidity requirement, rare in captivity and tricky. Wild-caught animals are usually heavily parasitised and often do not survive.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) – Intermediate
• Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) – Expert
• Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys) – Intermediate to expert
• Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota) – Intermediate
• Chaco tortoise (Chelonoidis chilensis) – Intermediate
• Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) – Expert
• Impressed tortoise (Manouria impressa) – Expert
• Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Forsten's tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 200×100 cm floor space for one animal; for a pair from 200×100 cm (1997 expert report, at 25 cm shell length)), substrate (Damp coco humus with a thick layer of leaf litter), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.