Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian (Testudo graeca nabeulensis)

Short answers

Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Outdoors or in a greenhouse in summer (often an indoor enclosure from October to May), from about 6–8 m² per animal; they need warmth, with a heatable shelter.

Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–30 °C (outdoors / cold frame, needs warmth), basking spot 38–42 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter), at night 16–20 °C.

Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it.

Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 50–80 years.

Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–30 °C (outdoors / cold frame, needs warmth)

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

38–42 °C (basking spot under a heat emitter)

Humidity

40–60 % (juveniles need a humid microclimate of 60–80 %)

UVB

UVB essential when kept indoors (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–5); outdoors the sun covers it

Enclosure

Minimum size

outdoors or in a greenhouse in summer (often an indoor enclosure from October to May), from about 6–8 m² per animal; they need warmth, with a heatable shelter

Substrate

A garden-soil and sand mix they can dig in; leaf litter or hay

Feeding

Food

Strictly herbivorous: fibre-rich wild herbs and flowers; no fruit and no animal protein; calcium (cuttlebone)

Feeding interval

wild herbs freely available every day, no overfeeding; juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

10–14 cm (kleinste graeca-Unterart; Weibchen um 13–14 cm, Männchen deutlich kleiner)

Life expectancy

50–80 years

Origin

North-eastern Tunisia (the Cap Bon / Nabeul region), adjoining north-eastern Algeria

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex A: an EU certificate (the yellow CITES form with photo documentation), plus registration and marking duties

Brumation

A summer rest (aestivation) from late June to early September against the heat; in winter only limited activity or a mild winter rest (northern animals), but no long cold dormancy as in the European forms

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. A group only as one male with several females and plenty of space; never two males

Notes

The smallest subspecies and the one that needs most warmth. A common mistake: overwintering it cold like Turkish animals – which is dangerous. Respect the summer rest, keep it warmer all year and active in winter. Sensitive to cold.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) – Intermediate to expert
• Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise – Dalmatian (Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – eastern (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) – Beginner
• Hermann's tortoise – western (Testudo hermanni hermanni) – Beginner to intermediate
• Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) – Beginner
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Armenian (Testudo graeca armeniaca) – Intermediate
• Spur-thighed tortoise – Golan (Testudo graeca terrestris) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Spur-thighed tortoise – Tunisian (Testudo graeca nabeulensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (outdoors or in a greenhouse in summer (often an indoor enclosure from October to May), from about 6–8 m² per animal; they need warmth, with a heatable shelter), substrate (A garden-soil and sand mix they can dig in; leaf litter or hay), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.