Testudo horsfieldii
Horsfield's tortoise
Grazing space, a dry retreat, and a basking lamp indoors. This species digs and it brumates in a cool climate when the animal is healthy and the keeper already knows the routine.
Legal status
- CITES II
Testudo horsfieldii is recorded as CITES Appendix II under TESTUDINIDAE spp. in Appendix II, except Appendix I species. No EU annex letter was verified for this exact species in this record, so the annex field is empty. Confirm Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/966 before you import, sell, or rely on an annex. Not marked as an EU invasive alien species. Not marked venomous. Not named in 50 CFR 16.15. Often discussed as EU Annex B. The annex field is empty here until you confirm Regulation (EU) 2023/966 for this species. Check local rules before you keep, move, or rehome an animal. This record is not a permit and not legal advice.
Official sourceNot legal advice. Rules differ by country, and sometimes by region. Check the law that applies to you.
- Temperature
- 20–32°C
- Basking
- 32–35°C
- UVB
- Ferguson zone 3. About 1.0–2.6
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Minimum enclosure
- A secure outdoor pen in mild weather, or an indoor enclosure at least 120 × 60 cm for a small adult
- Adult size
- About 15–25 cm.
- Lifespan
- Many decades.
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Diet and feeding
Weeds, flowers, and leafy greens. Fruit is rare. Food available daily. Do not feed a rich salad that makes the animal grow in lumps.
Substrate
Soil outdoors. Indoor soil or a tortoise mix, not cedar.
Health
Pyramiding, metabolic bone disease, and respiratory infection in a cold damp shed.
Handling
Lift with two hands under the shell. Do not tip them.
Husbandry ranges are general guidance for captive care, not a veterinary prescription or a permit. Confirm the gradient with your own thermometers. UV zones follow Baines et al., Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1), 2016, https://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150. Legal fields use the source link on this species and stay empty when an annex was not verified.