The binomial name of the speckled padloper tortoise for sale is Chersobius signatus. Also alternatively referred to as the Homopus signatus. This is because the speckled cape tortoise used to belong to the genus Homopus but has since been moved to the genus Chersobius. The speckled cape tortoise belongs to the family Testudinidae, which include all tortoises.

Diet

The species are herbivores and feed exclusively on plant material such as chicory, endive, fleaworts (also known as plantains), dandelions and other plants from the genus Taraxacum.

You can complement their diet with soaked heucobs, agrobs, chopped hay, and other fiber-rich components. Their diet can be supplemented with nitrogen-rich plant material such as beans once every week. This is important especially during spring and winter.

Adult speckled tortoises need to be fed every other day, while juveniles need to be fed daily.

Because they are hardly active during the warmer parts of summer and the colder parts of winter, they tend to eat less (usually nothing). However, it is important to still provide them with food, as they may still eat every now and then.

Also, it is important to you feed them using a feeding dish, or a surface without soil. This ensures they don’t ingest soil with can be fatal and even lead to death.

The diet also needs to be supplemented with vitamins and calcium additive designed for tortoises.

Habitat

These tiny tortoises don’t require a lot of room to be comfortable. A single adult of this species can comfortably live in a 5.5 sq. foot (0.5 sq. meter) terrarium. An 11 sq. foot (1 sq. meter) terrarium should be large enough for three adults.

Compacted sandy loam makes the best substrate for an enclosure. Since it is important that the enclosure imitates their natural habitat, you can use rocks, plants, and wood stumps to decorate the enclosure. To create a stress-free and comfortable environment, the terrarium must have several retreats.

If you want to breed these tortoises, the substrate of the female’s enclosure should be about 4 to 8 inches (10 cm) deep. This will allow them to dig a shallow nest for their eggs.

Young speckled cape tortoises require less space. Three hatchlings can live comfortable in a 1.6 sq foot (0.15 sq. meter) enclosure. As with the adult terrariums, juvenile terrariums must have a compact sandy loam substrate as well as places to hide.

Predation

Little is known about the predators of the Chersobius s. The main predators of this species includes dogs, pigs, birds and humans. These dogs and pigs are not endemic to the speckled cape tortoises’ habitat but were introduced by humans.

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