Re: Bells hingeback/more good info...

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Posted by EJ on February 11, 2001 at 12:22:20:

In Reply to: Re: Bells hingeback posted by jon on February 10, 2001 at 23:13:41:

This stuff was posted on another list(I think Africantortoise it was called. Along with Jons stuff is some good info.
Ed
HINGE-BACK TORTOISES

� Kinixys belliana belliana - Bell's or Lowveld hinged tortoise
� Kinixys belliana spekii - Savanna hinged tortoise
� Kinixys natalensis - Natal hinged tortoise

Natural history:
These tortoises are easily identified by their hinged carapace that
allows the rear of their shell to close for protection of hind feet and
tail. They are commonly found throughout central and East Africa, and
are equally at home on savannahs, coastal bush and thornveld.

A very hardy and robust tortoise, they adapt easily to captivity and
thrive in almost any climate, although some species of hinge-back from
other countries such as Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa from West
Africa are much more difficult and require constantly high humidity.

General Care:
These tortoises can be allowed free run in a reasonably sized garden as
long as fencing is adequate. They are adept at both climbing and digging,
and escapes are common. If an enclosure is used, it should be at least
5m X 3m for a single pair and placed in a sunny area in your garden.
They are fairly shy tortoises and enjoy a well planted enclosure
providing them with both food and ample cover for hiding. Small shrubs
and pampas grass are utilised for sleeping under and retreating from
midday sun. Hinged tortoises are active fairly early in the morning,
retiring to a cooler spot during midday, and emerging late afternoon to
browse briefly before retiring for the night. These tortoises love
sleeping in confined spaces, and any sleeping shelter constructed should
just clear their shell and be well stocked with dry leaves for them to
burrow into. Change any bedding used regularly. These shelters can be
made from blocks with fibreglass roofing, quarter drums well packed with
dry grass, or flower pots laid on their side and anchored with a brick
either side to prevent rolling.

A sunken pond is utilised almost daily, as these tortoises love soaking.
The top of a large bird bath buried to the rim is ideal, the sloping
sides providing easy access to water with little risk of drowning. Water
should be changed often as they usually defecate and urinate in their
water. This is part of the 'programming' of many tortoises to conserve
precious water resources: they will not voluntarily lose bodily water
until they know a replacement source is available. Hinged tortoises also
enjoy a spraying from a garden hose, as this simulates rain, and these
species are especially active during and immediately following rainfall.

Any area intended for hinged tortoises (enclosure or garden) should be
well planted with edible vegetation and weeds chosen from the list
below:

Plant list for captive Hinged tortoises and Angulates: (* are those highly
favoured)

Hibiscus (leaves & Flowers)* Mulberry (leaves & Fruit)
Wild & Australian cherry (fruit) Carissa (Natal plum/num-num) fruit
Gazanias* Barleria*
Portulacca* Tradescantia (wandering Jew)
Aloe Vera* Diascia
Mimula Cotyledon (most types)*
Painted Lady* Echeveria*
Begonias (low growing)* Lippia
Pilia Violets (not African - English)
Petunias* Alyssum
Watercress* Endives*
Russelia Juncea (coral plant)* Mesembryanthemum*
Lederboria* Aeonium Undulatum*
Indigenous hen & chicken Crassula (some types)
Golliwog* Dichondra repens (wonderlawn)
Grasses as for leopard tortoises*

Weeds: (* are most important)

Dandelion* Thistle
Small flowered quickweed Chickweed *
Opuntia (most types)* Sand bramble
Broadleaf grasses* Clover*
Paperthorn*

Hinged species need snails, earthworms and millipedes in addition
to plant food.

General: Plants consumed will vary from soil to soil and time of year, for
a season or two they may ignore one plant totally, and then the
following year will eat every available shoot. Given a wide enough
choice most tortoises will eat a balanced diet by instinct, and if you
have sufficient edible plants in his area you may be able to do without
any supplementary feeding. The most common mistake made in captivity is
overfeeding. Natural plant food takes up to 28 days to digest, this
allowing time for all nutrients to be utilised. Food from the kitchen is
digested in about 4-6 days, thus passes through the tortoise's system
too quickly and disturbs his digestive process. Fruit in particular can
be harmful as it raises levels of lactic acid in the gut and thus
provides the ideal environment for parasites to take hold. A healthy
tortoise will be active and browsing for a good part of each day during
the warmer months. In wintertime his appetite will drop off and he will
spend much of his day sleeping and sunbathing. Weigh often to monitor
health - any weight loss should be viewed with alarm.

Ensure that plants you utilize for food have not been sprayed with
poisonous chemicals.

If the enclosure/garden is well planted from this list, supplemental
feeding should only be give 1-2 times weekly:

Suggested foods: Sliced cucumber, sliced carrot/butternut/pumpkin,
sliced tomato, lettuce/cabbage (VERY small quantities), sliced
courgettes, fruit (sparingly - paw-paw is the favourite). For smaller
tortoises grate food instead of slicing and use diced vegetable leaves.
This food should be offered in the early morning, and any uneaten food
removed by lunchtime. A good vitamin/mineral supplement should be added
to the food about once a week. The odd bone left lying in the enclosure
will be chewed on, this helps keep their beak trim and provides some
additional calcium. Cuttlefish bone, as used by bird keepers, is
especially suitable.

Live food: All the hinged species relish snails, earthworms and
millipedes, and an effort should be made to supply these once or twice
weekly. Giving tinned meat as a substitute should be avoided where
possible, natural sources are always preferable to processed alternatives.
Snails can be easily found early evening especially after rain, and a
short walk with a good torch should provide several snails at least.
Millipedes can be attracted by placing a tin with holes punched around
the bottom and filled with carrot peelings in a shady garden bed.
Millipedes also congregate under dried leaves in shady areas. These
tortoises learn fast, and if earthworms/millipedes are unearthed while
you are gardening, they soon learn to approach and wait patiently every
time you appear with a spade!

Posted by Misty Corton

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Comments:
: This stuff was posted on another list(I think Africantortoise it was called. Along with Jons stuff is some good info. : Ed : HINGE-BACK TORTOISES : � Kinixys belliana belliana - Bell's or Lowveld hinged tortoise : � Kinixys belliana spekii - Savanna hinged tortoise : � Kinixys natalensis - Natal hinged tortoise : Natural history: : These tortoises are easily identified by their hinged carapace that : allows the rear of their shell to close for protection of hind feet and : tail. They are commonly found throughout central and East Africa, and : are equally at home on savannahs, coastal bush and thornveld. : A very hardy and robust tortoise, they adapt easily to captivity and : thrive in almost any climate, although some species of hinge-back from : other countries such as Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa from West : Africa are much more difficult and require constantly high humidity. : General Care: : These tortoises can be allowed free run in a reasonably sized garden as : long as fencing is adequate. They are adept at both climbing and digging, : and escapes are common. If an enclosure is used, it should be at least : 5m X 3m for a single pair and placed in a sunny area in your garden. : They are fairly shy tortoises and enjoy a well planted enclosure : providing them with both food and ample cover for hiding. Small shrubs : and pampas grass are utilised for sleeping under and retreating from : midday sun. Hinged tortoises are active fairly early in the morning, : retiring to a cooler spot during midday, and emerging late afternoon to : browse briefly before retiring for the night. These tortoises love : sleeping in confined spaces, and any sleeping shelter constructed should : just clear their shell and be well stocked with dry leaves for them to : burrow into. Change any bedding used regularly. These shelters can be : made from blocks with fibreglass roofing, quarter drums well packed with : dry grass, or flower pots laid on their side and anchored with a brick : either side to prevent rolling. : A sunken pond is utilised almost daily, as these tortoises love soaking. : The top of a large bird bath buried to the rim is ideal, the sloping : sides providing easy access to water with little risk of drowning. Water : should be changed often as they usually defecate and urinate in their : water. This is part of the 'programming' of many tortoises to conserve : precious water resources: they will not voluntarily lose bodily water : until they know a replacement source is available. Hinged tortoises also : enjoy a spraying from a garden hose, as this simulates rain, and these : species are especially active during and immediately following rainfall. : Any area intended for hinged tortoises (enclosure or garden) should be : well planted with edible vegetation and weeds chosen from the list : below: : Plant list for captive Hinged tortoises and Angulates: (* are those highly : favoured) : Hibiscus (leaves & Flowers)* Mulberry (leaves & Fruit) : Wild & Australian cherry (fruit) Carissa (Natal plum/num-num) fruit : Gazanias* Barleria* : Portulacca* Tradescantia (wandering Jew) : Aloe Vera* Diascia : Mimula Cotyledon (most types)* : Painted Lady* Echeveria* : Begonias (low growing)* Lippia : Pilia Violets (not African - English) : Petunias* Alyssum : Watercress* Endives* : Russelia Juncea (coral plant)* Mesembryanthemum* : Lederboria* Aeonium Undulatum* : Indigenous hen & chicken Crassula (some types) : Golliwog* Dichondra repens (wonderlawn) : Grasses as for leopard tortoises* : Weeds: (* are most important) : Dandelion* Thistle : Small flowered quickweed Chickweed * : Opuntia (most types)* Sand bramble : Broadleaf grasses* Clover* : Paperthorn* : Hinged species need snails, earthworms and millipedes in addition : to plant food. : General: Plants consumed will vary from soil to soil and time of year, for : a season or two they may ignore one plant totally, and then the : following year will eat every available shoot. Given a wide enough : choice most tortoises will eat a balanced diet by instinct, and if you : have sufficient edible plants in his area you may be able to do without : any supplementary feeding. The most common mistake made in captivity is : overfeeding. Natural plant food takes up to 28 days to digest, this : allowing time for all nutrients to be utilised. Food from the kitchen is : digested in about 4-6 days, thus passes through the tortoise's system : too quickly and disturbs his digestive process. Fruit in particular can : be harmful as it raises levels of lactic acid in the gut and thus : provides the ideal environment for parasites to take hold. A healthy : tortoise will be active and browsing for a good part of each day during : the warmer months. In wintertime his appetite will drop off and he will : spend much of his day sleeping and sunbathing. Weigh often to monitor : health - any weight loss should be viewed with alarm. : Ensure that plants you utilize for food have not been sprayed with : poisonous chemicals. : If the enclosure/garden is well planted from this list, supplemental : feeding should only be give 1-2 times weekly: : Suggested foods: Sliced cucumber, sliced carrot/butternut/pumpkin, : sliced tomato, lettuce/cabbage (VERY small quantities), sliced : courgettes, fruit (sparingly - paw-paw is the favourite). For smaller : tortoises grate food instead of slicing and use diced vegetable leaves. : This food should be offered in the early morning, and any uneaten food : removed by lunchtime. A good vitamin/mineral supplement should be added : to the food about once a week. The odd bone left lying in the enclosure : will be chewed on, this helps keep their beak trim and provides some : additional calcium. Cuttlefish bone, as used by bird keepers, is : especially suitable. : Live food: All the hinged species relish snails, earthworms and : millipedes, and an effort should be made to supply these once or twice : weekly. Giving tinned meat as a substitute should be avoided where : possible, natural sources are always preferable to processed alternatives. : Snails can be easily found early evening especially after rain, and a : short walk with a good torch should provide several snails at least. : Millipedes can be attracted by placing a tin with holes punched around : the bottom and filled with carrot peelings in a shady garden bed. : Millipedes also congregate under dried leaves in shady areas. These : tortoises learn fast, and if earthworms/millipedes are unearthed while : you are gardening, they soon learn to approach and wait patiently every : time you appear with a spade! : Posted by Misty Corton

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