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This should help with ID . A little blury


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Posted by Kevin Lorentz on July 05, 2001 at 18:39:15:

In Reply to: Re: Well another Tort joines my collection ..... posted by EJ on July 05, 2001 at 16:19:30:


See if you can ID him .


Kevin

: The bells Hingeback is very different from the Forest hingeback. It comes from a relatively dry climate. It is mostly a Savanah dweller.
: Heres some care info for you from someone who lives in their native range.
: (The best way to read this is to select it cut and paste it into a word processor document)
: 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!


:
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