Description
These lovely little critters are the unexpected result of Helen and Troy, two approximately 30-year-old spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca), getting together accidentally for the first time.
Helen and Troy normally have their own large, separate areas of the garden. Shortly after coming out of hibernation this year, however, Troy — the sneaky devil — managed to dig underneath the fence and pay Helen a visit.
We weren't 100% sure they had actually mated, but not long afterwards Helen turned into a little bulldozer. We watched with fascination as she searched for somewhere suitable to lay her eggs. By the time she finally decided on the perfect spot, she'd managed to dig up what seemed like half the garden.
Helen eventually laid six eggs in her first clutch and another six in a second clutch.
We hadn't planned on incubating any eggs, but after watching all the effort she'd put into laying them I couldn't quite bring myself to leave them. So I bought an incubator and thought we'd see what happened.
Well... now we have ten baby tortoises!
Ten of the twelve eggs hatched successfully. The babies are active little characters, exploring their enclosure and eating and drinking well. I've been regularly monitoring and weighing them as they've developed.
This wasn't a planned breeding project and we're not intending to keep the hatchlings, so we're now looking for good permanent homes for them.
The enclosure
I also have the complete purpose-built hatchling enclosure available and would be very happy to sell it along with some or all of the tortoises.
The tortoise table is approximately 4 ft × 2 ft and is a substantial piece of furniture rather than a lightweight pet-shop enclosure. I built it specifically for these hatchlings from 18 mm marine-grade plywood and pressure-treated timber.
The plywood has been finished with four coats of varnish, and the inside is lined with trade-quality linoleum, making it durable, waterproof and easy to clean.
The enclosure sits on its own sturdy timber stand with a full-width storage shelves underneath for food, substrate and other tortoise supplies.
It also has an overhead frame made from drain pipe for the lighting and heating equipment and is currently set up with proper UVB lighting, basking heat and thermostatically controlled heating. The equipment includes a quality Arcadia LumenIZE Pro T5 12% 39W UVB system, HabiStat temperature-control equipment, basking/heating equipment and the associated fittings.
The enclosure is currently up and running, so anyone interested in the complete setup can see exactly how everything works before taking it away.
Homes for the babies
I'm happy to discuss the hatchlings individually or in suitable groups. I'd also consider selling the complete setup with all ten hatchlings, enclosure and equipment to the right person.
These aren't tortoises that I've bred commercially. They're the rather unexpected result of Troy's successful tunnelling operation, and I'd much rather see them go to people who understand the commitment involved in keeping a tortoise and will give them a good long-term home.
I'm happy to talk prospective owners through their current feeding, lighting, heating and general care routine and answer any questions about how they've been raised.
Please get in touch if you're genuinely interested, whether that's in one or more of the hatchlings or the complete setup.
Adv. ID:8JedGnDBY
