Turtle in the desert. desert tortoise

Scientists often call natural conditions deserts are extreme, that is, extreme. One is always in abundance, the other is lacking. The main thing that is sorely lacking in the desert is moisture. Less than 170 mm of precipitation falls annually, and for many months the merciless sun shines from a cloudless sky - not a drop of rain falls on the parched earth. But the desert does not occupy heat and sun. During the day, the air temperature rises to 45-50 °, in some areas of the tropics - even up to 58 °, and the surface of the earth at the same time heats up to 80-90 °.

The lack of moisture and the withering heat do not allow the rich vegetation cover to develop in the deserts. Only on short period rains, lasting one or two months, some deserts are transformed: on the sand or on a clay surface appears green cover. It was at this time that insects and reptiles lay their eggs, birds make nests, and mammals bring babies.

How do desert animals manage to adapt to harsh temperatures, lack of moisture, to life on soil that is almost not covered with vegetation?

No animal can tolerate prolonged overheating. If you leave a lizard or a rodent gerbil during the day in the sun, then in just a few minutes they will die from sunstroke. Desert dwellers escape from the scorching rays of the sun in different ways. Many of them - jerboas, geckos, sand boas, dark beetles - lead night image life. During the day, when the sun bakes mercilessly, these animals find refuge in deep cool minks.

Animals leading a day life are active only in the early morning hours, when the soil has not yet become hot. And when the sun rises higher and its rays turn the surface of the earth into a frying pan, they seek shady cool shelters. Diurnal lizards - foot-and-mouth lizards, agamas, roundheads - climb into rodent burrows, burrow into the sand, or climb onto the branches of bushes, where the temperature is noticeably lower than in the hot surface layer of air. Mammals also hide in burrows or hide in the shade of bushes and rocks. Small birds - desert sparrows, dun finches - prefer to build nests in the shade to protect themselves and their offspring from overheating. Therefore, they willingly settle under the huge nest of the desert raven or golden eagle. Under it, as under an umbrella, there are 3-5 nests of small passerine birds.

The inhabitants of the desert have adapted in different ways to obtain the water necessary for the body. For tens of kilometers, desert birds fly to the watering hole - grouse and pigeons. Desert dwellers, who do not have such mobility, have to find water in a roundabout way. So, herbivorous animals - dark beetles, rodents (gerbils and ground squirrels), antelopes - extract water from the succulent parts of plants - leaves, green twigs, rhizomes and bulbs. Desert animals have a number of physiological adaptations for economical use of water.

Central Asian tortoise.

In order to move quickly on loose sand, sandy desert animals have various adaptations. On the paws of many lizards and insects, scales or bristles form special brushes. These brushes provide good support when running on the surface of the sand. A reticulated foot-and-mouth disease rushes from one bush to another with lightning speed, leaving a chain of footprints in the sand. If you pick up this agile lizard, you can see a comb of horny scales on each toe of its paw.

Big gerbil.

In mammals living among loose sands, the paws are densely pubescent and there is a thick hair brush on the soles. It is not for nothing that two types of jerboas are called "furry-legged" and "combed-toed". These animals perfectly run along the slopes of sand dunes, their shaggy feet do not fall into loose sand. Even such a huge animal as a camel, despite its impressive weight, easily and smoothly moves along the sandy "sea" - and indeed the "desert ship". The soles of his feet are flat and wide. And this heavyweight walks along the dunes much easier than a light horse, whose narrow hooves are deeply bogged down in the sand.

Serpents in sandy desert it is also inconvenient to crawl in the usual way: the wriggling body does not have a solid support. Some species of desert snakes have developed a special "lateral move". The snake does not crawl forward, but, as it were, shifts one half of the body to the side, slightly lifting it above the ground, and then pulls the other half towards it. This is how we move in the Karakum sand efa, V South Africa- tailed viper, in the deserts of Mexico and California - horned rattlesnake.

Thin-toed ground squirrel.

It is not easy to dig a hole in the sand if it is dry and crumbles immediately. But in such sand it is easy to just bury yourself with your head, and not every predator will guess where his prey has gone. Many inhabitants of the dunes use this method of protection, burrowing into the sand in a few seconds. This is what eared and sandy roundheads do. They seem to “drown” in the sand, throwing it away with the vibrating movements of the body. And other animals simply crawl in the thickness of the sand, for example, a sand boa from the Karakum desert or a pygmy viper from the Kalahari desert.

Eared round head.

Thus, we see that even in the harsh conditions of the desert, animals find ways to escape from the heat, get the necessary moisture, use special properties soil. Therefore, despite the severity of nature, the desert is quite richly populated by various animals. The most typical desert dwellers are reptiles. These animals, more than birds or mammals, are able to tolerate drought and fall into an inactive state for many weeks and even months.

monitor lizard

One of the most common desert animals is turtles. The period of activity in the Central Asian steppe tortoises is very short - only 2-3 months a year. Having left their wintering holes in early spring, the turtles immediately start breeding, and in May - June, the females lay their eggs in the sand. Already at the end of June you will hardly meet turtles on the surface of the earth - they all dug deep into the soil and hibernated until next spring. Young turtles, having emerged from eggs in autumn, remain to winter in the sand and come to the surface only in spring. Central Asian turtles feed on all kinds of green vegetation. Various species live in the deserts of Africa land turtles- the closest relatives of our Central Asian tortoise.

Arrow-snake.

Desert lizards can be seen everywhere. Foot-and-mouth and roundheads are especially numerous. In our clay deserts live takyr roundhead and multi-colored foot-and-mouth disease, and in sandy - sandy and eared roundhead, net and striped foot-and-mouth disease.

Young gazelle.

Sandy roundhead - a tiny lizard with a sandy-yellow back and a tail striated below. Lizards twist and unwind their striped tails when excited. In the hot hours of the day, the roundhead runs into the shade of small bushes. If you persistently pursue the lizard, it spreads out on the sand and, rapidly vibrating with its entire body across the axis of the body, in a few seconds “drowns” in the sand. Many predators are deceived by such an unexpected maneuver.

The scarab beetle drags a ball of dung into its hole.

Among the powerful sand dunes, overgrown with only separate bushes, lives a large eared round-headed. In the hot hours of the day, the round-eared roundhead runs along the sand, raising its body high on widely spaced legs. At this time, she resembles a small dog. This posture protects the abdomen of the lizard from being burned by hot sand. Noticing dangerous enemy, the round-eared roundhead runs across to the other side of the dune and burrows into the sand with lightning speed with the help of lateral movements of the body. But at the same time, she often leaves her head on the surface in order to be aware of further events. If the enemy is too close, the lizard goes on active defense. First of all, she vigorously twists and unwinds her tail, painted - from below in a velvety black color. Then, turning to the enemy, he opens his mouth wide, "ears" - skin folds in the corners of the mouth - straighten out and fill with blood. It turns out a fake "mouth" three times wider than a real mouth. With such a frightening look, the lizard lunges towards the enemy, and at the decisive moment, it clings to it with sharp teeth.

Sand efa.

On the slope of the dune, overgrown with saxaul; occasionally you can see the most large lizard desert - gray monitor lizard. It reaches a length of 1.5 m and weighs up to 3.5 kg. Nearby, a hole more than 2 m deep is visible, where this “desert crocodile” hides in case of danger. Rodents, lizards, snakes, and even beetles, ants and caterpillars serve as food for the monitor lizard.

Phalanx.

Some lizards in the deserts have adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle. These are various geckos. One of the most remarkable representatives of night lizards is the skink gecko inhabiting the deserts of Central Asia. He has a large head with huge eyes that have a slit-like pupil and are covered with a transparent leathery film. Having got out of its mink in the evening, the gecko first of all licks both eyes with a wide spade-shaped tongue. With this, he removes dust and grains of sand that have settled on the leathery film of the eye. The skin of a skink gecko is delicate and translucent. If you grab it, the skin flaps easily come off the lizard's body. An even smaller, graceful and fragile gecko is a comb-toed gecko. Its body is so transparent that the bones of the skeleton and the contents of the lizard's stomach are visible through the light. Our geckos have scalloped ridges on their feet to help them move across the sand. But a webtoed gecko from the sandy Namib Desert in South Africa has an even more peculiar adaptation. He has webbing between his toes, but not for swimming, but for walking on the sand.

Skink gecko.

IN sandy deserts Australia is home to one of the most bizarre lizards - Moloch. Her entire body is covered with sharp spikes sticking out in all directions, and above her eyes two large spikes form "horns". Moloch skin absorbs water like blotting paper, and after rare rains, the weight of Moloch increases by almost a third. The water accumulated in this way is gradually absorbed by the animal.

In South Asia and North Africa, various types of spiny tails live on dense gravelly soils. These lizards are equipped with a thick, spiked tail, which they use as a defensive weapon when they strike them. In the body cavity of the spinetails there are special bags in which water is stored. It is gradually consumed during the dry period.

There are many snakes in the deserts, among them there are poisonous ones. IN Australian deserts aspid snakes are common, in the deserts of America - rattlesnakes, and viper snakes predominate in African and Asian deserts. For the Central Asian deserts, an arrow-snake, a sandy boa, and a sandy efa are characteristic.

Tarantula.

The snake arrow was named so for the extraordinary speed with which this graceful, thin, light brown snake moves. Rushing after a lizard, it really resembles an arrow shot from a bow. During the day, the arrow-snake often climbs onto the branches of bushes, from where it tracks down prey. The snake arrow has venomous teeth at the back of its upper jaw. But for a person, her bite is not dangerous - the back teeth do not reach the skin when bitten.

The sandy efa leaves a mark on the sand in the form of separate oblique parallel strips - after all, it moves in a “lateral way”. This is a small, dense, sand-colored snake with large light spots across the back. In danger, it curls up into a double crescent and, sliding one side against the other, makes a loud sound by rubbing the pointed lateral scales against each other. The food of efas is mainly gerbils, at the holes of which she settles, and young efas are supplemented by scorpions, locusts, centipedes.

In the first half of the night, a sand boa is often found in the desert. This snake is well adapted to life in the thickness of the sand: the head sand boa spade-shaped pointed - it is easier to break through the soil, and the eyes are placed on the top of the head so that, slightly sticking its head out of the sand, the snake can examine the surroundings. The boa strangles its victims with rings of a muscular body, justifying family ties with giant boas of the tropics. The menu of the sand boa includes both diurnal animals, which he finds sleeping in the sand, and nocturnal ones, which he catches on the surface.

Insects are not as visible in deserts as reptiles, but they also form the basis of the animal population of the deserts. Most of all in the deserts of beetles. ^ Especially often it is possible to see a variety of dark beetles. These beetles are usually black in color, sometimes with white dots or stripes, they cannot fly - they only crawl and run along sand or gravel, sometimes climbing onto the lower branches of shrubs. Dark beetles can cause great harm to plantings in deserts: after all, their food is all kinds of vegetation. Most darklings are active at night.

Often you can see beautiful beetles on the branches of bushes in the desert - black, green-golden color. And at night, large whitish beetles fly into the light of the lantern - snow beetles. The larvae of all these beetles feed on the roots of shrubs.

There are many ants in the deserts, only their anthills do not rise above the ground, as in the forest. Usually only the entrance to the underground anthill is visible, ants scurrying back and forth all the time. Particularly funny desert ants - phaetons, they run on long legs with a high abdomen. Ant is a pale runner living in loose sands, at the slightest danger it quickly burrows into the sand.

In the burrows of gerbils, various mosquitoes and mosquitoes spend the day hiding from the heat. With the onset of darkness, they fly out of their burrows, and the females look for victims among warm-blooded animals, mainly rodents. There are few arachnids in the deserts, but they are very characteristic of these places. And in the sandy and in the clay desert you can find various types of spiders, scorpions, phalanxes. The tarantula spider lives in a burrow that it digs itself. He strengthens its walls with cobwebs so that they do not crumble. All day the tarantula sits in its mink, and at night it goes out for prey - small insects. The tarantula has a whole set of eyes - two large and six smaller ones. With a lantern, his eyes from afar burn with a green light. Large smoky phalanxes often come running to the light of a lantern at night. These are agile animals up to 7 cm long, with long hairy legs. Phalanxes are omnivores, they feed on any little thing that they are able to catch, and they can deftly dig up prey from the thickness of the sand. Contrary to popular belief, phalanxes are not poisonous.

The deserts are inhabited by groups of rodents characteristic of these landscapes - gerbils and jerboas. Gerbils lead a diurnal or twilight lifestyle, settle in entire towns - colonies. Gerbil colonies are the epicenter of life in the desert. Gerbil burrows are used as shelters by lizards, snakes, and insects, and predators that feed on gerbils, such as monitor lizards, ferrets, and ephs, also settle here or nearby.

Jerboas that inhabit the desert North Africa and Asia, are typically nocturnal animals. Their large eyes, large ears indicate a high development of hearing and twilight vision. The front legs are small, and the hind legs, jumping, have an elongated foot. The tail is usually longer than the body and serves the jerboas both for balance when jumping and as a rudder on sharp turns. Having climbed into a deep mink for a day, the jerboa clogs the entrance to it with an earthen plug - a “penny”. Among the jerboas, five-toed ones stand out clearly (they live in clay and gravelly deserts) and three-toed ones - they have feet with a hair brush and they live in sandy deserts. Jerboas and gerbils serve as food for various four-legged and feathered predators. They are hunted by the desert owl, and the golden eagle, and the fox, and the dune cat.

Large mammals are rarely seen in the desert, but their traces are visible here and there. More often than others, there are traces of desert hares, very rarely - traces of the desert lynx caracal. Some antelopes live in the desert. The deserts of Central Asia are characterized by the gazelle, in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and Africa live other gazelles.

There are few birds in the deserts. Only occasionally do you hear the unpretentious song of the crested lark or the alarming cry of the dancing wheatear. Among the dunes, saxaul jays live settledly - birds with loose, lush plumage of a gray-yellow color, which well protects them from overheating. These restless birds from afar notice the appearance of an outsider and notify everyone with a loud chirring, replacing our restless magpie. Saxaul jays fly reluctantly, above the ground itself, but they run superbly, with wide sweeping steps.

In the trunks of desert bushes, white-winged woodpeckers make hollows for themselves, and after them saxaul sparrows can settle there. Desert owls nest in the walls of wells and hide from the heat of the day. Many desert birds do not consume water at all and never fly to water. This is how the desert sparrow, the warbler, and the saxaul jay behave. But some birds penetrate deep into the desert only enough to be able to periodically fly to the watering place. By the reservoir in the desert, you can see the dawn finches, saxaul sparrows, turtledoves and sandgrouse arriving here.

In our deserts there are black-bellied and white-bellied grouse, as well as their relative - saja, or hoof; her toes are fused into a solid scaly foot. There are especially many sandgrouse in Africa, up to the Kalahari desert. Ryabki are exceptionally good fliers, they have long, pointed wings. Therefore, they can nest even several tens of kilometers from water bodies, flying there to drink. Arriving at the reservoir, they sit down on the shore in a noisy flock, enter the water and drink quickly and eagerly, without taking their beak off the water, they suck water into the stomach. But then they go even deeper into the water and diligently wet the plumage of the chest. Why is this? It turns out that having flown to the nest in which thirsty chicks are waiting for them, the parents let them suck water from the moistened chest feathers.

Desert life hides many mysteries. There are still animals there that are very little known or not at all known to science. And knowledge of the animal world of the desert is necessary for people for the successful development of the rich natural resources these harsh places. After all, the desert is both pasture for sheep and hunting grounds. In order to skillfully master it, one must have a good idea of ​​all the subtle and hidden connections that exist between the vegetation of the desert and the animals that eat it, between predatory and herbivorous animals, and foresee the changes that human activity will cause in the desert.

Most often found in collections desert western gopher (desert tortoise). It inhabits the deserts of southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, southeastern California, and western Arizona. In Mexico, the tortoise is found in the Sonoran Desert. Prefers areas with shrubs and soil suitable for burrowing, which can be up to 12 meters long. Depending on the climate, they can go for wintering (colonies of hibernating reptiles are often observed) or remain active all year round.

This species has a high, domed carapace up to 38 centimeters long. The carapace is brown, has a pattern, the plastron is yellow. Males have strongly elongated throat shields used by animals in ritual duels during the breeding season. Strong, elephantine forelimbs allow turtles to master both sandy deserts and mountain slopes.

An adult western desert gopher requires a large terrarium commensurate with its size. In the hot season (it is easier to do this in the southern regions), turtles can also be kept outdoors, subject to the standard rules: the presence of warm shelters and protection from predators. The corral must be fenced with a strong fence, and, given the ability of turtles to dig holes, the fence must be buried at least 15 centimeters into the ground. Shelter can be arranged either in the form of a booth or in the form of a hole with reinforced walls. The width of the tunnel should be over size tortoise shell by 10-12 centimeters. The nest chamber should have a removable cover to facilitate the removal of animals from the shelter. When making it, it must be borne in mind that the turtle should turn around freely in the "bedroom". There must be a reservoir in the paddock, but it cannot be made deep: desert animals cannot swim and can drown.

The terrarium for young animals can be small, about 70-100 centimeters (70-150 liters) long. The air in it must be very dry. Therefore, in the lid it is necessary to do a large number of ventilation holes, it is better to make it mesh. day temperature in a warm corner of the room it is necessary to maintain within 31-35 "C, in a cool corner - about 22-25" C. There is also a shallow pond and shelter. The night temperature in a warm corner should be about 21-24 "C. It is obligatory to install lamps like "Repti Glo" or others that are a source of ultraviolet rays.

The natural food of the desert gopher is various herbs, shrub leaves, prickly pear fruits and flowers. All of them have a large amount of fiber and little moisture. Similar food should be provided for animals kept in captivity (although most domestic hobbyists are unlikely to be able to grow cacti in the required quantity). Among the plants fed should not be poisonous (buttercups, oleander and some others). Diversify the diet of turtles with lettuce leaves, cabbage, various vegetables and fruits. It is also good to give alfalfa hay.

This species has been successfully bred in some US zoos. Turtles lay two to seven eggs.

In addition to the desert gopher, three more species are known: Texan (Gopherus berlandieri), Mexican (Gopherus flavomarginatus) gophers and gopher polyphemus(Gopherus polyphemus).

The conditions of their maintenance differ little from the conditions recommended for the desert gopher. Their breeding is poorly mastered

"Land Turtles". A.N. Gurzhiy
No part of the article may be reproduced without the written permission of the author and publishing house "Delta M"

Central Asian tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii) was named after the famous American biologist Thomas Horsfield. IN Lately the number of individuals has declined sharply, which led to the fact that the animal is listed in the Red Book.

Where do Central Asian turtles live?

This representative of the family of land turtles can be found in the southeastern regions of Eurasia, in clay and sandy deserts, foothills, river valleys, and on agricultural lands. The Central Asian land tortoise prefers a relatively humid area, where it boldly begins to equip its home - dig holes. Central Asian turtles can also settle in other people's holes.

How many years do Central Asian tortoises live?

Turtle lifespan V wild nature is about 50 years old. At home, the turtle lives on average no more than 15 years. But if the conditions of its maintenance are ideal for its active existence, the turtle can live up to 30 years.

How to determine the age of the Central Asian tortoise?

It is the Central Asian tortoise that can be called a classic representative of the family of land turtles. Since childhood, we have seen such turtles on the pages of our favorite books - with a rounded low shell of an olive-reddish color with dark spots. The dorsal shield or carpax is divided into 13 horny scutes, and the ventral plastron into 16. On the side of the carpax there are another 25 small scutes, and there are grooves on the central 13 plates. It is by their number that you can easily determine the age of the turtle that is in front of you.

Central Asian tortoise - description and photos

Central Asian tortoises do not reach particularly impressive sizes. Most often, turtles grow up to 15-20 centimeters in length. It is also worth noting that the males of this species of turtles are much smaller than the females.

When does a turtle hibernate?

Turtles hibernate early, at the beginning of summer, but before that, the females have time to lay their eggs. Such an early departure is due to the fact that the driest period begins and most of the vegetation that this type of turtle feeds on burns out. But this is not the only time of torpor in turtles. Central Asian tortoises fall into a longer winter hibernation.

Amazing variety of land turtles. There are crumbs among them, which, no matter how much they grow, will not grow more than 10 cm. There are also heavyweights - up to half a ton. And there is ordinary species and subspecies ... She is called Central Asian, Steppe, Russian. She is the Horsfield Turtle.

Central Asian, Steppe tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii, Agrionemys horsfieldii) - semi-deserts of Central Asia. It is found both in South Kazakhstan and in India. Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan are states where you can also see these reptiles. In Russia, the Central Asian or steppe tortoise is extremely rare and has been seen near the northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the south of the Orenburg region.

River valleys, sandy and clay deserts and semi-deserts, and even fields and agricultural lands are the "home" for this species of turtles. It was also found in the foothills and mountains (up to 1200 m). This confirms the evidence that Central Asian turtles they can move perfectly on steep slopes.

Description

A low shell from 3 to 20-25 cm long. Rounded and slightly flattened at the very top, similar to a pie. The color of the carapace is brown-yellow-olive with vague outlines of dark spots - the color of the soil where it is found. The plastron is dark in color and has 16 horny scutes. The carapace also has 13 horny scutes, with grooves on each. Their number corresponds to the approximate age of the turtle. 25 shields are located on the sides. On the front paws there are 4 clawed fingers.

At the male back side thigh has 1 horny tubercle. The female has 3-5. Females are always larger than males. Hooked upper jaw. With favorable conditions, it can live 40-50 years. The Central Asian tortoise grows throughout its life.

Food

IN natural environment The Central Asian tortoise feeds mainly on vegetation: perennial grasses and shoots of shrubs, gourds, berries, and occasionally fruit carrion.

At home, turtles are useful. Greens, lettuce, coarse fiber (dry grasses and hay), leaves of edible plants should make up about 80% of the total nutritious diet. About 15% vegetables. Fruit - 5%.

It is better not to feed the turtle from the hands. And it is advisable to put the chopped food in a bowl or specially adapted "lunch" surfaces to prevent swallowing the soil.

Young turtles are fed daily. Turtles "aged" - once every 2-3 days (individuals whose size according to the plastron is 10 cm or more). The amount of food should be given within reasonable limits, usually from ½ the size of the shell, until the turtle is saturated.

In nature, the steppe or Central Asian tortoise lives in arid conditions with sparse vegetation. Therefore, when compiling a diet, one must take into account that very sweet and overly juicy foods are not natural for them and can cause fermentation in the stomach. Plant diversity of feed should be moderate!

Do not feed turtles cat or dog food. "Human food" - meat and fish, bread and milk, cottage cheese, eggs is also not recommended to feed the animal.

In the terrarium where he lives a pet it is desirable to have a source of calcium. It might be sepia. And powdered vitamin supplements. Many companies produce such drugs, there are plenty to choose from.

The turtle does not need regular water. Water bowls in the terrarium are not required, as they can be trampled, spilled, turned upside down. But excessive humidity in the "turtle house" is highly undesirable.

reproduction

In nature, only by the age of 10, this type of reptile reaches sexual maturity, and females are later than males. In early spring When the steppe turtles have a mating season, in their habitats, the sound of shells and the hoarse cries of males caring for their chosen ones are heard.

In captivity, the sexual maturity of animals occurs at the age of 5-6 years. The time for laying eggs in dense soil or slightly damp sand is April-July. The wells are 0.5 cm deep and about 4 mm in diameter. Clutches can be from 1 to 3, with 2-6 eggs each. Eggs are 40x57 mm in size, weighing about 30 g. Incubation lasts 60-65 days at a temperature of 28-30 ° C and a humidity of 50-70%.

Small turtles 3-5 cm in size hatch in August-October. But it happens that they stay for the winter, coming out "into the light" only in the spring. At birth, the yolk sac is not retracted in baby turtles, and the egg tooth is well defined. They begin to feed 2-4 days after the yolk sac is retracted. At 2-3 months, standard food is added to the diet of turtles.

Terrarium arrangement

There must be a soil consisting of large pebbles in a warm corner, sawdust / wood chips / hay. Feeder and house.

An incandescent lamp (40-60 W) is a source of heat, creating a necessary-sufficient temperature gradient, in which the reptile itself can choose the ideal temperature for it. The vital importance of heat contributes to the development of processes in which the turtle is able to warm itself only thanks to external sources of heat and thereby ensure the normal functioning of the body. In the absence of heat, the reduced metabolism slows down even more. Food rots in the stomach without being digested, which may cause gastrointestinal disorders. Temperature regime content in a cold corner near the house is about 24-26 ° C and 30-33 ° C - in a warm corner under the lamp. The temperature regime of the lamp can be adjusted by raising or lowering the lamp, or by placing incandescent lamps of different power.

A special ultraviolet lamp for reptiles (10% UVB) should be placed at a distance of 25 cm from the animal (not higher than 40 and not lower than 20). The UV lamp does not heat the terrarium, but provides the turtle with the necessary ultraviolet light, which is needed for natural life - the assimilation of vitamin D3, calcium and all the necessary trace elements. In nature, the turtle receives it through the sun's rays.

Turtles prefer to "seek their own shelter" by themselves, burrowing into the gravel. Any draft or sudden change in temperature, even in a terrarium, can cause a cold in animals.

Turtle pen

It is done in one of the free corners of the room. The heating lamp is located at one of the walls of the corral. The turtle itself is able to choose the temperature it needs in this moment. IN summer time it’s good to equip the corral on suburban area. To make it easy to find the “hidden” turtle, you can fix it with tape on the carapace balloon or a conspicuous flag on a high staff. If temperature conditions allow, then you can leave the turtle in the paddock and at night.

Free content on the floor in the house is not allowed! An exception is when the pen is on a fenced and heated floor with soil, without drafts and temperature changes, with the necessary lamps.

Care: It is advisable to bathe turtles in a normal warm water once every 1-2 weeks. Water temperature 31–35°С. Height - up to the level of the turtle's head (2/3 of the height of the shell). Such a bath replenishes the water-salt balance and moisture reserves in the reptile's body, and normalizes the functioning of the intestines. No water additives are required.

The species of the Central Asian, steppe tortoise is listed in the International Red Book.

An Uzbek legend tells about the origin/appearance of the tortoise. One swindler-merchant so unceremoniously and openly hung on his customers that, in the end, people became indignant, calling on Allah. Allah, angry, took the scales of the merchant and squeezed the swindler with them: "You will always bear the evidence of your deceit." So the head and limbs remained sticking out of the weight bowls, turning the merchant into a turtle.

In the heat, the turtle hibernates, not burrowing very deep into the ground. In autumn, the depth is 1 m.

Turtles can dig tunnels up to 2 m long with chambers up to half a meter in diameter.

The tortoise shell is the fused bones of the spine and ribs, and just as humans cannot “get out” of their skeleton, so the tortoise cannot free itself from the shell.

Excrement of the Central Asian tortoise Brown in the form of oblong sausages and may appear 1-2 times a day. The amount of urine depends on the composition of the feed. In appearance, it is transparent, sometimes contains white secretions of uric acid salts.

Land (steppe) Central Asian tortoise — Video