<h2 class= "rich_media_title" > marginal tortoise</h2>
Warped tortoises
Male tortoise "Male"
Marginal tortoise
Order: Reptiles (reptiles)
Order: Testudinata
Suborder: Cryptodira
Family: Tortoise family (Turtle family)
Genus: Tortoise (Terrestrial)
Species: Testudo marginata
Subspecies: None
The marginal tortoise belongs to the Mediterranean tortoise genus ( Terrestrial ) , and is the largest tortoise in the Mediterranean region. If you pay attention to the need for rearing and the size and size of the environment, the marginal tortoise is a good suit for beginners to raise in captivity.
source:
Southern Greece: From Peloponnes to Mount Olympus (Olympus) In the southern albanian contiguous region of Croatia
lifestyle:
Like other Mediterranean tortoises, the marginal tortoise comes from the mild Mediterranean climate zone. They live in mountainous areas, in woodland with jungle and rocks, or in vegetation that naturally grows from beach dunes. The marginal tortoise is basically fond of warm turtles, but it is already active in cold temperatures. Hibernation occurs during the cold season in the wild, but on warm, sunny winter days, hibernation is interrupted for sunbathing.
Comparison of characteristics between marginal tortoises and other Mediterranean tortoise species:
The rear edge shield of the large external protrusion is the origin of the German name "broad-edged tortoise"
Female Tortoise "Female"
The edge shield presents a typical black triangular mark. The proportion of yellow in the dorsal carapace of juveniles is significantly higher than that of adults
Female turtle
On the belly carapace with a yellow background color, there is a striking black triangle
Females with warped edges
At the end of the tail there are small, less pronounced scales
The hip shields are not separated
There are no scales between the tail and the hind legs
Comparison of the characteristics of different sexes of marginal tortoises:
Male tortoise "Male"
The male has a slender tail, placed on the side, and the cloaca is closer to the scales
Female Tortoise "Female"
The female turtle has a shorter, fatter tail that is only slightly sideways. The cloaca is closer to the caudal root
The dorsal carapace of the male turtle has a constriction at the waist
The dorsal carapace of the female turtle does not shrink at the waist
Male turtles have strongly sunken ventral carapace
The female turtle's ventral carapace is flat or slightly raised
Artificial rearing:
One of the main purposes for which the tortoise must be stocked outdoors is to simulate its natural habitat in the Mediterranean region in a way that is as close to the natural landscape as possible. However, it is not enough to simulate nature at our (Switzerland's) latitude, because our (Swiss) Central European climate is generally too cold for warm tortoises in Hi Bay, with too much precipitation and too short sunshine hours. So we have to use technical assistance to create dry and warming areas. A cold-proof glass house with a baking lamp is the easiest way to do this. When the sun is low, the greenhouse effect can quickly raise the temperature in the cold glass house, and the baking lights can also overcome the bad weather period.
Indoor or inland enclosures is not suitable for breeding of marginal tortoises. Seasonal temperature changes, increases or decreases in sunshine hours and even cooling at night are important climatic conditions for this species of tortoise, which can only be achieved if they are continuously raised outdoors. In addition, indoor rearing is almost incompatible with the large-scale range of activity habits of this large tortoise. This tortoise can only be kept on the terrace if it is well protected from the wind, provides sufficient sunlight and achieves sufficient space in a larger enclosure.
Tortoises in Greece must be kept in a breed-friendly manner during their active period, i.e. outdoors day and night.
Feeding:
Mediterranean tortoises are herbivores that provide plenty of weeds, flowering plants, leaves, and even seeds and roots in their vegetation-rich living environment, which are used as a source of nutrition by Mediterranean tortoises. As the seasons change, the food supply ranges from lush turquoise to emaciated weeds and leaves. In the spring, it is mainly fresh young shoots and flowers, and in the summer, because of the relationship between the sun, it is mainly dry, fiber-rich hay, and the nutrient content of the food is very poor.
In the autumn, widespread showers began to occur, and a large number of seeds in the bottom bed were revived, and green plants grew. We should take nature as a teacher, so feeding under artificial rearing should also be consistent with the nutrition of the wild. Nutrition is one of the most important points when raising tortoises, so as to ensure that tortoises can also have a healthy and long life under artificial rearing. When feeding turtles, on the one hand, we must pay attention to the type and composition of the ingredients, and on the other hand, we must also pay attention to the amount of food.
Breeding and feeding:
The captive rearing of the marginal tortoise should be based on nature. Captive-bred turtles, if they are comparable in size and color to wild individuals, are the result of a way to keep turtles that meet the needs of the species and can be sustained. There is not much difference between the living conditions of wild Mediterranean tortoise larvae and the individuals of sexually mature tortoises. From the first day of life, the young eat the same food as their parents and hibernate during the cold season during the first year of life. However, there is a very important difference: juveniles have higher humidity requirements. In addition, juveniles are also protected from predators due to their small size.
With the successful hatching of the turtle, the turtle feed mainly shoulders the responsibility of raising the tortoise's newborn larvae in a manner that matches the breed and promotes the healthy growth and maturity of the turtle. Therefore, the responsible turtle owner will only obtain the number of larvae within the ability, or provide the number of larvae that other owners can reach. Too many "surplus" turtles will only flow into the shelters of the Swiss Turtle Lovers Association (SIGS) or will simply be released. It would be best if turtle owners could set limits on themselves, or even hatch a smaller number of eggs.
wintering:
Cold temperatures, combined with a lack of food, force warmer vertebrates to undergo so-called hibernation during the cold season. During this time they will remain still and their body temperature will drop to the same temperature as their surroundings. There are severe declines in heartbeat, breathing and metabolism. Wild marginal tortoises begin to hibernate in their original habitat due to the low temperatures of winter. This is part of the annual cycle of turtle nature.
Not only do sexually mature individuals go into hibernation, but the baby turtles also go into hibernation in the first winter after hatching. Therefore, in captivity, all ages of marginal tortoises can also hibernate under monitoring. Refusing to let the tortoise hibernate is an animal cruelty, and there are only a few reasons to avoid artificial hibernation: sick or injured tortoises.
Regional variant: Pygmy-edged tortoise
Pygmy tortoises are a smaller group of pygmy tortoises.
A few years ago it was described as the testudo marginata weissingeri subspecies.
Studies in genetics have refuted the status of its subspecies,
Rather, it is believed that this is a small area of marginal tortoises caused by environmental factors.
This group of marginal tortoises originates from a small area of the Peloponnes peninsula.
Status of protection: Appendix II to the Washington Convention
The marginal tortoise, like all Mediterranean tortoises, is endangered in its native region. Increasing agriculture, arson of forests, increasing sightseeing and even regional droughts have wiped out the native habitats of European tortoises.