I have bought a pair of greeks (testudo graeca ibera minor asia) 10 years ago. At the time, I didn't even like tortoises, it just didn't feel right seeing the banging their heads on the glass of the tiny fish tank they were kept in. The pet shop owner wanted 60 euros, I kept offering her 40 euros for both until one day she accepted my offer. 40 euros for CITES Appendix I animals. Those animals should have microchips and be expensive. The sad part is that the living conditions in local pet shops nowadays have not improved, only the prices are a bit higher.
They were adults almost full size 10 years ago and I have been feeding them exclusively romaine lettuce since I bought them. Now that I know better, I am amazed at how hardy these animals are. Not only they survived the horror of the pet shop fish tank, but they also survived on lettuce for 10 years and grew up to give birth to 15 healthy hatchlings every summer. Also, the female was being raped non-stop by the male for the past 4 years. I thought it's normal but now that I see the damage on her shell I feel quite guilty. Their pen is full of edible plants but they don't eat anything but romaine lettuce. Hopefully, I will slowly introduce them to other food.
Once they wake up after hibernation, I will let them mate for a week and then permanently move the female with her kid to another pen and let the male here to live in solidarity and reflect upon his behavior
Unfortunately, they are sleeping now and I only have a bad quality picture of them mating in 2018. More pics coming in spring!
THE TWO KIDS (I have since moved the smaller one indoors with this year's hatchlings)
THE ADULTS
They were adults almost full size 10 years ago and I have been feeding them exclusively romaine lettuce since I bought them. Now that I know better, I am amazed at how hardy these animals are. Not only they survived the horror of the pet shop fish tank, but they also survived on lettuce for 10 years and grew up to give birth to 15 healthy hatchlings every summer. Also, the female was being raped non-stop by the male for the past 4 years. I thought it's normal but now that I see the damage on her shell I feel quite guilty. Their pen is full of edible plants but they don't eat anything but romaine lettuce. Hopefully, I will slowly introduce them to other food.
Once they wake up after hibernation, I will let them mate for a week and then permanently move the female with her kid to another pen and let the male here to live in solidarity and reflect upon his behavior
Unfortunately, they are sleeping now and I only have a bad quality picture of them mating in 2018. More pics coming in spring!
THE TWO KIDS (I have since moved the smaller one indoors with this year's hatchlings)
THE ADULTS