Sri-Lanka Star Tortoise

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I've been considering getting a baby sri-lanka star but have read they are very delicate and not easy to care for... anyone know much about them?... I have 2 baby leopards and they are thriving thanks to some very good info i got from this site about humidity... any info on the star will be most appreciated.

Tammy

 

[ShadowRancher]

From what i have read their delicacy has been exaggerated in the past when most of what was available, were highly stressed wild caught babies. That being said they are still a bit rarer so less is known and they are a more temperamental species, especially if you get babies.

This is just from what I've been reading not personal experience, I have some baby SLs on the way for March.
I'm sure if you wait a bit some more experienced star keepers will chime in!

Ohh, I would get this ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/0978755626/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 ) book before you decide. It's really great.

 

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Thank you Ana!!!!

 

[tortoises101]

CB animals are regarded as quite hardy and acclimated WC individuals are as well, to a lesser extent.

 

[CLMoss]

Hi, I picked up my SL Star hatchling on December 18th of 2011. She was hatched November 22, 2011. She was two month old on the 22nd of this month, and since I picked her up she has gained 6 grams as of today (she is 30 grams). Larry (the breeder) feels that they are really easy to care for as hatchlings and I would have to say the same as long as you are consistant with their needs. She is a healthy little baby that spends her time eating, sleeping and attacking her cuttle bone. She is really cute and a pleasure to care for. If the photo show up on this post, you will see a photo of Becky at one month old. I say, "go for it."

~C

 

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OMG!... she is precious... i have been afraid to get one because they are so expensive... i know you are technically not supposed to mix spiecies but would it be alright to keep a baby star with baby leopards?... from what i have read they have similar needs.

Tam

 

[CLMoss]

OMG!... she is precious... i have been afraid to get one because they are so expensive... i know you are technically not supposed to mix spiecies but would it be alright to keep a baby star with baby leopards?... from what i have read they have similar needs.

Tam

Hi Tam, I don't think that it is a good idea to mix species... But maybe another member can answer that question for you. I have only kept stars in the past. Becky is my only tortoise. May you can find an older star. You can watch the "for sale" section on the forum. Some beautiful stars have been listed there. Also read the book that Ana mentioned in the other post.
~C

 

[tortoises101]

OMG!... she is precious... i have been afraid to get one because they are so expensive... i know you are technically not supposed to mix spiecies but would it be alright to keep a baby star with baby leopards?... from what i have read they have similar needs.

Tam

I'm firmly against mixing species. Cross contamination is always a risk; you don't know what sorts of microbes are on each tortoise and besides, they don't occur geographically in the same area anyways.

 

[[email protected]]

OMG!... she is precious... i have been afraid to get one because they are so expensive... i know you are technically not supposed to mix spiecies but would it be alright to keep a baby star with baby leopards?... from what i have read they have similar needs.

Tam

Hi Tam, I don't think that it is a good idea to mix species... But maybe another member can answer that question for you. I have only kept stars in the past. Becky is my only tortoise. May you can find an older star. You can watch the "for sale" section on the forum. Some beautiful stars have been listed there. Also read the book that Ana mentioned in the other post.
~C
[Thank you for the good info... i think i will stick with my little leopards for now.

T]

 

[ShadowRancher]

Yeah I don't think it's probably a good idea either. For one baby stars would be way tinier than even baby leos, your leo's might accidentally hurt the shy little guys. And for another it's not usually recommended especially when you are swapping continents. Even is you get captive bred the two species may have different endemic internal parasites that could hurt the other. I've heard of mixing sometimes working but when it goes wrong it goes WRONG.

 

[HtVic]

how large get can grow up to

 

[Neal]

I've been considering getting a baby sri-lanka star but have read they are very delicate and not easy to care for... anyone know much about them?... I have 2 baby leopards and they are thriving thanks to some very good info i got from this site about humidity... any info on the star will be most appreciated.

Tammy

I have found captive bred Sri Lanka stars (and mainland Indian star tortoises) to be very hardy. They are more prone to runny noses than a leopard or sulcata, but it usually clears up quickly with a boost in temperatures.

Diet can be similar to a leopard. They will like more colorful food, like rose pedals and hibiscus flowers, and will eat any type of green just as readily as your leopard might.

You can house them the same way you would a leopard. I would recommend dry peat moss or dirt (better yet, both mixed together) for a substrate, and an opaque humid hide with damp long fiber sphagnum moss inside so the tortoise can snug itself in.

As with any species of tortoise, there are shy stars and there are personable stars. A good thing about the Sri Lanka stars is that there are only a handful of breeders in the US, and from all of my research I have found them to be well experienced and high quality breeders. So, if you decide to go with a Sri Lanka star, you are sure to get a great tortoise!