The dobrogea turtle | Facts & Information

Origin

This species of turtle is widespread in all the territories bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where the influences of the Mediterranean climate are found (southern Europe, Northern Africa to the Middle East).

Attention! It is a species protected by law in all countries in these areas, even in Romania. The abduction of a specimen from its natural environment is criminally punishable. Also, the purchase of a copy without documents certifying its origin from an approved loft is punishable by law.

This article is intended only for those who own a land turtle legally purchased or who have in their care a turtle taken from the natural environment exclusively for medical care.

Dobrudja Turtle Food

Any breeder needs to know what the Greek land turtle Eats is exclusively herbivorous. It needs a diet rich in fiber, low in protein and lipids. Unfortunately very few owners know this and offer turtle all kinds of snacks of animal origin, which damages the digestive tract and implicitly the health of the animal.

Feed the turtle with all kinds of green leafy vegetables (lettuce, dandelion, green onions, spinach, green peas, zucchini), as well as green grass, clover or hay. Fruits are not recommended, but if you want a treat from time to time ( every 1-2 weeks) you can offer apples, melon, citrus or other seasonal fruits. Too much fruit causes diarrhea, as well as the development of pathogenic intestinal flora.

Testudo graeca also requires a diet rich in calcium. You can give the turtle cuttlefish bone, although not all specimens are used to eating it. Otherwise you can add calcium supplements specifically for turtles.

Dry food of dogs or cats, food from our table is never given to the turtle.

Features Dobrogea Turtle

Testudo graeca is a small land turtle. An adult specimen reaches a carapace length of about 20 cm, but many specimens reach up to 30 cm.

Males are smaller than females. The shell is rectangular, elongated tan color of various shades. The plates of the carapace are large, outlined in black. Young specimens have light tan carapace with black dots on the periphery of the plates.

The edges of the carapace in adult specimens are often curved upwards. The plastron is flat with a central black spot. At the posterior memebras on the thighs shows Spurs. The head is covered with large scales, it is darker in color, with large dark spots.

The legs covered by scales are of lighter shades.

Land turtles come from arid areas with sandy soil and high temperatures. Ideally, we can offer it a space that mimics the original conditions as well as possible. Testudo graeca is not kept indoors, in an aquarium or terrarium, no matter how generous the space may be.

A land turtle is only kept outside during the warm season. So a corner of your garden is ideal for her. Fenced with large stones or a fence to place as large a space as possible (at least 2 sqm for an adult).

These turtles are very good climbers so the detour should be high enough to prevent escapes. The pen should have 2 zones: one with grass and another with a sandy soil, similar to that of the natural environment. A mixture of 1/3 sand and 1/4 peat makes an excellent substrate.

A substrate or a location with a lot of moisture damages the turtle's health. Dampness is to be avoided because soon respiratory diseases, often fatal, occur. Land turtles are shy animals so they also need places to hide.

Provide at least 2-3 such hiding places, let your imagination guide you in this regard ( tree bark, twigs and dry leaves, hay or straw, etc.). Contrary to general ideas, land turtles drink water.

Place in the ground a vessel more wide than deep in which there is always clean water. These turtles do not know how to swim, so avoid placing deeper vessels or from which you can not get out, just as pools or pools must be secured so that the turtle does not get there.

Birds, foxes, ferrets can be hunters of this turtle, so protect the pen and against them.

The Dobrogea tortoise needs natural light to be able to produce vitamin D3 under the influence of UV rays. Vitamin D3 is essential in calcium metabolism. Deprivation of natural light, especially direct sun exposure, leads to bone damage and decreased carapace strength. The detour in which the turtle is located must have sunny areas as well as areas with shade.

Land turtles are territorial animals. It is recommended that only one copy be in the same space. Males are aggressive with both another male and female. 2 females can get along but it is preferable to be kept separately.

As I said these turtles are very shy and interacting with humans or other animals is not desirable. But tame specimens were also seen that liked the human presence without retreating into the shell.

Reproduction Of The Dobrogea Turtle

Females lay, through May-June, 4-12 spherical, white eggs, which hatch in 70-80 days.

At the beginning of spring, during mating, the Dobrogea turtle makes certain sounds. White eggs, the size of a walnut and with a hard shell, they deposit in May or June in sunny place, in a recess of the soil and carefully cover them with Earth. Chicks (the size of half a large walnut) appear in September.

They are generally hardy animals, which can be up to 80-100 years old. Inte-a humid environment quickly develops respiratory problems. Watch for inflammation and redness of the eyes appear watery sercretions, as signs of these types of illnesses. Specimens taken from nature can present various bacterial diseases, internal parasites. Do not mix several species of turtles, do not put together one turtle with another freshly purchased. Turtles can be carriers of Salmonella, so after each turtle handling wash your hands thoroughly. Do not let children play with them.

Land turtles are interesting animals but they don't offer much fun as a pet. That's why the best place for them is in nature, where for thousands of years they feel the best.