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Care sheet

Greek Tortoise

Testudo graeca

Also known as: Spur-thighed Tortoise

Testudinidae · Testudines

BeginnerCITES IIIUCN VU
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
5–10 in
Lifespan (captivity)
50–75 yrs
Native range
North Africa, southern Europe, and Middle East — dry scrub and grassland

Care guide

Overview

Greek Tortoise (Testudo graeca) — a hardy, moderately sized Mediterranean/North African tortoise and a strong beginner species alongside Hermann's. Weed/green herbivore diet, UVB, warm basking, and ideally outdoor time. Most forms hibernate seasonally.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
65–75 °F
Warm side
78–85 °F
Basking spot
90–95 °F
Nighttime
60–70 °F
Humidity (ambient)
40–65%

Environment

UVB lighting

Required?
Yes — provide UVB
Fixture type
T5 HO
Replacement interval
Every 12 months

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Terrestrial
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • AdultOutdoor pen preferred; indoor min ~4x2 ft with solid opaque sides

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
organic topsoilcoco coirplay sand blend
Avoid
pinecedar

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Herbivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • AdultFresh high-fiber greens and weeds daily
Supplementation

Supplemental calcium (especially indoors); favor broadleaf weeds/clovers; limit fruit and protein.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Shallow water dish always available (no drowning risk).

Soaking behavior

Soak juveniles 3-4x weekly, 15-20 min in lukewarm water.

Legal & ecology

Conservation

CITES
Appendix II
IUCN Red List
VU · Vulnerable
Wild populations

IUCN Vulnerable; CITES Appendix II / EU Annex A. Many subspecies with differing sizes. Most (temperate) forms hibernate ~2-3 months under vet guidance; some southern forms do not.

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Testudo graeca — species account

    Animal Diversity Web, U. Michigan

    academic

    Range, subspecies variation, herbivore biology.

    Published: 2020-01-01

  2. Testudo graeca — IUCN Red List (VU)

    IUCN

    government

    Vulnerable; CITES Appendix II / EU Annex A.

    Published: 2019-01-01

  3. Greek Tortoise Care Sheet

    ReptiFiles (Mariah Healey)

    breeder community

    Enclosure, UVB, basking, weed/green diet, subspecies/hibernation notes.

    Published: 2022-01-01

Greek Tortoise (Testudo graeca) care sheet — Herpetoverse