Radiation Tortoise, also known as Radiated Tortoise , Radiated tortoise, the reason why it got this name is that the pattern on his carapace is like a line of radiation. Radiated tortoise is a relatively common tortoisebreeds, the feeding is relatively simple, so there are more people feeding.

The radioactive tortoise is one of the rarest tortoises in the world, but it is nowhere near as rare as the Angloka tortoise, which also lives on Madagascar. Both species of tortoise populations have dwindled due to habitat destruction, and the radioactive tortoise is sometimes eaten as food by locals. Both of these tortoises are listed in Appendix I of the Regulations for the Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade and are prohibited from exporting or importing. So, other than those that are artificially bred, there are almost no wild exports.

Chinese name: Radiated tortoise

Common name: Radiated tortoise

English name: Radiatedtor toise

Latin name: Geochelone radiata

Geographical distribution: Southern part of Dagascar

Habits: Lives in dry areas overgrown with shrubs and forests. Suitable temperature: 22-30 degrees Celsius.

Body size: 40cm

Reproduction: oviparous. Females lay 3 to 12 nearly spherical eggs in a litter. The incubation period is generally 145 to 231 days.

Diet: In the wild, they are herbivores, eating grass and succulents, including cacti, which have spread rapidly since their introduction to Madagascar. In captivity, they will eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, bananas, alfalfa sprouts, and various melons.

Difficulty of rearing: Moderate

Price: The price of radiant tortoises is related to the size of the carapace. There are also thousands of small ones, and tens of thousands of large ones. .

At Pets On the market, people give specific names according to the pattern of the radiant tortoise's carapace, such as solar radiation, full flower radiation, firework radiation and black radiation.

Different species of terrapins and tortoises can vary widely in size, shape, and color. The most striking and beautiful of these are those with radiated tortoise star or radial patterns on their carapaces, and the rare radiated tortoise (Geocheloneradiata) is considered by many to be the most noble. Including the Radiated Tortoise, there are seven species of tortoises with similar patterns: Psammobatesgeometricus, South African star tortoise (tentorius), Indian star tortoise (Geocheloneelegans), Burmese star tortoise (G. platynota), spider web turtle (Pyxisarachnoides) and Radiated Tortoises.

In all of these tortoises, the typical star pattern consists of a series of radial stripes or areas in the central area of each black or dark brown carapace, with some tortoises' background and stripe colors and Unlike others, they have a brighter background color and a darker radiant pattern. Sometimes, the same radial pattern appears on the plastron. However, among these turtles, the radial tortoise has the most distinctive pattern, each of which has a yellow or orange center in the center of each carapace, from which 4 to 12 yellow or orange lines radiate outward. Stripes, these stripes vary in thickness. Radiated tortoises have a typical tortoise physique: a high raised carapace, a blunt head and thick limbs. In addition to the bright color change of the carapace, its legs and feet are yellow, the same color as its head. Some of them can grow to nearly 16 inches (40 centimeters), so they are the largest of the star tortoises, and this is what distinguishes them from other star tortoises. They are more different from other star tortoises. Unlike some tortoises, such as the Indian star tortoise, the center of each carapace is not raised in the radial tortoise, so the carapace of the radial tortoise is smooth rather than bumpy. Their star patterns also look sharper than other species of turtles. There are also some differences between male and female radiation tortoises, but these differences are small. In general, males have longer tails and the plastron is much more concave in males than in females.

The tortoises are only found in the southern part of Madagascar, where they are called Sokakes. They live in dry areas overgrown with shrubs and forests. In the wild, they are herbivores, eating grasses and succulents, including cacti, which have spread rapidly since their introduction to Madagascar. In captivity, they will eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, bananas, alfalfa sprouts, and various melons. Ernst and Barbour write in their book Turtlesofthe Whorld that they prefer red foods.

Live in dry areas overgrown with shrubs and forests.

Suitable temperature: 22-30 degrees Celsius.

The number of radiant tortoise is not much in our country, although the appearance of radiant tortoise introduced in the early stage is not good , but feeding is relatively simple. Now, more and more people like to keep some radiation tortoises with good quality. The price of radiation tortoises on the market is also getting more and more expensive due to the quality.

1. Food selection

It is not difficult to feed, with a large appetite, rapid growth, lively nature, and a large amount of drinking water. It is worth mentioning that among most tortoises, the radiant tortoise can be said to be the cleanest tortoise. It not only excretes less and has no odor, but also does not leave any residue on the tail. Very easy to take care of. Male turtles must grow to more than 30 cm in order to successfully mate. Male turtles have a relatively long tail and female turtles are shorter; the front end of the male turtle's plastron will also be more prominent than the female turtle. Female turtles can lay 3 to 12 eggs, and the incubation period is longer, ranging from 145 to 230 days. Tortoises in Madagascar appear to be more receptive to fruit-based foods such as apples and bananas than vegetables. Adult turtles can be fed fruit 1 to 2 times a week, but not too much.

Second, the environment causes dietary changes

It is worth noting that Madagascar is located in the southern hemisphere, so the winter and summer months are opposite to those of our country. Winter is dry and cold, from June to August. Most of the turtles are in a dormant state; while the summer is hot and humid, from December to February, is also the most active season for the local turtles. Therefore, it is correct to say that the turtles on the Falklands do not eat and grow all year round. In fact, they only have an active period of 3 to 6 months. The temperature in the distribution area of radiant turtles ranges from the lowest temperature of about 15 degrees in July to the highest temperature of about 33 degrees in February, which is basically very close to the climate pattern in southern my country. This is no wonder why radiation is particularly ideal for raising in South Korea, but because the seasons are opposite, if the newly introduced turtles appear dormant or anorexia, it is sometimes because of the different seasons of origin.