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After nearly a two-year absence of imported hingebacks on the U.S. market, some have started coming into the U.S. this year. If you do consider purchasing a wild caught animal, be sure to ask lots of questions to the seller. IF IN DOUBT, I'm here to answer any question about an animal that you...

I'm excited to let everyone know here at TFO that the Kinixys Working Group is now up running. The Kinixys Working Group is a collaborative of dedicated Hingeback tortoise enthusiasts, keepers, institutions and researchers working together to ensure the future of the genus to the best of our...

After keeping this species since 1998, and attempting to produce offspring in earnest over the past two years, I'm happy to announce that after 140 days of incbation I have hatched my first Kinixys nogueyi! The second animal hatched a few days later- two more eggs left in the clutch. I hope...

I'm investigating the purchase of PVC caging that I will use to raise up Kinixys homeana and nogueyi. I don't want to build my own cages, I'm looking to purchase something that can be delivered to my home. Ideally I would purchase either 12" high and 3 or 4 foot wide cages and would like to...

I had to rework one of my enclosures, a 110 gallon Tuff Stuff Tub, so I decided to make a video of my setups. I use very little light and very low heat for my Home's hingebacks and they are thriving and reproducing! This setup might be applied to other forest tortoise species perhaps. It's not...

I developed a way for my captive tortoises to stretch a little bit in order to eat their food. Have you done something similar? I figure it gives them exercise and helps them use more muscles than just eating from a plate of chopped food. I'll probably do this about twice a week.

I went to order Mazuri original on their website, and noticed they now recommend the two diets for difference species. Is this new? Have they always done this? We all know Mazuri original has never met a tortoise that didn't eat it. But clearly, their recommendation supposes that some...

I'd like to thank everyone for your contributions here at TFO. Over the past two years, I've come to read the various posts here over and over again hoping to one day produce hingebacks in captivity. This season, I've been successful, hatching three Home's Hingebacks. Here's a look. Thank...

I'm having really good luck with incubating Kinixys homeana eggs in Hatchrite at 82-84 degrees. They're taking 110-130 days at this temperature, and the eggs are chalking and then developing visible embryos within a few weeks. I would definitely recommend this method utilized and taught to me...

I just made a video on how I use @Kapidolo Farms dried flowers and herbs and Zoo Med tortoise food. Who else is using dried flowers and herbs to supplement their tortoises' diets through the winter?

My first Kinixys homeana hatched on December 1 and is thriving! Here's an update: -Tom

I'd really like to thank everyone that's contributed information about how to incubate tortoise eggs. I've learned A TON from TFO. Here's a look at what I'm doing with Kinixys. Thanks! -Tom

Hello TFO! Over the past two months, I've been working on a Hingeback Tortoise channel on YouTube. My kiddoes are literally giving me tips on how to make the videos fun while being informative at the same time. In the latest video, I detail some of the foods I buy for my Hingeback Tortoises.

I've never had much luck with getting my female hingebacks to mate with males once I've moved them inside. Yesterday, I attempted this again, and I documented the event with video. I'd be curious to learn how others are pairing their hingebacks. I keep my Kinixys nogueyi separate throughout...

Get a peek at how I keep my Kinixys homeana as I feed them shrimp. What are you feeding your homeana?

Tonight's (10/14) Turtle Room "Pondcast" will feature @JThompson and his work with Kinixys. Watch on YouTube beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern. Jeremy is doing great things with Kinixys, having hatched four species to date in just three years of working with the genus. Watch here...

Back in 2000 or so, I created the first and probably only website dedicated to Hingeback tortoises- it was built on the Geocities platform. I've recreated it, and will be updating it regularly blog style. Enjoy- if you'd like your work with hingebacks to be featured, let me know...

Hello! I’m about to embark on my second cycle of trying to hatch Kinixys Homeana eggs. Craig Smalley has had success using nightly temperature drops. I’m trying to create a setup that would incubate the eggs at 80-82 degrees or so during the day and then drop to about 75 at night. I’d love to...

Jeremy Thompson and I are planning an informal meetup of Kinixys owners at the Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Group meeting this November in Mesa, Arizona. Would love for you to join us- this will be my first trip to the TTPG but I have heard great things about it. For more information...

I've been keeping western hingeback's (Kinixys nogueyi) for over 21 years. As many of you know, they haven't been allowed to be imported to the USA since 2000 after they were found to carry a tick that could transmit heartwater disease to cattle. Now, they are extremely rare in the U.S., and...