Spekes hingeback

[aluras]

I was wanting to get one of these beauties,,but I cant find much info on them....if anyone has Links....or expierence with them it would be REALLLLLLLLY great. Thanks so much, I want to know what to feed them and what thier conditions should be like, I have a leopard and sulcata so I know how to care for a tort,,I just want to be sure on their care....Thanks in advance.
~Aaron

 

[Jacqui]

Your correct there is not a lot of information out there and much of it is old. Old doesn't make it all bad, but some changes have been made like with all tortoise care. I am working on coming up with new care information, but nothing is in a usable form.

The best over all care sheet advise I can give you is to refer to what is said about the Bells, but read about the Homes and try mixing a bit of that into your care. Make sense? They fall pretty much between the two.

My exsperience with the Speks is more limited then on the others. I only have three of them and also don't have years of experience with them.

Sticking with very basics, all Hingebacks need humidty and lots of hiding areas. They all want their water source for soaking. Most on the market are wild caught adults so they will usually take some time to get them use to you and become less shy. Usually that happens, when they realize you are bringing them food.

For their diet they are much more into eating meat protein from things such as bugs. Worms tend to be favorites. They also consume a lot of fruit. Often fruit is better accepted at the beginning, if it is really ripe. Third on the general food selection iss going to be the greens. The Speks, like the Bells, tend to eat more of this group then the others hingebacks. Depending on what your feeding your Leopard and Sulcata, you will have the plant part covered. Mushrooms, melons. strawberries, hibiscus blooms, dandelions, and romaine are high favorites.

Be sure, like with any tortoise, to check for worms. Keep them isolated from your other tortoises. Outside pens need to be heavily planted. They are small, but active and needing room to move.

Those are just some rough high points. If you have any specific questions...just ask. I am not sure who besides Ed Pirog and myself in here have them.

 

[aluras]

Thank you very much for the info, It is going to help me out quite a bit. Im getting a cb 09' from robert and trish, so I shouldnt have to worry about parasites as much. The hiding spots is great info, I would have had a hide and maybe some logs.......but now I know. With this one being so small it will be in the house for a little while, before the little one goes outside. I know I will have more questions when I have the little one in my care. Thanks so much for the info, and Ill be asking more
~Aaron

 

[egyptiandan]

Aaron if you can get a copy of Radiata (german turtle and tortoise publication in english), Vol. 17 #1, it has an excellent article on raising several species of Kinixys, K. spekii being one of them.
I found it excellent.

Danny

 

[aluras]

Aaron if you can get a copy of Radiata (german turtle and tortoise publication in english), Vol. 17 #1, it has an excellent article on raising several species of Kinixys, K. spekii being one of them.
I found it excellent.

Danny

Thanks danny, Im looking it up right now. Ill see if I can get a copy.

 

[jeskamarie]

I was wanting to get one of these beauties,,but I cant find much info on them....if anyone has Links....or expierence with them it would be REALLLLLLLLY great. Thanks so much, I want to know what to feed them and what thier conditions should be like, I have a leopard and sulcata so I know how to care for a tort,,I just want to be sure on their care....Thanks in advance.
~Aaron

Hi Aaron,

I have a Spekes - she's been with us for about 2 years and she is about 3 years old. She is definitley shy, and LOVES her dark places.

She doesn't drink a lot of water so we place her IN her water dish when we feed her in the a.m. She doesn't eat meat at all, but loves all varieties of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and even sweet potato. (Be careful not to give them too much fruit - like once a week tops! - because it wreaks havoc on their digestion.) We keep her in a large heated terratrium (lamps and covered heating pads) but take her out often.

This breed of tortoise is adorable, but suprisingly prone to infection. When we first got her, she had three bacterial infections + pnemonia and still struggles with breathing problems, off and on. Make sure you have a good vet and plenty of time to devote to a Spekes, before you bring one home!