Pancake Tortoises
 

Right well its been a long time since I did well anything lol :? So It's time for some new questions to stop me from dying of boredom or in this weather heat stroke :?

So anyway I want to know anything and everything about Pancake tortoises Housing, Diet etc. Anything will do your experiences of how they are too keep. Absolutely anything I want to learn lol :? :D

Thanks

I'd say they're probably the most boring of all the torts we have!

They're very secretive, never come out, and well.. don't do a great deal! They look amazing yes, but would much rather be wedged in between some slate than be outside in the open air. Strange little things. :)

Housing is fairly similar to a Med, but with lots more rocks since they *love* to climb. You also need to provide lots of nooks and crannies since they love to squeeze in them - even if it's a vertical gap, they'll find a way to wedge themselves in. Normal lighting requirements as you'd expect, diet is very similar to other African torts like the Leopards. Lots of high fibre dry grasses with a few weeds chucked in for good measure. :)

Breeding is tricky to say the least. Females only lay one egg which is one reason they're so damn rare.

And I find them the exact opposite :D . My pair are very active all through out the day. They do sleep a fair amount, but I've found them active at all times. Mine beg for food just like everybody else :D . My set-up is real simple with just one hide box thats pretty open.
The diet I give is exactly like the diet for Meds. They are in the savanah, but they are on the kojpes (granite outcroppings). So there diet is pretty much forbes and herbs and weeds with occasionally trips down to the savanah, where they probably eat some grass.
They do just lay one or two egg clutches, but usually lay 2 to 4 clutches in a year. They have a fairly long incubation period, average 130 to 180 days.

Dan

From the few keepers I know that have pancakes, it takes them a long time to be themselves.
Taking years sometimes. So plenty of time yet Lowe for them to become charactors.

Could be Sandy, but we do have lots of very tight hides rather than open ones, If we remove them then they're a lot more active (trying to find somewhere to hide I guess!)

Don't get me wrong guys, I don't dislike them - but compared to the characters of say Tunisians or our Iberas they're dull. :)

They have great characters when not hidden, but we like to offer lots of hides as it is natural.

So is it better for their health to stay hidden?
Rather than with out the hidey holes.
Just wondering<g>.

Well in the wild they would hide alot as they have fewer bones and shell flexibility compared to other species so use the rocks for protection so they feel safe. Mine do come out when no one is around and sometimes i do take their hides off them. They need a very high UVB light as they hide most of the time.
http://upload4.postimage.org/645423/pancakes2006.jpg

Thnaks for the info guys :D Sarah how big are your pancakes?

Mine are 3 1/2 inches and growing fast they can eat for england!!!! They love a spray of water and love to sit in a water bowl.