Burmese star tortoises (Geochelone platynotan) are beautiful chelonians that are beloved by many tortoise enthusiasts. Clad in a stunningly patterned shell, these tortoises are often hardy and have endearing personalities that make them a joy to maintain.
Unfortunately, having fallen victim to overcollection and habitat destruction, these tortoises are extremely rare in their native lands; they were even declared “functionally extinct” in the mid-2000s. However, conservation groups have developed successful captive breeding programs that have helped replenish wild populations.
These tortoises can make excellent pets, but as with all species, keepers must provide the right type of care. This means setting up a suitable enclosure, providing appropriate environmental conditions, and feeding the tortoise a nutritious diet. I’ll explain how to accomplish these requirements below.
Burmese Star Tortoise Enclosures
The first step in successfully maintaining a Burmese star tortoise is providing it with the proper environment. This includes not only constructing or purchasing a suitable enclosure but also providing temperatures, lighting, and humidity levels that reflect those the species experiences in the wild.
Indoor vs Outdoor Maintenance
Before establishing a habitat for your pet, you’ll need to decide whether you want to maintain your Burmese star tortoise indoors or outdoors. Both approaches have their merits, so it is important to consider your specific circumstances when making your choice.
- Indoor enclosures: Indoor tortoise maintenance makes it easier to establish ideal temperature and humidity levels. There are also more ready-to-use enclosures suitable for indoor use than outdoor use (outdoor tortoise maintenance usually requires the construction of a custom-built enclosure). However, you’ll have to set up heating and lighting fixtures to provide indoor-reared tortoises with suitable environmental conditions.
- Outdoor enclosures: Outdoor enclosures typically allow you to provide more space to your pet, and because your tortoise will be exposed to natural, unfiltered sunlight, outdoor maintenance alleviates the need to set up elaborate lighting and heating fixtures. However, outdoor maintenance is only possible for keepers living in areas with suitable climates.
Housing Requirements
Burmese star tortoises are medium-sized tortoises, with large individuals reaching about 12 to 14 inches in length. Accordingly, they need enclosures measuring approximately 6 to 7 feet long on each side (as a minimum – larger enclosures are always preferable).
There are a few different types of enclosures available to keepers, including the following:
- Commercially produced tortoise “tubs” or “tables”: Likely the most popular choice for indoor tortoise maintenance, tortoise tubs and tables are designed specifically for shelled pets. They’re generally quite affordable and work well, though it can be impossible to find models large enough for mature Burmese star tortoises.
- Front-opening plastic enclosures: Most commonly used for pet snakes and lizards, front-opening enclosures can also be used for tortoises. However, they present the same size issues as tortoise tubs and tables (few are large enough for mature Burmese star tortoises). Additionally, the glass fronts can cause stress for the tortoises, who do not encounter transparent materials in the wild.
- Repurposed storage containers, children’s swimming pools, or stock tanks: Large containers designed for other purposes can often be used for tortoise maintenance, though you’ll almost always have to make alterations to make them suitable for tortoise use. However, these types of accommodations are often quite affordable.
- Custom-built enclosures: The most common choice for outdoor tortoise maintenance, custom-built enclosures give you the chance to tailor the habitat to the specific needs of you and your pet. It is often possible to construct these kinds of enclosures for a very modest amount of money, though you’ll need to have the necessary tools and skills to complete the project.
Environmental Conditions
Once you have selected and established an enclosure, you can turn your attention to the environmental conditions within your pet’s habitat. In a nutshell, you’ll need to provide conditions that mimic those that the tortoises experience in the dry grassland and scrub habitats of central Myanmar (Burma).
Temperature
As with most tortoises, Burmese star tortoises thrive best when provided with a thermal gradient. In other words, you’ll want to provide a range of temperatures that are quite warm (100 degrees Fahrenheit) directly under the heating devices and gradually fall with increasing distance. Ideally, the cool end of the enclosure should have temperatures in the low- to mid-70s Fahrenheit. The enclosure can be allowed to drop down to the mid-60s Fahrenheit at night.
There are essentially two types of heating devices you can use: heat lamps or radiant heat panels. Heat lamps are generally more affordable, but radiant heat panels allow for more precise thermal control (when used in conjunction with a thermostat).
Humidity
Burmese star tortoises inhabit relatively dry grasslands and forests, so the overall enclosure should be kept pretty dry. However, these tortoises spend long periods of time in burrows and other sheltered locations where the relative humidity level is locally high.
So, it is important to provide your pet with at least one (and preferably several) damp hiding place. This may also help keep shell pyramiding to a minimum, though this species seems genetically predisposed to the phenomenon.
Lighting
Like all tortoises, Burmese star tortoises require access to full-spectrum light, including the UVB portion of the spectrum. Tortoises housed outdoors will receive all the light they need from the sun, but tortoises reared indoors need full-spectrum lights in the enclosure.
There are three ways to provide full-spectrum lighting for tortoises housed indoors: fluorescent tubes, LED bulbs, or mercury vapor bulbs designed for reptile use. The former two options work well, but mercury vapor bulbs also produce heat, which means that you won’t need separate lighting and heating devices in the habitat.
Whichever type of lights you decide to use, be sure to connect them to a timer to ensure a consistent day-night schedule.
Substrate and Enrichment
There are a variety of substrates that will work well for Burmese star tortoises, but a few of the most popular choices among tortoise keepers include soil or custom soil mixtures, wood chips, commercial tortoise substrates, or natural ground cover.
Whichever option you choose, just make sure that it is non-toxic, unlikely to be consumed by your pets, and easy to replace.
It is also wise to include various obstacles and visual barriers in the habitat, including things like driftwood, large stones, and cement blocks. You can also add live, non-toxic plants to the enclosure (never add artificial plants, as your tortoise may consume them).
Diet and Nutrition
As with all pets, Burmese star tortoises require a healthy diet to thrive in captivity. Fortunately, that’s relatively easy for this species to accomplish.
Basic Dietary Needs
Burmese star tortoises are primarily vegetarian animals, though they may consume the odd invertebrate or bit of carrion from time to time. Typically, keepers refrain from providing these types of protein sources in captivity and instead rely on plant material exclusively.
Young star tortoises are typically fed on a daily basis, while adults often thrive best when fed five to six days per week. Some keepers provide food at all times, but care must be taken to keep the food fresh, clean, and free of insects. Additionally, star tortoises should be monitored to ensure that they do not become overweight, but instead, exhibit smooth, consistent growth until they reach maturity. Adults should maintain their weight and grow very slowly, if at all.
Safe Foods and Toxic Foods
While little is known about the biology or behavior of Burmese star tortoises in the wild, they likely subsist on grasses, weeds, and similar plants, as most tortoises living in similar habitats do. Fruit can be included in the diet, but it should be offered sparingly.
Some of the best foods to include in your pet tortoise’s diet include:
- Non-toxic grasses, such as Bermuda grass
- Edible, broad-leaved weeds, such as clover
- Edible flowers, including hibiscus and roses
- Dandelions (entire plant)
- Mustard and turnip greens
- Green leaf lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Shredded carrots, squash, and zucchini
- Green beans
- Parsley
- Escarole
- Chicory
- Grape leaves
- Endive
- Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries (sparingly)
- Commercial tortoise pellets
Some of the foods you’ll want to avoid feeding your pet include:
- High-oxalate foods, such as spinach, kale, and chard
- Grass or weeds that have been exposed to herbicides, pesticides, or insecticides
- Toxic plants, such as cherries, nightshade, or rhubarb
Additionally, while the odd cricket or earthworm won’t harm your pet, you’ll want to avoid feeding animal-based foods, such as pinky mice or crickets, as a matter of practice.
Supplements and Vitamins
Although you should discuss your pet’s supplementation needs with your vet, it is generally wise to provide your pet with supplemental calcium, as well as vitamin D3, if you house your pet indoors. Most keepers do so by sprinkling a supplement powder on their pet’s food one to three times per week. Other keepers place a piece of cuttlebone in their tortoise’s enclosure, which the animal can then consume as necessary.
Similarly, most keepers also provide a vitamin supplement to their tortoise once per week.
Providing a proper enclosure and diet are not the only components of good star tortoise care; you’ll also need to monitor your pet’s health and maintain the enclosure properly.
Common Health Issues
To keep your Burmese star tortoise healthy, you’ll need to monitor him regularly and work closely with your veterinarian.
A few of the most common health problems Burmese start tortoises can suffer from include:
- Dehydration: Dehydration can be identified by noting things like sunken eyes and loose-fitting skin, which does not snap back into place when gently pinched. You can usually prevent dehydration by providing plenty of drinking water and at least one damp hiding space, as well as by implementing a regular soaking regimen. To do so, place your tortoise in about ½ to 1 inch of room-temperature water for 15 to 30 minutes at a time, several times per week.
- Respiratory infections: Respiratory infections in tortoises often cause a discharge from the eyes, nose, or mouth, as well as labored breathing. Some individuals also become lethargic and refuse food when suffering from a respiratory infection. If you suspect your pet is suffering from this type of illness, ensure that the enclosure temperatures are ideal and contact your vet for assistance.
- Skin or scale rot: Skin and scale rot are usually caused by unclean enclosure conditions and/or inappropriate temperature and humidity levels. Skin and scale rot typically cause discoloration and potentially open or seeping wounds. If you suspect your tortoise is suffering from skin or scale rot, clean the enclosure and ensure the environmental conditions are correct. Then, contact your vet for advice and medications.
- “Pyramiding”: A condition in which a tortoise’s shell develops numerous raised “pyramids” rather than a smooth texture; pyramiding is thought to be due to insufficient water and humidity levels. However, Burmese star tortoises appear to pyramid naturally – at least in some cases. Pyramiding cannot be corrected, so prevention is crucial. Always provide your pet with drinking water and a damp hide, and implement a regular soaking routine.
Routine Care and Monitoring
Tortoises are fairly low-maintenance pets, but there are a few things you’ll need to do to keep your pet healthy and the enclosure in good working order. This includes the following:
- Clean the enclosure every day, being sure to remove any faeces, shed skin or scutes, and uneaten food.
- Empty, wash, and refill your pet’s water dish each day.
- Feed your tortoise every day (for young individuals) or five to six times per week (for mature animals).
- Monitor the enclosure temperatures several times per week and make adjustments as necessary.
- “Break down” the enclosure once per month and perform a deep cleaning.
- Weigh and measure your tortoise approximately once per month to track his growth.
Handling and Behavior Management
Burmese star tortoises present few behavioral problems in captivity, are they often characterized as being more outgoing than their close relatives the Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans).
Socialization and Handling
Burmese star tortoises don’t require human interaction, though it is important to inspect your pet frequently for signs of injury or illness.
Note that these tortoises don’t appreciate being lifted off the ground, so try to interact with your pet close to the ground as much as is possible. When you must lift your tortoise, be sure to support his weight with both hands and use great care to avoid dropping him, as this may cause serious injuries or death.
Periodic interactions don’t seem to cause undue stress to these animals, but you’ll want to avoid handling or interacting with your pet too frequently.
Behavioral Issues
Burmese tortoises rarely exhibit aggressive behaviors, such as biting. However, they may void the contents of their cloaca if frightened or stressed.
Instead, the most common behavioral issue you’ll notice in your star tortoise is likely to be shyness – some of these tortoises seem to spend a great deal of time hiding. To an extent, that’s just part of the species’ natural behavior pattern.
Nevertheless, by providing multiple hiding spaces, eliminating any possible sources of stress (such as excess handling or the presence of other pets), and giving your pet time to adjust to his new home, he may eventually spend less time hiding.
Breeding
Breeding Burmese star tortoises is not easy, but experienced keepers can achieve success with the proper approach. Different keepers implement slightly different strategies, but most embrace some form of the following:
- Breeding groups (typically consisting of one male and two females) are usually maintained in a single enclosure all year long.
- Mating may commence at any time during the year, so you’ll need to watch for signs that your female is gravid (pregnant), such as gaining weight quickly or sniffing at the ground more than usual.
- Once the female is assumed to be gravid, an egg-laying box is provided. This container must contain at least 12 inches of soil depth, or the female may not use it.
- Once the female has deposited eggs, they can either be left to incubate in place or (preferably) be moved to an artificial incubator.
- Begin the incubation process by maintaining the eggs at 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit for one week.
- Then, cool the eggs to 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 days.
- Warm the eggs back up to approximately 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit for one more week.
- Increase the egg incubation temperature to 82 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit for the remainder of the incubation period (typically about 90 days).
Once the hatchlings begin breaking free of their shells, move them to small “nursery” habitats, complete with normal heating and lighting equipment. However, you’ll want to maintain higher-than-normal humidity levels for the first several weeks of their lives.
Citations
- Reptiles Magazine – The Burmese Star Tortoise
- Star Tortoise Garden – Star Tortoise Incubation
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library — Burmese Star Tortoise (Geochelone platynota) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics
- Turtle Survival Alliance — Turtle of the Week: Burmese Star Tortoise
