Pancake Tortoise Care Guide

The Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) is native to regions of East Africa with a terrain that is naturally rocky and arid. Their unusually flat, flexible shell and remarkable climbing prowess, allows them to navigate this difficult landscape and manoeuvre themselves into tight crevices, providing excellent protection from predators.

Relatively small, with a maximum shell length of 7 inches in adulthood, these reptiles are rather charming to look at. Not only is their shell shape distinct, but they also have vivid golden star-like patterns on each scute. Often, the plastron (shell under the belly) has similar patterning, too. 

Pancake tortoises can live to 35 years or more, and caring for them can be a thoroughly rewarding experience, provided they receive due care and attention. This means understanding their natural habitat and taking care to mimic this in a domestic setting in terms of housing, environment, diet and handling. 

Housing and Environment

Pancake tortoises require a high-sided and spacious enclosure with ample climbing opportunities and hiding spots. Whether you plan to house your Pancake indoors or outside, here are the enclosure dimensions required to accommodate their needs:

These dimensions provide the minimum enclosure size for housing one tortoise. I recommend increasing these dimensions by 2 feet for every additional tortoise to avoid overcrowding.

Substrate

Use a substrate that mimics their natural rocky terrain. A mixture of soil, sand, and small pebbles at a depth of 4-5 inches is ideal. Be sure to keep it mostly dry to prevent respiratory issues and shell rot.

I recommend a DIY mix of 20% small pebbles, 30% play sand or Zoo Med Repti Sand Desert (builders sand is too sharp) and 50% organic topsoil.

It’s important to remove soiled substrate daily to prevent bacteria growth, which can lead to respiratory infections and /or parasites. 

This means scooping out all feces, urates and uneaten food at the end of the day. You should also sanitize feeding and water dishes and replenish with fresh water.

I also recommend a deep clean of the enclosure each month. Here you’ll need to take out and dispose of all the substrate, and give the enclosure a thorough clean with a reptile safe detergent such as Absolutely Clean Reptile & Amphibian Terrarium Cleaner and Odor Eliminator. 

Use the detergent to sanitize all walls, surfaces, fixtures and enrichment objects such as rocks and hiding holes. Once clean, replace with fresh substrate.

Temperature and Humidity

In their natural habitat, daytime temperatures range between 80-90°F, with nighttime temperatures dropping to around 70°F.

When setting up your enclosure – be it indoors or outside – you’ll need to replicate these temperatures year-round to avoid possible health issues. 

The best way to do this for captive Pancake tortoises is to set up a temperature gradient in the enclosure as follows:

For a 10 square ft indoor enclosure you will need one halogen heat lamp (fitted with a dimmer switch) that can be positioned directly over your tortoise’s basking spot. 

The bigger the enclosure and the more tortoises you have, the more heat lamps you will need. Remember, indoor temperatures can vary significantly throughout the year, so you will need to constantly monitor the enclosure temperature in case it needs adjusting. 

If the temperature in your region varies significantly throughout the year, you may need to invest in more heat lamps in winter to prevent the cooler area dropping below 75°F.

For outdoor enclosures, make sure the basking spot is positioned in full sun for most of the day. If this is not possible, you may need to fit a heat lamp to ensure the warmer area can reach those top-end temperatures.

Make sure you provide a shelter, vegetation or a hiding place where your tortoise can escape extreme temperatures. 

Finally, if nighttime temperatures start to dip below 68°F you are going to need to provide an indoor enclosure too.

You might associate the naturally dry habitat of a Pancake tortoise with low humidity; however, they do still need humidity in the region of 60% during the day and 80% at night to thrive.

Placing their water bowl in the warmer area and/or misting will help to increase humidity. Avoid misting your tortoise and/or misting at night when temperatures are lower, as this may lead to damp conditions and may incite respiratory infections.

Lighting

UV light is a crucial part of a tortoise’s well-being. Without it, they are unable to metabolize Vitamin D3, which in turn enables them to absorb the right amount of calcium required to develop bone and shell strength. 

It’s even more critical for hatchlings and juveniles who are still developing and for female gravid tortoises who need additional calcium for egg development.

If your Pancake tortoise lives in an outdoor enclosure, you can skip this step as they will get all the UVB light they require from the sun – assuming the warmer area is placed in direct sunlight for much of the day.

For indoor enclosures, owners need to provide artificial UVB light for 10-12 hours per day. Here you will need a good quality UV bulb with reflector over half of the enclosure (the warm area). I like the Arcadia Pro T5 HO UVB Kit 24W / 12%. 

Your light will need to be fitted 12-14 inches above the tortoise’s shell and 2-4 inches lower if you have a mesh cover, but it’s best to use a Solar meter to help you determine the exact positioning. You’re looking for a basking ‘sweet spot’ with a UVI of 4.0 to 6.0. 

You’ll need to factor replacement bulbs into your overall budget as they stop producing UV after 6-8 months. At this point, they will need replacing.

Enrichment 

Pancake tortoises need climbing structures, rocks, and tunnels in their enclosure to encourage natural behaviors and provide mental stimulation.

Rather than placing food in clear sight, it’s beneficial to hide food in different parts of the enclosure to encourage foraging. This not only stimulates their natural behavior but also provides exercise and mental engagement.

Diet and Nutrition

The dry arid conditions of East Africa mean that a Pancake tortoise’s diet consists of rich in fiber and low in protein dry grasses, leaves, and succulents. 

For captive Pancakes you should aim to offer 3 to 4 different varieties, at a ratio of 95% grasses and hay, and 5% leafy greens at each meal to make sure your pet gets an array of nutrients. 

Hatchings and juveniles will need to be fed every day, but adults only need to be fed every other day to avoid the potential for obesity.

Timothy grass, fescue, orchard grass and Bermuda should be a mainstay. And for leafy greens offer collard greens, dandelion greens, Romaine lettuce, turnip greens, mustard greens, endive and escarole. 

To add in a little variety and diversify the nutrient intake, I recommend occasionally offering edible flowers like hibiscus and nasturtium.

Make sure that all food is pesticide-free and sprinkle with calcium powder before serving. 

Although Pancake tortoises will consume moisture from their diet, it is vitally important that you provide a shallow water dish with fresh water for drinking.

Foods to Avoid or Offer Sparingly

I recommend avoiding offering too much fruit to Pancake tortoises. Although they may love the sweetness, they have a hard time digesting sugar, and it can cause Diarrhea. 

The same goes for protein-rich foods. Pancake tortoises are not adapted to eating meat or legumes such as alfalfa and eating it can lead to kidney problems and shell deformities.

Finally, food high in oxalic acid should be avoided as this chemical can bind with calcium and prevent tortoises from absorbing this vital mineral. This means that most of the brassica family – including beet greens, spinach, cabbage, chard, kale, and broccoli – is off-limits. 

Health and Wellness

Here’s a list of some of the most common health problems associated with Pancake tortoises:

There are various things owners can do to prevent or mitigate the seriousness of these issues. As follows:

• Keep enclosures clean and at the right temperature and humidity. 
• Remove soiled substrate daily.
• Sanitize water dish and replace with fresh water daily.
• Make sure food is fresh and pesticide-free.
• Keep your tortoise hydrated by providing water to bathe every few days. 
• Check your tortoise’s cloaca, eye, nose and mouth areas and remove any debris and dirt regularly.
• Monitor how much your tortoise eats and their daily activities. Any increase or decrease in eating and movement should be monitored with a view to taking further action if necessary.
• Track your tortoises’ weight and size monthly and adjust food quantities if required.
• Book six monthly check-ups with a veterinary that specializes in tortoises. 

Social Behavior and Interaction

Although they make great pets, Pancake tortoises are generally shy and reclusive. While they can tolerate gentle handling, excessive handling, noise and disruption can cause stress. 

Allow your tortoise time to get familiar with their new surroundings and explore its environment. Don’t be hasty or get impatient if they retreat into their shell when you first approach or if they don’t take food that you offer them by hand. Allow them time to get used to your voice and presence and avoid shouting or loud noises in their vicinity.

If you do need to handle your tortoise, make sure your hands are clean and pick it up from underneath rather than grabbing the top of their shell. Make sure they are secure in both hands and their body and legs are supported.

Wash and sanitize your hands after handling them, too.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Due to years of over exploitation the ICUN considers Pancake tortoises as critically endangered which means all Pancakes that are bought and sold require the correct CITIES paperwork. 

This means you should research any restrictions that apply in your region and ensure your Pancake tortoise is sourced ethically via a captive breeder or a rescue center. 

Did you know…

Albinism in tortoises is rare, and hasn’t been documented in every tortoise species. However, a form of albinism has been reported in Pancake tortoises and more information on Albino tortoise facts can be found here.

Citations

• Jacksonville Zoo – Pancake Tortoises
• Park Vet Group – Tortoise Parasite Prevention
• Species Conservation Organisation – Pancake Tortoises IUCN Red List