Asian Forest Tortoise — Fact Sheet
Manouria emys · Asian Forest Tortoise
📋 At a glance
| Adult size | 45-60 cm |
| Lifespan | 50-80 years |
| Subspecies | M. e. emys and M. e. phayrei are encountered; match size and climate details to known origin. |
| Origin | Humid forest and hill forest from South Asia into Southeast Asia. |
| Activity | Diurnal |
| Difficulty | Expert |
| Legal status | CITES: Appendix II; EU: Annex B; local rules still apply |
🏠 Housing
- Use deep leaf litter, soil, cypress mulch, and clean forest-floor materials over a draining base. Provide open walking lanes, planted or visual cover, several full-body shelters, and barriers that resist pushing and digging.
🌡️ Temperature
- Basking spot: 30-32°C
- Warm zone: 24-29°C
- Cool zone: 22-24°C
- Night: 20-24°C
🥬 Feeding
- Feed a broad plant-heavy diet: broadleaf weeds, grasses, edible leaves, squash leaves, hibiscus, mulberry, plantain, and seasonal browse. Some forest-food variety can be useful, but keep the diet high-fiber and controlled for calories.
🩺 Common problems
- Common failures are dry housing, shallow substrate, small pens, dirty soaking water, weak barriers, obesity, shell trauma, and poor quarantine of imported animals.