Testudo horsfieldii — Fact Sheet
Testudo horsfieldii · Russian Tortoise · Vierzehenschildkröte
📋 At a glance
| Adult size | 13-25 cm |
| Lifespan | 40-80 years |
| Subspecies | Regional forms; often sold by locality poorly |
| Origin | Central Asia |
| Activity | Diurnal |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Legal | CITES: Appendix II; EU: Annex B; local rules still apply |
🏠 Enclosure
- Outdoors preferred in warm, dry weather; this species needs space and digging depth
- Outdoor minimum for one adult: several m² with buried or dig-proof edges
- Indoor: wide open tortoise table or large pen, not a tall glass terrarium
- Substrate: dry mineral soil, sand, and clay mix suitable for burrowing
- Avoid: damp closed tanks, cedar/pine, cat litter, smooth floors, weak barriers
🪨 Enclosure furniture
- Deep digging zone + basking area + shaded retreat + dry shelter
- Uneven ground, low mounds, flat stones, roots, edible weeds
- Outdoor walls must stop climbing, squeezing, and digging under
💡 Lighting
- UVB essential indoors
- Best: T5 HO UVB plus separate basking heat or a measured mercury vapor system
- Outdoor direct sun is excellent; glass/plastic blocks UVB
- Photoperiod: 10-12 h with seasonal adjustment; no night light
🌡️ Temperature
Basking spot: 32-35 °C
Warm zone: 26-30 °C
Cool zone: 20-24 °C
Night: 16-20 °C
Clear thermal gradient required
Measure basking surface with an infrared thermometer
Avoid heat rocks, damp chill, and constant overheating
💧 Humidity & water
- Mostly dry, well-ventilated setup
- Shallow water dish always available
- Juveniles: short regular soaks and a slightly humid hide
- Avoid permanently wet corners, muddy substrate, and stale humid air
🥬 Diet
Feed freely:
- Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.)
- Plantain (Plantago spp.)
- Mallow (Malva spp.)
- Chicory, endive, sow thistle, grasses, safe weeds
- Mulberry, hibiscus, unsprayed grapevine leaves
In moderation:
- Clover (Trifolium spp.)
- Arugula, escarole, grass hay
Avoid:
- Fruit except very rarely
- Animal protein, dog/cat food, dairy, bread, processed foods
- Soft supermarket vegetables as the staple diet
Supplements:
- Cuttlefish bone available at all times
- Light calcium dusting indoors; UVB still required
💤 Winter rest
- Often appropriate for healthy, established animals from suitable backgrounds
- Do not hibernate: sick, underweight, newly acquired, parasitized, or dehydrated animals
- Pre-check: weight, appetite, droppings, hydration, body condition
- Typical winter-rest target: 4-8 °C with ventilation and no freezing
- Wake gradually; offer water before food
🩺 Health — warning signs
- Soft or uneven shell → UVB/calcium/diet problem
- Swollen or irritated eyes → infection, dryness, vitamin issue
- Nasal discharge or wheezing → respiratory disease
- Persistent barrier digging → stress, insufficient space, poor layout
- Refusal to eat outside seasonal slowdown → husbandry or health issue
- Weight loss → parasites, dehydration, or disease
Consult a reptile-experienced vet for respiratory signs, serious weakness, parasites, injury, or prolonged anorexia.