Astrochelys radiata

Secure outdoor enclosure (strongly recommended) in a suitable climate, or a large heated indoor pen/greenhouse. Loose substrate for digging, hides and shaded areas.

Minimum dimensions for ONE adult indoors; bigger is always better, and outdoor access to graze in the sun is ideal. Allow much more space for several individuals. IMPORTANT: PROTECTED species — classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN, listed in CITES Appendix I and EU Annex A. Keeping, transfer and transport are strictly regulated: CITES documents/intra-EU certificates and a national declaration/permit are mandatory. Acquire only captive-bred, legally documented animals; refuse any wild-caught origin.

A generally dry ambient for adults, but not desert-like. Juveniles need more humid microclimates (a damp hide, regular baths) to prevent shell pyramiding.

A substrate deep enough for the animal to dig and settle in, with a rather dry surface but a slightly damp lower layer beneath the hide. Avoid dusty substrates and permanently waterlogged ground.

Essential: strong UVB of the type used for tortoises (upper Ferguson zone), the lamp replaced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Ideally, exposure to direct, unfiltered sunlight whenever the climate allows.

Provide at all times a clean, wide, shallow water dish for drinking and soaking. Bathe juveniles regularly (lukewarm water, a few minutes) for hydration and gut transit.

Endemic to southern and south-western Madagascar (arid spiny forest and dry scrubland).

Strict herbivore (grazer) — None; do not feed animal protein.

A high-fibre, low-protein diet: grasses, hay, wild plants (dandelion, plantain, mallow), Opuntia pads and succulents, varied leafy greens. Strictly limit fruit and sugary vegetables. Supplement with calcium (cuttlebone); UVB is essential for vitamin D synthesis. Excess protein/rapid growth = pyramiding and kidney damage.

Clutch 3–12 eggs/young. Usually a few eggs per clutch (occasionally more), with several clutches possible per season. Long and variable incubation, lasting several months at moderate warmth. The breeding and transfer of offspring of a CITES Appendix I / EU Annex A species are regulated: marking, declaration and certificates are mandatory.

• Shell pyramiding (insufficient humidity in the young, excess protein, growth too fast)
• Metabolic bone disease / calcium deficiency and UVB–vitamin D deficit
• Respiratory infections linked to cold and damp
• Internal parasites (nematodes), especially in poorly monitored animals or those of dubious origin
• Egg retention (dystocia) in females