Testudo kleinmanni

A tortoise table (open terrarium) or a dry, well-ventilated indoor pen; a secure, covered outdoor pen only in a hot, dry and sunny climate.

A minimum of ~120 x 60 cm for an adult, more for a pair or a group. Favour OPEN pens (tortoise table) rather than closed vivariums that retain humidity and stale air. Provide dry hides, shaded areas and a slightly humid microclimate (a hide with moistened substrate) for juveniles to limit pyramiding. Avoid any humid, poorly ventilated confinement.

A desert species intolerant of high ambient humidity: aim for an overall DRY atmosphere (20-50 %). Chronically high humidity leads to rhinitis and pneumonia. Exception: juveniles benefit from a locally humid hide for hydration and regular growth of the carapace, without ever humidifying the whole enclosure.

A dry, loose substrate that allows scratching and digging out a shelter, but well-draining. Ban moisture-retaining substrates (wet peat, soaked coco, wet bark). A sufficient depth allows the animal to burrow to thermoregulate and estivate.

Essential. A strongly heliophilic species: high UVB is required (a Ferguson zone 3-4 UVB tube or lamp, 10-12 % type, or exposure to real sunlight in a secure outdoor pen). Replace the tubes every 6-12 months depending on the model. Without adequate UVB: risk of osteodystrophy.

Provide at all times a shallow dish of clean water that is easy to get out of. A desert species that draws most of its water from food and dew, but regular lukewarm baths (especially for juveniles and when emerging from estivation) prevent dehydration and bladder stones. Never let humidity stagnate in the enclosure.

Desert coastal fringes and semi-arid steppes of northern Egypt and Libya (historically as far as southern Israel). A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED species (IUCN), nearly extinct in the wild in Egypt. Listed in CITES Appendix I and Annex A of the EU regulation: its keeping, transfer and transport are strictly regulated and require CITES documents / intra-EU certificates. Acquire only captive-bred, traced and documented individuals; avoid any wild origin.

Herbivore — Desert herbaceous plants, flowers, fibrous leaves, halophilic plants such as orache/saltbush (Atriplex), dandelion, plantain, endives, quality hay

A diet rich in fibre, low in protein and sugars. Base: leafy plants, flowers and various 'weeds', hay ad libitum. Avoid fruit, water-rich vegetables and protein kibble. Supplement with calcium (cuttlebone ad libitum) and provide a UVB source for vitamin D3 synthesis. A diet that is too soft/rich promotes pyramiding and kidney disorders.

Clutch 1–4 eggs/young. Very small clutches (often 1 to 3 eggs, relatively large for the animal's size), sometimes several clutches per season. Incubation generally around 30-33 °C according to breeding data; sex determination probably influenced by temperature, as in other Testudo. Breeding is delicate and must be strictly managed on the regulatory level (marking, declaration, CITES) given the species' status.

• Respiratory infections (chronic rhinitis, pneumonia) triggered by humidity and/or cold
• Pyramiding of the carapace (unsuitable humidity, a diet too rich/soft, UVB deficit)
• Osteodystrophy / metabolic bone disease (deficiency of UVB, calcium or D3)
• Intestinal parasitism, particularly common and serious in animals of wild origin
• Dehydration, kidney disorders and bladder stones (unsuitable water intake or care)