Spurred tortoises on the summer “hacienda”

June is the traditional month for the giant spurred tortoises release to the summer enclosure 🐢🐢
So our African couple – Uncle Sasha and Matilda, moved to their “hacienda”. After the obligatory weighing, it turned out that 35-year-old Uncle Sasha gained 7 kg (up to 72 kg), and 40-year-old Matilda lost 4 kg and her weight now is 45 kg.

Want to remind you that the couple has four cubs. And although the largest of them (Kruglyk) weighs only 585 grams, and the smallest (Tzatpchka) only 388 grams, the cubs are already completely independent and live separately from their parents with brother Martin and sister Lola.

Before the turtles came out, we sprouted a whole meadow of weeds in the enclosure, which they are happy to eat. They have a hiding place with infrared lamps for heating and a special “sandbox” for a comfortable stay.

Spurred tortoises are herbivores. They eat grass, hay, vegetables and fruits. And a special delicacy – hibiscus- we grow ourselves. So we treat our tortoises with these lush twigs all year round 💚

Uncle Sasha and Matilda send greetings from their summer “hacienda” and invite you to Kyiv Zoo!

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✅ Also, the collection of Kyiv Zoo spurred tortoises has grown since the beginning of spring. 17 young tortoises were rescued from the private zoo in Yasnogorodka, which was destroyed by russian horde: eight medium-sized tortoises, up to 7 years old and weighing 5-7 kg (they can be seen on the Island of Animals), and nine small ones up to 1 year old and weighing up to 150 gr (currently exhibited in the pavilion “Desert”).