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BANGKOK POST (Thailand) 09 October 05 Raising The Star Tortoise - Currently all the rage, this exotic pet is easy to care for but learning as much as you can about it is an absolute must (Chompoo Trakullertsathien)
When young, the star tortoise does not carry distinctive stars on its shell. The unique pattern becomes more visible when the animal reaches maturity.
With a striking star pattern on its carapace, the star tortoise is attracting pet connoisseurs the world over. Many Thai pet devotees have embraced this latest craze.
The yellow star-like patterns on its carapace set the star tortoise apart from other species in the same family. When they herd together, their shells shine, resembling a black sky filled with yellow stars.
The star tortoise, or Geochelone elegans, is a superstar in the arena of land tortoises. Due to its unique appearance, this species has won the hearts of many pet lovers, especially those who have a passion for exotic animals.
The creature is also displayed in many zoos around the globe for those who want to appreciate its characteristics.
In Thailand, the craze for the star tortoise has been intense, resulting in soaring prices. The species must be imported from overseas, mainly Africa.
According to Assoc Prof Dr Nantarika Chansue, head of the aquatic animal medicine division at Chulalongkorn University, Geochelone elegans can be found over large parts of the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.
Due to the three geographically separate variants, the species can be categorised into various subspecies. Those originally belonging to the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent are large with darker-hued shells while those in the southern parts are smaller with more outstanding patterns.
Sri Lankan variants resemble the southern specimens but are larger with more radiating yellow lines.
"The star tortoise is a cute, tame animal. It's friendly to people. It's relatively easy to take care of because it's a herbivore. But the owner must make sure that the vegetables used to feed it are chemical-free," explained the vet.
According to her, a thorough check-up of the animal's health was a prerequisite for those who want to keep the star as a pet tortoise. A healthy tortoise must have a shiny, clean shell.
A sick animal will be unresponsive: If you put your hand in front of its head, it should withdraw its head quickly. Those with mucus in the nostrils might have respiratory problems or suffer from infected lungs.
Faeces can also indicate the status of its health.
A tortoise with diarrhoea has most likely been infected with Salmonella. "This germ can be transmitted to human beings. It can cause severe diarrhoea in humans. Clean your hands whenever you touch a sick tortoise," the vet advised.
In the wild, the star tortoise lives in packs, so it should have company. Typically, the male star tortoise is smaller than female. The length of the male carapace is about 20 centimetres, while the female can grow as long as 30 centimetres.
The star tortoise lives in forests, grasslands and deserts. It can't tolerate damp, highly humid conditions. Keeping the animal on soil or grass is better than keeping it on sand.
Grass can provide nourishment to the animal. Besides, it's a grazing animal by nature so it's better to duplicate its natural outdoor habitat.
Be careful when feeding the animal: Sand can contaminate its food and obstruct its gastro-intestinal tract, which can be fatal. "It's better to provide it with a sand-free area for feeding," Nantarika said.
Keeping the animal on concrete is detrimental to its health. Remains of cement dust inhaled by the animal can cause lung infections. The alkaline nature of cement dust can have an abrasive effect on the animal's skin.
Vegetables comprise its major food source. To prevent malnutrition, feed it various types of grasses, weeds and greens.
Additional calcium supplements are recommended. Use calcium supplemented with vitamin D3 for an indoor animal, and calcium without D3 for an outdoor pet.
Fruits and sweets should be given rarely, if at all, since tortoises cannot digest sugar. A diet rich in high fibre and calcium but low in protein is good for its digestive tract.
"A sudden change of food is not good for the animal. It's recommended that you gradually change the diet over the course of a week so that the animal can adjust itself," she said.
A lack of vitamin A can lead to an eye infection, which will leave the animal with its eyes closed most of the time. Additional vitamin A can be injected into the vegetables fed to the animal. "Giving medicine directly to the animal might be a headache for keepers. If you hide it in the first three bits of vegetables and give them to the animal when it's hungry, normally the first meal of the day, there's a higher chance of success," she said.
Nantarika added that there was a misconception that tortoises don't drink water, that they receive enough water from vegetables. That's totally wrong, she said. The owner must provide the animal with a shallow water bowl that allows the tortoise to soak in it but not drown.
In some cases, trays used to develop photographs work well for this purpose because the tortoise can easily get in and out of them.
In addition to sufficient space, a good diet and proper care, sunlight is another necessity for the tortoise's growth. Outdoor tortoises will be healthier than those kept indoors because they can generate vitamin D from the sun's rays.
Tortoises are prone to various kinds of accidents. "The most frequent is being accidentally trampled on. Those kept in high-rise buildings and condos are prone to falling to the ground. One of my patients fell from the 17th floor of a condo. Luckily, it dropped into the pond below and was only slightly injured. Not all tortoises are that lucky."
The animal's major enemies are dogs and cats. For them, a tortoise is an exciting toy. They love to nibble on its shell. Some dogs play with a tortoise as though it were a ball, which can cause internal damage to the animal, the vet explained.
Should the animal ever suffer from a split shell, Nantarika recommended that the owner take it to the nearest vet as the wound might easily become infected.
Be careful when carrying a tortoise. The golden rule is not to turn the animal upside down.
"Only a few know that the lungs of a tortoise are below its shell. When it is turned upside down, it will experience breathing difficulties."
The tortoise is well known for its long lifespan so would-be owners should bear in mind that their responsibility for the pet may last a very long time. Keepers should also be patient since the animal's growth is very slow.
"Those who want to keep a star tortoise should find out as much as they can about its nature, habitat, diet, health concerns and diseases since that information is important to the survival of the animal. Don't follow the craze blindly _ that can lead to a loss of life."
Raising The Star Tortoise

I missed that edition of the Bangkok Post. The Star Tortoises in Thailand are brought in directly from India/Sri Lanka, not Africa, and they are usually smuggled out, since India and Sri Lanka both prohibit their exportation.

The price has gone up significantly for hatchlings due to their popularity among Thais and foreigners from a minimum of $20.00 USD to $30.00 USD. Most westerners are of course charged far more since they know the value of them in Europe and the US.

Here is a picture of my young female Geochelone elegans
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