Tortoise Breeds by George Tortoise esq.

Kingdom: Animalia 

Me on a rampage

Phylum: Chordata 

Class: Reptilia 

Order: Testudines 

Suborder: Cryptodira 

Superfamily: Testudinoidea 

Family: Testudinidae 

I was suprised by the diverse amount of tortoise, turtle and terrapin breeds there are. I wanted to spend some time researching and learning about the different species and I thought that while I was learning about these breeds, I would share them with you. 

First up...I will start with the obvious...Me...George Porgison. 

Testudo horsfieldii : Russian Tortoise (Horsfield's Tortoise, or Central Asian Tortoise, Four-Toed Tortoise, Afghanistan Tortoise and Steppe Tortoise.), named after the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield. My breed is popular as a pet in many households. 

Something I didn't know but my breed is classified as VUNERABLE on the conservation scale and I thought we were extremely popular! Show's how much I know! This is happening due to habitat destruction, pet trade and use in folk medicine. We can be found in place such as Afghanistan to north-western China, through the countries of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Pakistan. 

We are one of the smaller tortoises, between 6-10inches-which is one of the reasons we are a favourite option as a pet, also we are extremely hardy and easy to care for (although some have got it wrong...I should know with my damaged shell). We need to be fed the right food...mainly weeds such as dandelions (leaves and flowers) and wild strawberry leaves-two of my favourites. We eat other food such as lettuce and cucumber but these need vitamins and limestone flour added to them as the contain very little nutritional value. Personally, I don't like fruit but it can be given in small quantities as the sugar is not good for my stomach. 

Our colours vary, but the shell is usually a ruddy brown or black, fading to yellow between the scutes, and the body itself straw-yellow and brown. Most are darker then me, I am a very pale Horsfield. 

We can live up to 50 years old which is very young compared to others who can live for hundreds!!! 

I am well known as a burrowing tortoise as I love to dig. I can burrow as far as 2 metres (6 feet)-if I was in the wild and the reason I do this is to cool my body temperature down and for somewhere to shelter. I also do the opposite to this and bask. I do this to warm up my body being cold blooded...and when I do, I can going on major rampages and eat so much. 

Thank you for your time. George Tortoise esq. :D xxxxx

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