Four toes, a shovel and absolutely no respect for boundaries Humans, we need to discuss Horsfields. Because somewhere right now, a human is staring into an empty enclosure shouting: “WHERE’S THE TORTOISE?” Relax. You’ve got a Horsfield. I’m Manuel, a respectable spur-thighed tortoise, and even I think these chaps are slightly bonkers. FIRST, THEY’RE NOT MEDITERRANEAN Horsfields come from Central Asia, where their ancestors dealt with dry steppes, rocky ground, baking summers,
Hot weather can be dangerous for tortoises too. Learn how to keep your Mediterranean tortoise safe during a heatwave, including shade, water, feeding and the warning signs of overheating.
Manuel overhears a conversation about Costa, a small Horsfield tortoise with an enormous personality and a beak that seems to arrive three minutes before the rest of him. Naturally, Manuel wasn’t listening. He just happened to be nearby.
I’ve organised everything into simple lessons because humans have an extraordinary talent for making tortoise keeping far more complicated than it needs to be.”
