{"id":19688,"date":"2015-03-25T16:52:06","date_gmt":"2015-03-25T16:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/?p=19688"},"modified":"2025-09-11T11:10:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T16:10:13","slug":"basic-information-sheet-greek-or-spur-thighed-tortoise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-greek-or-spur-thighed-tortoise\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Information Sheet:  Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoise"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoise (<em>Testudo graeca <\/em>complex)<\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_19689\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-tortoises-labeled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19689\" class=\"wp-image-19689\" src=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-tortoises-labeled-400x216.jpg\" alt=\"Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoises\" width=\"600\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-tortoises-labeled-400x216.jpg 400w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-tortoises-labeled-500x270.jpg 500w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-tortoises-labeled.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-19689\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><small>Juvenile <em>Testudo graeca ibera<\/em> (left); <em>T. g. graeca<\/em> (right). Photo credit: Massimo Lazzari via Wikimedia Commons<\/small><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\">\n<h2>Natural history<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\n<em>Testudo (graeca) ibera<\/em> shares many similarities with <a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-hermanns-tortoise\">Testudo hermanni<\/a> with respect to their natural environment, natural climate, natural diet, and hibernation period. The habitat for these species includes arid areas from sea level to greater than 3000 m altitude, however their environmental preferences are grassland, forest, and savannah.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Testudo graeca graeca<\/em> are found from northern Morocco to Libya, in southern Spain, and in Sardinia or Sicily.<\/li>\n<li><em>Testudo graeca terrestris<\/em> are found in southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and from Israel to northern Egypt or Libya. In the pet trade it is often called the Golden Greek Tortoise because of its light-colored shell.<\/li>\n<li><em>Testudo graeca zarudnyi<\/em> are found in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.<\/li>\n<li><em>Testudo (graeca) ibera<\/em> are found in northeast Greece, parts of the Balkans, the northern Aegean islands, and parts of Turkey to Iran or Iraq.<\/li>\n<li>As taxonomy is still in question, specimens in the pet trade can be various subspecies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Conservation status<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nWild populations are listed as \u201cvulnerable\u201d by the IUCN Red List and are included in CITES Appendix II.<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Taxonomy<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\n<strong>Class<\/strong>: <em>Reptilia<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Order<\/strong>: <em>Chelonia\/Testudines<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><strong>Family<\/strong>: <em>Testudinidae<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px;\"><strong>Genus<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\"><em>Testudo<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\"><em>Testudo graeca<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>Testudo graeca graeca<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>Testudo graeca terrestris<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>Testudo graeca zarudnyi<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Taxonomy of spur-thighed tortoises has been in a state of flux for decades. Some sources use the names \u201cspur-thighed tortoise\u201d and \u201cGreek tortoise\u201d interchangeably, however Mader (2006) identified the spur-thighed tortoise as <em>Testudo graeca ibera<\/em>. Chitty (2013) indicates that Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (<em>Testudo graeca<\/em>) and Greek spur-thighed tortoise (<em>Testudo ibera<\/em>) are separate species altogether. A study published in Chelonian Conservation and Biology (2012) referred to <em>Testudo graeca ibera<\/em> as the Eurasian spur-thighed tortoise.<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Physical description<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><\/p>\n<h3>Size<\/h3>\n<p><em>Testudo (graeca) ibera<\/em> is a medium-sized tortoise ranging from 18-21 cm (7-8 in) in length. <em>Testudo graeca graeca<\/em> is relatively small: 13-16 cm (5-6 in) (Hern\u00e1ndez-Divers 2003). This species can measure up to 30 cm (12 in) in length (or more) with a maximum weight of approximately 6 kg (13 lb).<\/p>\n<h3>Color<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/understanding-the-chelonian-shell\/\">carapace<\/a> is brownish yellow with black patches. <em>Testudo ibera<\/em> is often paler in color than <em>Testudo graeca<\/em>, although darker populations do occur.<\/p>\n<p><em>Testudo ibera<\/em> has a flatter and broader carapace than <em>Testudo graeca<\/em> and the first vertebral scute is more angular in <em>Testudo ibera<\/em> compared to the more rounded shape in <em>Testudo graeca<\/em>.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40069 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-400x400.jpg\" alt=\"spur thigh Mayer Richard FCC\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-250x250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled.jpg 700w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/wp-content\/uploads\/Spur-thighed-Testudo-graeca-ibera-Weibchen-Mayer-Richard-WC-cropped-square-width-800-arrows-labeled-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td><em>Testudo graeca<\/em> can be distinguished from other members of genus <em>Testudo<\/em> by the presence of an enlarged tubercle (<em>arrows left, click image to enlarge<\/em>) on the medial thigh and an undivided supracaudal scute. Occasionally double or triple spurs are present, with one being obviously dominant. This species also lacks a horny terminal tip to the tail.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Diet<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nThe natural diet of <em>Testudo ibera<\/em> consists of a wide variety of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thetortoisetable.org.uk\/site\/files\/Edible%20doc%203rd%20edition_2013_condensed.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fibrous plants<\/a>, especially their flowers (Divers 2003). <em>Testudo ibera<\/em> is more omnivorous than <em>Testudo graeca<\/em> and some free-ranging individuals may consume mollusks and insects. The bulk of the captive diet consists of greens, grasses, and flowers. Tortoises are also fed other vegetables as well as a small quantity of fruit.\u00a0See the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Diet\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a>\u00a0Basic Information Sheet for additional information.<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Housing<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\"><strong>Temperature<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Day<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Basking spot<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Night<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>20\u00b0C-27\u00b0C\u00a0 (68\u00b0F &#8211; 81\u00b0F)<\/td>\n<td>Generally 5\u00b0C (9\u00b0F) higher than daytime range<\/td>\n<td>Drops by ~5\u00b0C (9\u00b0F)<\/td>\n<td>Gibbons 2012, Divers 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Humidity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\"><em>Testudo graeca<\/em> prefers a relative humidity of 30%-50% (Gibbons 2012). <em>Testudo graeca graeca<\/em> is particularly sensitive to climatic variations and does better with high humidity ranging from 40%-75% (Hern\u00e1ndez-Divers 2003).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Lighting<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\">Artificial UVB lighting is recommended for captive specimens. See the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#light\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet for additional information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Cage size and design<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\"><em>Testudo (graeca) ibera<\/em> tortoises are relatively hardy and this species handles climatic variations reasonably well. Therefore tortoises are usually housed outdoors during the summer months. Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Housing\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet\u00a0for additional information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Social structure<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\"><em>Testudo graeca graeca <\/em>does not mix well with other species<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Hibernation\/ aestivation<\/strong><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"4\">Hibernation for <em>Testudo (graeca) ibera<\/em> can last from November to April in free-ranging specimens. This high-altitude species is overwintered between 5\u00b0C-10\u00b0C (40\u00b0F-50\u00b0F) in a suitably prepared area (see guidelines for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-marginated-tortoise\">Testudo marginata<\/a>). Never expose these tortoises to below-freezing temperatures. Smaller species found at sea level tend not to hibernate. Instead free-ranging<em> Testudo graeca graeca<\/em> may aestivate underground during hot weather (Hern\u00e1ndez-Divers (2003).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Normal physiologic values<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Longevity records:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>127 years; at least 57 years in captivity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Incubation period<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>60 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Anatomy\/ physiology<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nSee the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Anatomy_physiology\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Restraint<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nSee the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Restraint\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Venipuncture<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nSee the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Venipuncture\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Preventive medicine<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nSee the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Preventive_medicine\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Important medical conditions<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><br \/>\nTortoise herpesvirus 3 has been frequently described in genus\u00a0<em>Testudo<\/em>.\u00a0Urolithiasis is also a relatively common disorder \u00a0in <em>Testudo graeca.<\/em><br \/>\nOther conditions reported in <em>T. graeca<\/em> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Post-hibernation blindness from retinal damage (hypovitaminosis A)<\/li>\n<li>Picornaviruses are most frequently isolated from <em>Testudo graeca<\/em><\/li>\n<li>The <em>Ferlavirus <\/em>genus of paramyxoviruses has also been detected in <em>Testudo graeca<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>See the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-mediterranean-tortoises\/#Important_medical_conditions\">Mediterranean Tortoise<\/a> Basic Information Sheet\u00a0for additional information.<br \/>\n<\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-one-third\"><\/p>\n<h2>Quiz<\/h2>\n<p><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"ezcol ezcol-two-third ezcol-last\"><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Quiz: Can You Keep Your Mediterranean Tortoises (Testudo spp.) straight?\" href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/quiz-can-you-keep-your-mediterranean-tortoises-testudo-spp-straight\/\">Click here<\/a> to access LafeberVet&#8217;s Testudo Tortoise Fast 5 Quiz.<\/p>\n<p><\/div><div class=\"ezcol-divider\"><\/div><\/p>\n<p>**<em>Login to view references<\/em>**<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ref\">References and further reading<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Greek or spur-thighed tortoise (<i>T. graeca<\/i> complex) is a small to medium-sized tortoise. Subspecies are found from northern Africa through central Asia. Use our Greek tortoise Information Sheet to review taxonomy, conservation status, physical description, diet and housing needs, as well as important medical conditions of this chelonian species.  Login to view information sheet references.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":19692,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[256,389,702],"class_list":["post-19688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-herbivore","tag-natural-history","tag-species-taxonomy","content_types-information-sheet","topics-husbandry","topics-nutrition","topics-preventive-medicine","species-reptiles-amphibians","species-turtles-tortoises","channel-resources-education","contributor-pollock","contributor-kanis","contributor-latney","contributor-donoghue"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Basic Information Sheet: Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoise - LafeberVet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Use our Greek or spur-thighed tortoise (T. graeca complex) Information Sheet to review diet and housing needs and more for this chelonian species.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-sheet-greek-or-spur-thighed-tortoise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Basic Information Sheet: Greek or Spur-Thighed Tortoise - 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