I would like to inspire you as a tortoise enthusiast to practise the best possible
naturalistic husbandry for these special animals. Based on the foundation of more than 20 years
of my dealing with Mediterranean tortoises this book provides you with plentiful advice and
tips from my practical experience to help you with keeping your tortoises. Starting with
'nature as our guide' I explain why the animals should be spared a life in a vivarium. This
guide book contains over 175 pages of detailed suggestions for natural husbandry methods. I
demonstrate the landscaping of outdoor enclosures and introduce suitable and less suitable
feeding plants. Other topics are: optimal nutrition care of hatchlings and juveniles
hibernation tortoise health successful breeding and species protection - as well as mistakes
made in tortoise husbandry and many other subjects. Over 200 photographs of tortoises in their
habitats enclosure setups plants and many other subjects make this book a particularly
valuable read. I also dedicate a separate chapter to our youngest tortoise friends as I would
also like to engage this young generation and their parents in aspiring to a naturalistic
approach to keeping tortoises. My book should be regarded as a basic guide for keeping
Hermann's tortoises Spur-thighed tortoises (Greek tortoises or Moorish tortoises) Horsfield's
tortoises (Russian tortoises Central Asian tortoises Steppe tortoises Afghan tortoises or
Four-toed tortoises) and Marginated tortoises.
