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Riku : Happy Valentine 2009


Riku & Miku getting bigger

Riku & Miku 9 month ago (March 2008)






Riku & Miku December 2008.
They are getting bigger and more curve.

Miku star tortoise in the beautiful night

Miku in the beautiful night


Riku & Miku star tortoise under table 2

Riku & Miku under the table

Riku star tortoise in action

Gorgeous Riku in action

Riku & Miku star tortoise under table

Riku & Miku under the table

Riku & Miku star tortoise Lunch

Riku and Miku star tortoise lunch

Miku star tortoise sleeping in balcony

Miku star tortoise sleeping in balcony


Every morning Riku & Miku is put in the 2nd floor balcony.
Most of the time Miku sleeping in the "cave".

Afternoon time they will be put in our guess room floor. They like grazing around and sometimes Wiwi-san is so worried because she "lost" them but later found them hiding in different corner of the house.


At the first week when Miku moved to my place, I was quite worried. I still remember there are 2 nights, I must move her to the floor at the corner of our guess room as she protest by keep hitting her body to the tank glass.

I guess it was because she feel uneasy & disturbed because we watch them and talked very near to the tank while she was sleeping. Miku is more sensitive and shy compared to Riku.

As they do not like stay in the tank very long, so now Miku & Riku are placed into their tank only at evening and nobody is allowed to talk very near to the tank.

Riku and Miku star tortoise

Riku and Miku Star Tortoise


My name is Riku.
a burmese star tortoise.
I was born in Jakarta in January 2006.
Today weight is : 356 gr.








My Name is Miku.
Same age with Riku.
Today weight is : 292 gr.












Today 16 March 2008,
They are 2 years and 2 months old.
Riku & Miku are moving house today
as Mariko san, who raised us up
is going back to Japan for studying
but she cannot bring us along.....

We will miss you ...Mariko san

Raise Star Tortoises

Raise Star Tortoises
The young tortoise need a high temperature and ultraviolet ray more than adult tortoise. Young tortoise has weak physical strength in comparison to the adult tortoise. It is easy to destroy young tortoise physical condition and their mortality rate is high.


When you raise a tortoise from young , it accustomed to the person well and like a dog when you call its name near it, the tortoise will accustome to the name.


But different from the dog and the cat, when tortoise's body is touched ,it feels stress. Therefore touch the body of the tortoise is not good. So if you are a person who cannot be satisfied by only looking at the tortoise, should not keep a tortoise as a pet.


Each tortoise will have different character and favorite foods eventhough they are the same type. The color of the shell, shape of the shell, pattern of the shell of same type of tortoise will be different depending upon the influence of heredity and the environmental influence.


The tortoise drinks the water in the tank. If the water is dirty and tortoise do not drink it, the tortoise become dehydration. Tortoise also drink water when being soaking for morning warm bath. When changing the water, pay attention to water temperature. It is not recommended to give tortoise a warm bath at night time because this is sleeping time and wake the tortoise which is sleeping is not good.


Tank is actually not suitable for tortoise as tortoise like to grazzing around but if you do not have suitable place for raising tortoise a large tank is better. Mix 2 tortoise or more in a small tank , even though they are the same type will make the tortoise feel stress and fight, and there are times when even in a gentle kind will became atrocius. When one of a tortoise condition is bad, if you mixed the tortoises together in a tank, there is a possibility of the other is being infected, so it is better to keep each tortoise separately.


It is better to give tortoise a fresh vegetable rather than formula foods.
When 2 tortoises live together, you need to ensure a weak tortoise is eating its food securely, by moving the strong tortoise to the other place. After the weak turtle have eaten its food, put back the strong tortoise to the tank for eating.

Star tortoise info

Star Tortoise info


It is very obvious where the Star Tortoise gets its name. The carapace of a Star Tortoise is grayish brown and sometimes almost black in color with a golden brown star pattern on their Carapace plates.


Hatchling Star Tortoises are very small, measuring only slightly over an inch in length. The entire carapace of a hatchling is very smooth, but at about one year old their carapace plates will begin to pyramid and continue to develop in this way as they approach adulthood.


Star Tortoise hatchlings also grow at an extremely quick rate and will be about one third longer than what they were as hatchlings after only six months. An adult Star Tortoises shell is high-domed and slightly elongated.


The females are typically larger than the males with broader shells and an adult length of about 10 inches, while the males generally have smoother carapaces and reach a length of generally no longer than 6 inches.


The Star Tortoise should be housed outdoors where weather permits. A shallow dish put into the ground with a shallow amount of water should also be kept in the pen so that the tortoise can occasionally soak itself and drink. Star Tortoises should have a daytime temperature gradient from 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the warmest area to about 80 degrees at the cooler area. At night the temperature should be in the low to mid 70s. They should have hide boxes in both the warm and cooler areas.

Star tortoise sleeps for the majority of the day, awaking only once or twice to forage for food.
it should be fed a diet of grasses and dark leafy green vegetables. A phosphorous free calcium supplement on their food daily and use a reptile multivitamins weekly is recommended to keep your tortoise in good health. Breeding The Star Tortoises breeding season is from June to October. The female will find a site and dig a nest to lay her eggs in. She may lay 8 or 9 clutches a year, and each clutch generally contains 5 to 7 eggs. If incubated at 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the eggs will usually hatch between 100 and 110 days.

Burmese & Indian Star tortoise

Star Tortoise

Star tortoise cannot tolerate cold temperatures and they enjoy dry, arid enclosures, but they do enjoy warm rain on occasion.


Star tortoises are a very kind and peaceful tortoise. They enjoy groups of 4 or 6. The male star tortoises generally do not fight with one another, they will spar for a mating partner but not much damage is inflicted.


Indian star tortoises are the smallest of the star tortoises.
The males usually average around 6 inches in length with the maximum size being around 15 inches at the most.

Bumese star tortoises are the larger of the two, generally growing to an average size of around 10 inches with the largest being around 16 to 17 inches.

Both of these tortoises have the same gender differences. The male star tortoise has a longer and thicker tail than that of the female.

Star Tortoise daily routine

Star Tortoise daily routine

Every morning 07:00 AM , the light in star tortoise cage is automatically turn-on .
As Star Tortoise is a cold blooded reptil, In one corner of the cage, I put a clip light lamp to provide artificial basking facilities. This should be positioned to provide a basking spot of 90 degrees F or so (32 degrees C) in that section of the habitat. I also put a Mercury vapor bulb for fluorescent light to provide for UVB which is necessary for Vitamin D3 synthesis (needed in calcium metabolism). Tortoise is more active and eating well when he feel warm.


at 08:00 Soak them in warm water under the morning sun for 30 minutes until it has a good bowel movement.
(water level only less than 1/2 way up the shell). Star tortoise drink while soaking and also it also pass bowel during soaking. quickly change the water to a clean one after tortoise pass bowel)


Bring star tortoise to his cage after soaking.
Need to place a water dish in the cage which is large enough to allow the tortoise to soak in it if it wishes. It must also be shallow enough to prevent it from drowning. The cage must be kept dry as the Star tortoise cannot tolerate wet or constant high humidity conditions.


10:00 AM star tortoise eating vegetable. (see food post)
02:00 PM eating time again
05:00 PM eating again
.



The best way to feed Star Tortoise is to allow it long periods of grazzing time. It will happily forage around your yard for several hours a day. Star Tortoises require a fair bit of room to graze as they like to move around a fair bit. Keeping your Star Tortoise outside will provide it with plenty of room to move about. because of their grazing habits, Star tortoises should be kept out of doors when the climate allows if at all possible. A well planted outdoor habitat for food, shelter, UV, and natural behaviors is well worth the minimal investment for the sake of your animal.


6:30 turn off light and tortoise sleeping time
Also a hide box located in the corner away from the basking spot to allow star tortoise a cooler dim retreat. (Star tortoise likes dark place for sleeping) . Adding heater is also advisable so at night star tortoise still feel warm when the light is turned-off.

Some tortoise eat a lot and pass bowel again in the afternoon..
Just pick-up the bowel using tissue paper and throw away
Healthy tortoise bowel is solid so it will not make the cage dirty
except after tortoise eating papaya , lectuce and flower.



Must prevent tortoise from eating its bowel as tortoise can affected by bacteria . (Thick urine , not solid bowel , lose appetite but like drinking too much and sleep a lot is shymtomp of bacteria infection)

Star tortoise food

Star Tortoise FOOD

Part 1 is 'forage'- dry or green grasses, hays, plant leaves and stems, flowers, succulent or cacti pads, etc. In captivity, this can be cactus pads, cactus fruits, Timothy hay, alfalfa (small amounts), sweet hay, dandelion greens, edible flowers, etc. This should be MOST of the diet.

Part 2 is dark green, leafy vegetables like turnip greens, collards greens, endive lettuce, etc. This is a SMALL part of the diet (small amounts offered a couple times a week or so). Do NOT use head lettuce, spinach, or mustard greens.

Part 3 is for variety and micronutrients. Things like strawberries, chopped carrots or yellow squash should be offered RARELY (about a teaspoon worth a week.)

Star tortoise need high calcium foods- so use a pinch of calcium carbonate powder on each meal and make sure that it has access to vitamin D3 (either by sunlight, UVB lighting, or as a vitamin supplement). A pinch of good multivitamin powder should be offered every couple days as well.

Star tortoise that are offered 'wet' diets (too high in moisture, like lettuce or pellet mash) can get 'colic' or digestive problems. They also cannot have hardly ANY protein- meat, beans, etc.

Greens such as turnips and collards can be fed a couple of times per week. In addition, carrots, potatos and squash can also be offered, although this should not be done more than once per week. Some fruits such as apples, peaches, bananas and strawberries work well in smaller quantities to offer a variety in the diet of your Star Tortoise.


See Feeding star tortoise

Healthy Star tortoise

Healthy Star tortoise

A baby Star tortoise will have pale creamy-coloured head and legs.
Both of its eyes will be bright and clear and it will open them when it is picked up or disturbed, they will not be swollen, the lids will not be stuck together and there will be no discharge (either clear or yellow) from them. Its nostrils will be clean and dry and there will not be bubbles coming from the nostrils.



There will be no clicking or wheezing when it breathes.
It will have a clean vent and there will be no signs of diarrhoea or foul smell coming from this area.


Its shell will perfect and have no damaged areas and there will be no liquid or smell coming from the joints between its scales. There will be no sores on its legs or swellings between its toes which would indicate infection.


It will be bright and alert and will retract its head and legs back into its shell when picked up. After a minute or two it will extend its head again and soon try to 'escape'.


It may urinate on your hand after a couple of minutes - this is an opportunity to check that its urine is clear and does not smell!


All young tortoises are a little shy - because of their small size they are vulnerable to predators in the wild - so their first natural reaction is to retract into their shell.


You should be able to observe the baby Star Tortoise you are interested in their display unit.


It may be walking around or feeding, or it may be 'asleep' in a corner
(Stars are usually active early morning and late afternoon to avoid the heat of the day where they come from) but once disturbed or picked up and put back again it will become alert and active.


Beware any tortoise that once disturbed remains inactive, immobile or listless, or appears weak and unable to move or which moves only with difficulty.

Star Tortoise Bath

Star Tortoise Bath


1. Tortoise drink water when tortoise has a bath. You should always ensure clean fresh drinking water is available for all tortoises

2. Tortoise holds its breath when having a bath.

3. We can keep clean body of tortoise by having a bath and remove the stink and at the same time keep the tortoise healthy.

4. I recommend 38 degrees for bath of tortoise.

5. If tortoise is given a bath at deep water level, the tortoise will be drowned.
We can increase volume of water by put a dish at the bottom.

6. If water temperature is too high, tortoise will waste strength.

7. If tortoise hold its breath, I recommend you to stop bath.

8. If tortoise does not hold it breath, I recommend not have bath of tortoise more than twenty minutes.

9. Dry body of tortoise after bath to protect from cold.

10. Check for abnormal with eyes, leg, hand, nail and beak when you dry body of tortoise.

11. Set timer at fifteen minutes when you start bath of tortoise to avoid bathing too long.

Vitamin for star tortoise

Vitamin for star tortoise
Aim for a high calcium - low phosphorous balance in tortoise diets

VITAMIN-A
Important to the condition of the skin and mucous membranes, eye (especially retinal) condition, biochemical and reproductive functions. Plants contain carotene which is converted to true vitamin-A in the body.

VITAMIN-B COMPLEX
The B-complex vitamins are water soluble and excesses are excreted in the urine. Vitamin B1, thiamine, is a regulator in the carbohydrate metabolism; Vitamin B2, riboflavin, is a co-enzyme in energy release and interacts with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12; Vitamin B3, niacin, is also crucial to the energy metabolism and is often obtained by converting the amino-acid tryptophan - this process requires the presence of thiamine, riboflavin and pyridoxine; Vitamin B6, pyridoxine, is involved in energy conversion from glycogen and in the synthesis of haemoglobin and antibodies; Vitamin B12 interacts with folic acid to govern the production of red blood cells. A deficiency causes pernicious anaemia and neurological symptoms. This vitamin is only produced within the gastro-intestinal tract when various micro-organisms act upon trace level cobalt. Deficiencies can occur following malabsorbtion syndrome or as a consequence of severe parasite infestations. The B-complex is just that. A matrix of interacting and inter-dependant compounds.

VITAMIN-D
Sometimes called 'the sunshine vitamin', vitamin-D is a fat soluble vitamin which is essential to the absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorous, as such, it plays a major role in bone formation. It can be obtained either naturally, by the action of ultra-violet light on sterols in the skin, or orally by supplementation - virtually all specialist calcium/mineral supplements intended for reptile use contain vitamin D in sufficient quantity.

VITAMIN-C
Vitamin-C has many functions, but as it is present in almost all fruits and green vegetables, deficiencies are extremely unlikely in tortoises.

VITAMIN-E
Many plants contain vitamin-E which is an antioxidant and works in conjunction with vitamins A and C.

VITAMIN-K
A fat-soluble coagulation vitamin. This vitamin is synthesised in the gut by bacterial action and is also found in plant foods. It is especially abundant in green, leafy plants.

MINERALS
Minerals are quite different from vitamins and are both chemical regulators and construction materials - Calcium forms a major part of a tortoise's body, more than any other mineral. Calcium deficiency is also extremely common as a growing tortoise requires substantial quantities of this mineral in order to build its skeleton.
The building of healthy bone tissue is the result of many vitamins and minerals acting in cooperation with each other.
It is essential to note that calcium is poorly absorbed by the body whereas phosphorus is readily absorbed - if a diet is heavy in phosphorus in relation to calcium, the excess phosphorus will prevent the uptake of calcium to the bone. It is very easy to feed a diet too concentrated in phosphorus because it is available in nearly every foodstuff whereas calcium is relatively rare. We must knowingly choose calcium bearing foods when designing diets for captive animals.
Calcium and phosphorus together account for three-fourths of the mineral elements in the body, and five other elements account for most of the rest. It is important to note that their actions are interrelated; no one mineral can function without affecting the others.
The major function of calcium is to act in cooperation with phosphorus to build and maintain bones. Calcium is essential for healthy blood and also helps to regulate heartbeat. In addition, calcium assists in the process of blood clotting and helps prevent the accumulation of too much acid or too much alkali in the blood. It also plays a part in muscle growth, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Calcium aids in the body's utilization of iron, helps activate several enzymes (catalysts important in metabolism), and helps regulate the passage of nutrients in and out of cell walls.
Calcium absorption is very inefficient. Two factors effect absorption directly; the availability of calcium in the diet and the current body need. Unabsorbed calcium is excreted.
Certain substances interfere with the absorption of calcium. When excessive amounts of fat combine with calcium, an insoluble compound is formed which cannot be absorbed. Other substances that can disrupt this process include oxalates and phytic acid.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body. It functions along with calcium. A balance of calcium and phosphorus is needed for these minerals to be effectively used by the body.
Phosphorus plays an important part in almost every chemical reaction within the body. It is important in the utilization of carbohydrates, fats and protein for growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and for the production of energy. It aids in the transference of heredity traits from parents to offspring. It is also necessary for proper skeletal growth, kidney function and transference of nerve impulses.
If phosphorus content is high, additional calcium must be taken to maintain proper balance. Phosphorus is available in a wide variety of foods and further supplementation is not necessary.
Miscellaneous trace elements
Calcium, chlorine, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and sulfur are present in relatively high amounts in the body tissues. Other minerals are present in the most minute quantities but are essential for proper body functioning. Iron, copper, and fluorine are present in sufficient quantities from deep green leafy plants. Iodine is needed to maintain a positive calcium balance, so a multi-mineral mixture containing iodine should be provided in addition to supplementation of raw calcium.

GENERAL GUIDELINES
Try to ensure that all diets are as varied as possible - in this way, a wide cross-section of trace elements will be made available.
Do not dose with 'pure' vitamins unless under veterinary direction - some pure vitamins (such as vitamins A & D are highly toxic if taken in excess). These should only be used as part of a treatment program to correct a properly diagnosed specific deficiency.
Provide vitamins orally rather than by injection for preference.
The regular use of a safe, properly formulated multi-vitamin and mineral preparation will ensure that dietary deficiencies do not occur.

Feeding star tortoise

Feeding Indian star tortoise


Feeding your tortoise seems to be the most complex aspect of keeping them healthy and active.

Tortoise grab the food when they can because they really aren't sure when they might get the chance to eat again. Do not be fooled---tortoise will learn to recognize you and any food containers you have. They will quickly have you trained! (see daily routine)


Don't over-feed or under-feed anything; even if it is good for their diet. Not enough is dangerous and too much isn't much better.
Overfeeding is one of the most common mistakes in captive care. Keep in mind that they are not always hungry...but they are always looking for a meal because it's how they survive in the wild. They don't know that you are going to feed them routinely, so keep a regular schedule and try not to veer from it.


As far as a diet goes, you want something high in calcium yet low in phosphorus. Stay away from fatty foods and those with a high carbohydrate and protein content. It is vital to your tortoise's health that you vary the diet. Don't rely on pelleted/prepared foods as a whole, instead, use them to augment a more natural diet. Indian star turtoise need to be offered a balance of wide range of veggies and plant.


They are much better off on a diet of long grasses (lawn clippings work GREAT!!) They will eat almost any vegetable but it is best to stick to grasses and greens only. They would not find many liquid filled plants in the wild so it is not recommended to feed squash or cucumber. Fruit may be offered on occasion but it is more of a monthly treat than a staple food. Prickly pear is one of the exceptions to this rule. If they eat a diet of high liquid vegetables it can be very harmful to their digestive system. Citrus fruits should never be offered.


Never feed your star tortoise and meat products! This is something that their stomachs have a very hard time digesting. They also do not need and fatty plants like beans. Star tortoises LOVE RED FOOD!!--They will go crazy for the tomatoes, strawberries, and even rose and other flower pedals as a treat!!


Primary foods: Grass, Dark Leafy Greens (e.g. dandelions, mustards, collards, turnips, kales)

Occasional foods: Pears, Carrots, Apples (with skin), Peaches, Berries, Beans (with skin), Peas (with skin)

Never try to feed them: Very Juicy Fruits, Tomatos, Bananas, Cabbages, Cucumbers, Bok Choy, Broccoli, etc

Star tortoise Basic care

Star Tortoise Basic care .

Indian Star Tortoise is the tortoise of calm character and s nervouser than tortoise of large-sized kind. Therefore, no touching.


The lamp on the desk or the overhead light in the room is not going to meet the requirements of your turtle. They need special lighting which will allow them to perform bodily functions that regular lighting does not do.


Star tortoises need a high UVB percentage(@10%). It is reccomended to replace this bulb every 10 to 12 months. They will enjoy a basking side of 85 to 90 degrees with a cool, sheltered side of around 70 to 75. It is very important to set up a temperature gradient inside the enclosure so that the tortoise can regulate its own body temperature. A light misting once or twice a week is also recommended for these shy tortoises. A tortoise become inactive due to too high temperatures. Temperature of 30℃ is good. tortoise likes high temperature but humidity is necessary.