Radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) are a critically endangered (CITES1) species, native to Madagascar. They're very hardy in captivity, requiring UV lighting, temps ranging from approximately 80-100F and medium humidity. Ours thrive on a diet of dark leafy greens, cactus pads, and occasional fruit and veggies. They love being outside, grazing on grasses and weeds. They're a large tortoise, attaining a length of 16 inches and weighing up to 35 pounds. Rads are very charming and enjoy human interaction, especially a shell rub and chin scratch.
It's often extremely difficult to obtain written documentation supporting the origin of tortoises purchased in Canada. When the opportunity arose to purchase these tortoises as hatchlings, documentation from the seller wasn't available. We purchased these babies as captive bred in Canada; despite our efforts, we couldn't trace or confirm their origin.
We immediately took the hatchlings to a vet who specializes in reptiles. He examined the tortoises, performed fecal exams and it was his opinion that they were captive bred and not wild-caught.
To ensure that it's legal to keep these tortoises without documentation, we invited two wildlife officers from Environment Canada into our home. These officers inspected the hatchlings and assured us that it's perfectly legal to breed, sell and transport them (and their offspring) between provinces. No permit is required. We have documentation from our vet and Environment Canada to support this.
On Dec 10, 2020, we hatched our first baby radiated! After decades of tortoise keeping and our babies from hatchlings, this was a dream come true.
We feel incredibly blessed to have these magnificent animals.
This is the first documented hatching in Canada that we know of.
Below is a video of a pair of our radiated tortoises breeding.
Radiated Rain Dance - This could be an adaptation to the monsoon season and flooding in their natural habitat.
Our torts are very affectionate and love to interact.
