Elongated
Shell considerably depressed, more than twice as long as deep, with flat vertebral region; anterior and posterior margins slightly reverted, strongly serrated in young, feebly in old specimens; shields concentrically striated, except in old specimens; nuchal present (rarely absent), narrow and elongate; supracaudal undivided, more or less incurved; first vertebral usually nearly as long as broad in the adult, the others broader than long and nearly as broad as the costals. Plastron large, truncate anteriorly, deeply notched posteriorly; suture between the pectoral shields as long as or longer than that between the humerals; suture between the gulars as long as or a little shorter than that between the pectorals; anals forming a very short suture, or entirely separated by the anal notch; axillary and inguinal moderate. Head moderate; a pair of large praefrontal shields, usually followed by a nearly equally large frontal; beak feebly hooked, tricuspid; alveolar ridge of upper jaw short and rather feeble. Anterior face of fore limbs with moderate, unequal-sized, imbricate scales, which are largest towards the outer side; no enlarged tubercles on the thighs; tail ending in a claw-hke horny tubercle. Carapace and plastron greenish yellow, each shield with an irregular black spot or blotch, which may occupy its greater portion, or may be much broken up or indistinct.
Elongated Videos
Elongated Descriptions
Life Span
50+ years
Size
Up to 12 Inches long and 7 lbs. when full grown Females tend to be wider than males.
Food / Diet
Your tortoise will need a diet high in fiber and calcium and low in fat and protein from a plant-based source. Hays and dark greens that are pesticide-free should provide three fourths of the diet. The remaining quarter of the diet should include organic romaine lettuce, collard greens, rye grass, clovers. Fruit may be offered as an occasional treat.
Feeding Procedures
Each day calcium should be dusted on vegetables should be shopped into small pieces and provided in variety to avoid diseases. Once a week vitamin and mineral supplements should be added to the food to help provide a healty diet for your tortoise.
Habitat
The Elongated Tortoise will require a secure outdoor habitat with room for it to move freely. Most Tortoises are well known for eating substrate so make sure the floor of their housing is deep enough for burrowing and made of something digestible such as alfalfa pellets. It is important that your African Spur have a water bowl with clean fresh chlorine-free water daily. The container should allow the animal to easily get in and out of but large enough to allow them to soak in and drink from. A full spectrum fluorescent lighting with UVB rays is important for 12 to 14 hours a day, unless outdoors in a warm climate. Temperature is important to the safety of your animal so make sure they stay in a range of 85 F to 75 F degrees.
Elongated Breeding Program
Elongated Pictures
