Influence of different dietary calcium levels on the digestibility of Ca, Mg, and P in captive-born juvenile Galapagos giant tortoises (Geochelone nigra)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1035.abs Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are very important minerals in reptile nutrition, but many diets still are not balanced. To achieve optimal growth, including a healthy skeleton and a strong shell, a well-balanced supply with these minerals is prerequisite. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the digestibility of diets with different […]
Display behavior in tortoises
When compared to lizards or snakes, signals related to warning and threat are not very important in land tortoises. Within social and sexual contexts, tactile and chemical signals seem more important than visual, and certainly than auditory ones. Color patterns are rarely, if ever, sexually discriminatory. Seasonal color differences are rare. In general, positional signals […]
Radial-arm-maze behavior of the red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria)
The radial-arm maze is an established method for testing an animal’s spatial win-shift behavior. Research on mammals, birds, and fish has shown that the mastery of this task is commonly mediated, to different degrees, by two types of strategy: those based on external cues and those based on response stereotypy. In the present study we […]