Then the young, however, remain underground and they do not emerge till the next spring. The eggs hatch even if it does not rain or the nesting takes place late. Young hatchlings emerge from their eggs in early September when heavy autumn rains start and they spend the first 4-5 years very close to their nests. Most of the female tortoises lay over one clutch of eggs per season, with the eggs being incubated for approximately 90 days. Nesting occurs between May and July, with the female Hermann’s tortoises building flask-shaped nests by digging deep (up to 10 cm) into the soil and depositing 2-12 eggs in them. Both the female and male tortoises can have multiple mating partners. The courtship process can be quite rough for a female, which is followed, rammed, and bitten by its male partner, before being mounted. Females use olfactory and visual cues, as well as high-pitched calls made by males in order to select quality, healthy mates. The Hermann’s tortoises breed once each year immediately after the winter hibernation, which ends in late February. Hermann’s Tortoise Size Mating and Reproduction During the breeding season, aggressive rivalry takes place between males, usually resulting in ramming contests.Soon after emerging from their winter hibernation, they perform courtship and mating.They rest during the winter months by remaining buried under a heap of dead leaves. In late February, they emerge from under old rotting wood or bushes after their winter hibernation.They return to the hiding places at midday when the sun gets too hot. The Hermann’s tortoises leave their nocturnal shelters (that are protected by thick hedges or bushes) early in the morning to lie and expose their bodies to the warmth from the sun.In southern California, the Hermann’s tortoises remain active even in the winter, often digging into piles of leaves or loose soil. In the morning and afternoon of spring, summer, and fall, the males often fight with each other or take part in courtship. These are surprisingly quite active tortoises.In captivity, the Hermann’s tortoise consumes lettuce, clover, dandelions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, grapes, peaches, apricots, apples, strawberries, as well as flowers, pods, and leaves of legumes. They occasionally eat fruits in moderation for additional nutrition. In the wild, these herbivorous reptiles mainly feed on leaves and flowers. The oldest Hermann’s tortoise ever recorded was from UK, and it lived for more than 110 years. Its head can be black or brown, and has fine scales.Īlthough the average life expectancy of Hermann’s tortoise is approximately 30 years, some individuals may live for 90-100 years. Its underside has a solid horn color with spate black patches on the two sides of its central seam. Eastern Hermann’s tortoise, on the other hand, has a yellowish or greenish brown coloration with isolated black spots. Its head can be yellowish or dark green, with individual dark patches. Weight: Their average weight ranges from 7-9 lb (3-4 kg)Ĭolor: The western Hermann’s tortoise has an intensive coloration characterized by a strong contrast between yellow and dark patches, with two black bands running along the center on its underside. Some adult individuals are so small that they only measure 2.8 in (7 cm). The western Hermann’s tortoise rarely reaches to a length of more than 7 in (18 cm). Size: The eastern Hermann’s tortoise is larger than the western subspecies, growing up to 11 in (28 cm) long.
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