Tickets & Memberships

Tickets & Memberships Day Tickets Memberships Educational Visits/ Group Tickets Experiences Zoo Map Customer login

Online Shop & Experiences

Online Shop Experiences Adoptions Memberships Merchandise Gift Vouchers

World of Animals

World of Animals Cats Large Mammals Small Mammals Primates Reptiles & Invertebrates World of Birds Farmyard Experiences Adoptions

Dinosaurs & Attractions

Dinosaurs World of Dinosaurs Dinosaurs at our Zoo Adopt a dinosaur Attractions Tumble Jungle Boulders beach Rex Express Train Safari Adventure Golf Play Areas Feeds, talks & shows National Speedway Museum

Conservation & Education

Conservation & Education Education Our charity at Hertfordshire Zoo The Big Cat Sanctuary, Our Sister Charity What We Do What You Can Do Donate Volunteer Conservation Partners Sustainability Heroes Grants

Need to Know

Need to Know... Accessibility & Additional Facilities FAQ's Finding us & Opening times Visiting Food Outlets at Hertfordshire Zoo Zoo Map About Us Work at Hertfordshire Zoo! Work Experience & Research Shows & Talks Meet our Trustees & Ambassadors Volunteering Opportunities Location & Filming enquires Risk Assessments Contact us

News & Socials

News & Socials Articles Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Twitter Contact PR

Events

Events All events

EN10 7QA

01992 470490

info@hertfordshirezoo.com

Sign-in

Big Cat Sanctuary

Contact

Spur Thighed Tortoise

This tortoise is often confused with the Hermann's, however there are very subtle differences when comparing the two.

They follow the same breeding pattern as the Hermann's. One successful mating will allow the female to lay eggs multiple times. One or two days before egg-laying, the female takes on an aggressive, dominant behaviour, mounting another animal as for copulation and making the same squeaking sound the male produces during copulation. The purpose of this behaviour is to produce respect in the tortoise community, so that the female will not be disturbed by others during egg laying.