Hermann’s tortoises are small to medium size tortoises that have an attractive black and yellow shell which tends to fade as the tortoise gets older. The tail of both sexes has a large horny scale on the end, with the males tail being much longer and fatter. Adult males tend to be smaller than their female counterparts.

There are two main types of Hermann’s tortoise.

Testudo hermanni boettgeri

Testudo hermanni boettgeri comes from Southern Europe, (mainly the Balkan region) and is the largest of the two. It is the most common tortoise to be kept as a pet in British gardens. Adult females grow to approx. 250mm and is the species that I breed.

Testudo hermanni hermanni

(I do not breed this type) Testudo hermanni hermanni are found in Northern Spain and Southern France. It is the more brightly coloured and has a yellow spot behind the eye. The plastron, or under shell, is more darkly marked and sometimes has continuous black markings on each side. Adult females seldom reach more than 200mm.