Serrated Tent Tortoise

Serrated Tent Tortoise

The scientific name Psammobates oculiferus means a sand loving tortoise with eyes, which i have to admit is one of the best descriptions of a tortoise species in South Africa.
They are also known under the following common names: Kalahari Tortoise, Kalahari Tent Tortoise, Kalahari Geometric Tortoise Kalahari Serrated Tortoise, Skulprandskilpad.

They are relatively small species attaining 80-100mm in length, occasionally 120mm.
Their shell is very distinctive with a heavily serrated appearance created by the flaring of the marginals. A long nuchal is present, but this can occasionally be bent to one or other side. The shields of this tortoise are typical, but there have been specimens recorded with either 10 or 12 marginals. The plastral shields are typical and the patterning is present.
The head is usually light brown to brown with occasional black marks or blotches. Hatchlings are light to reddish brown with no patterning present. The shell serrations are evident at birth.

The carapace and plastron of an adult is usually black with a yellow to cream coloured rayed pattern that almost appears as if a net is placed over them. The presence of the rayed pattern to the plastron is unique to this species. It is also far duller than the Geometric Tortoise (Psammobates geometricus).

The supracaudal in males is well rounded and the tail will extend well past the supracaudal. A male’s tail will often extend into the second last marginal, but certainly the front of the last marginal. There is rarely any evidence of a plastral concavity, and if there is, it is extremely slight along the abdominal seam.

A female's supracaudal is flatter or straight down following the shell profile and the tail will rarely extend beyond the edge of the supracaudal.
This tortoise prefers to be in dry conditions, and north of the Orange River. More common habitats are semi-desert, arid savannah, Kalahari bush & thornveld.

There has been very little in-depth study of this species, but as with all tortoises it is herbivorous. It is expected that it eats various grasses, succulents, flowers and weeds, but possibly it also gnaws on bones or eats Hyena faeces, but this is presumed.
Its predators are primarily the same as most tortoises, being raptors, hornbills, jackals, hyena & mongooses. Monitors (Varanus spp) will more than likely prey on hatchlings as well.

Typical of tortoises, this species also goes into torpidity in winter, but will browse on warm days. They are active during the summer or rainy season.
It has been observed in captivity not to brink from water bowls or ponds, but rather being sprayed. They move the shell in such a way as to divert the water to their mouths. They do this by moving the back legs to get the shell in the correct position. It is assumed they will do the same in the wild during rain or with morning dew.

Very little is known on the copulation of this species, but it has been observed in November in the wild. Males butt the female in a similar way to the Angulate Tortoise (Chersina angulata) and let out little grunting sounds. It is presumed that they will lay one egg at a time based on the Geometric Tortoise (Psammobates geometricus) that is of the same family and similar in size. No information is currently available on the incubation or hatching time of this species.

If one is going to keep this species in captivity one needs to ensure that adequate enclosure needs are strictly met. They are by no means as robust as Leopard Tortoises (Geochelone pardalis) to bad husbandry

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