Angulate tortoise

A small, shy tortoise with a relatively variable shell, they can often be distinguished by their prominent "bowsprits", which are protrusions of the "gular" shields, from their plastrons under their chins. These are used by males to fight for territory or females. Uniquely, this species has only one gular shield under its chin; all other southern African tortoises have a divided/double scaled gular. Angulate specimens have five claws on their front legs and four on each back leg. They also, like most other southern African tortoises, have a nuchal scute.[5]

There is considerable regional variation in this species of tortoise. Angulates from the west coast of southern Africa tend to have a reddish colour, especially on the underside of their shell (from where their Afrikaans name of rooipens or "red-belly" comes). Inland specimens from the Karoo region are often darker, and some are known to be uniformly black. To the east of their range, individuals are typically smaller and have a lighter colour. Such tendencies can be diluted by admixture however, and in all populations individuals tend to assume a uniform brown colour in old age.[6]

This species shows considerable difference between male and female individuals. The male angulates tend to be larger, to have concave bellies, and to have a longer, thinner, "peanut" shape. They also have enlarged and extended gular scutes under their chins, which they use for sparring with each other. The females tend to be smaller and rounder, with a flat or slightly convex belly.

If kept in a garden, these tortoises need a sizable warm, sunny, dry, well-drained area, with a diverse range of possible plant foods.

They naturally eat a wide variety of indigenous South African plants and, if kept in a garden, they require a similarly wide range of edible plants available, on which to feed. They will not stay healthy if fed only one food type, such as lettuce.

Plants marked with * are most important to diet.

Grasses as for leopard tortoises:
Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon) Eastern Province vlei grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) Dew grass (Eragrostis pseudo-obtusa) Bushman grass (Schmidtia kalahariensis) Carrot grass (Tragus racemosus) Beesgras (Urochloa pantcoides) Veld grass (Ehrhartacalycina) Darnel rye grass (Lolium temulentum) Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) Mouse barley grass (Hordeum murinum) Crab finger grass (Digitaria sanguinalis) Dallas grass (Paspalum dilatatum) Wintergrass (Poa annua) Dropseed grass (Sporobolus africanus) Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secondatum) Swazi grass (Digitaria swazilandensis) Alfalfa (Lucerne)

Weeds: (* are most important)
Plantago major (Broad leafed plantain)* Plantago lanceolata ( Buckhorn, narrow leafed plantain)* Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion most important)* Cnicus benedictus (Thistle) Galinsoga parviflora (Small flowered quickweed) Opuntia (most types)* Rubus cuneifolius (Sand bramble) Paperthorn Tribulis terrestris (common dubbeltjie)* Arctotheca calendula (Cape marigold) Trifolium repens (white clover) Note: becomes toxic when dry. Cerastium capensi (Cape chickweed)* Silybum marianum (Blessed milk thistle) Commelina benghalensis (indigenous wandering Jew)* Clover*

Unsuitable plants high in oxalates:
Sedum morganianum Sedum frutescens Aracea (arum lily) Amaranthus (pigweed) Begonia spp Oxalis spp Rheum rhabarbarum (rhubarb) Crassulae spp The Chenopodiacea family which includes beet greens, spinach and chard should be avoided as they contain oxalates.

Male angulate tortoises "jousting". Males are very territorial, fight each other at any opportunity, and should preferably not be kept together.

If the garden is suburban, then it should be securely walled, so that the tortoise does not wander into the nearby streets and traffic. The property should also not have a swimming pool, as angulate tortoises cannot swim (unlike many larger tortoise species), and will drown if it falls into deep water. Domestic dogs are a threat to captive tortoises, which are often badly injured or killed after being severely chewed on. If kept in groups, females never clash, however males are fiercely territorial and will fight each other at any opportunity. Males should therefore ideally be kept separately from other males.

This tortoise, like most reptiles, also needs to be able to regulate its own temperature, by moving between sunny and shady spots. It therefore needs a large garden where it can move about, so as to seek both natural sunlight, as well as shade, when necessary. It needs a dry habitat, as constant moisture is particularly bad for it.

Like many species of tortoises, the angulate is increasingly threatened by illegal collecting for the pet trade. When transported outside of their natural range and climate, these tortoises usually die. This is partly because they are adapted to the warm, dry, Mediterranean-type climate of the Cape, but also because they require a wide range of plant foods, which they typically do not receive when they are kept as pets by inexperienced keepers.

Internationally, the species is regulated by the CITES, or Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (Appendix II), as well as other legislation on their international trade.[11]