Pancake Tortoise Baby — the pancake tortoise, evolution’s strangest chelonian: a flat, flexible shell that lets it sprint (genuinely) and wedge into rock crevices instead of hiding in armour. Kept in a rocky crevice-scape it’s the most active, athletic tortoise you’ll ever watch. CITES Appendix I / EU Annex A — sold with the required certificate.
At a Glance
| Species | Malacochersus tornieri (pancake tortoise) |
|---|---|
| Adult size | 15–18 cm, remarkably flat |
| Lifespan | 30–50+ years |
| Housing | Warm arid setup with flat-rock crevice stacks |
| Climate | Basking 35–38 °C; dry; no hibernation |
| Paperwork | CITES I / EU Annex A — certificate supplied |
Care Basics
Build the kopje: stacked flat stones with tight horizontal crevices are shelter and enrichment in one — you’ll find your tortoise wedged, not hidden. Hot dry basking, strong UVB, weeds-and-grasses diet with calcium. Climbing is natural; secure the stack and the enclosure lid both, because pancakes are escape artists by tortoise standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the flexible shell fragile?
It’s an adaptation, not a defect — but handle low over soft ground and never restrain a wedged animal by force.
Why Appendix I?
Wild populations were hammered by collection, so only documented captive-bred animals trade legally — ours come with the certificate that proves it.
Why Buy From EU Exotic Reptile Hub
- Captive-bred in Europe — no wild-caught animals, ever
- Live-arrival guarantee and health guarantee on every animal
- Verified feeding — we ship only established feeders, with a feeding record
- Lifetime care support from our keepers, one message away
Shipping Across the EU
We ship EU-wide with specialist live-animal couriers in insulated, heat- or cool-packed boxes, dispatched only when the weather forecast along the whole route is safe. You receive tracking on dispatch day and your animal typically arrives within 24 hours. See our shipping policy and FAQ for full details.
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