Burmese Brown Tortoise: Largest Land Tortoise in Asia

The Burmese Brown Tortoise is one of the largest land tortoises in Asia; in fact, they are perhaps THE biggest land tortoise that originated from Asia. They go by many names, and are sometimes also known as the Burmese Mountain Tortoise, or the Six-Legged Tortoise. The Burmese Brown Tortoise is found in Southeast Africa as they prefer the mountains there. While they may be a large tortoise, they are also a shy species; thus, there is actually not much information about their activities and behavior in the wild.

The Burmese Brown Tortoise does not do well in captivity, and thus, you will find very few of them in zoos and as pets. The Burmese Brown Tortoise is not a very common imported species, and they also are difficult to care for in captivity; not to mention, it is hard for them become used to the captivity life. In captivity, they are also prone to diseases and parasites which make them hard to care for and clean.

The exact diet of the Burmese Brown Tortoise is unknown; however, it is likely that they fed on a diet of vegetables and greens found in the wild. In captivity, they are usually fed vegetables and fruits. They also need some animal protein in their diet to ensure good health.

The Burmese Brown Tortoise has a unique way of reproducing and laying their eggs; most importantly though, is the fact that they perhaps lay the most eggs in an average clutch. Females are capable of laying over 50 eggs in a clutch although most of them usually average in the 40s. The females lay their egg in a mound that is built by "back-sweeping" which is sweeping the litter towards the mounds backwards with their tail. The females will then guard the nest for a couple of days; the eggs will usually hatch in a little over 2 months at a warm temperature.

The Burmese Brown Tortoise does not have very good adaptation skills, and cannot adjust to a different environment or climate easily. They do not enjoy hot areas, and do best when they are in an environment with temperatures between 15 - 20 degrees Celsius. They also enjoy environments with high humidity, and like areas where there is plenty of water to soak in.

There are two subspecies of the Burmese Brown Tortoise, and the smaller of the two subspecies can go up to 40 centimeters in length, and will weigh around 20 kilograms! The larger subspecies can grow up to 60 centimeters in length, and can weigh as much as 37 kilograms.

The Burmese Brown Tortoise is a rather interesting tortoise which hopefully more studies and observations of the species will be done in the future; however, it is not as easy as it seems due to its shy nature.