Ask any tortoise keeper what their dream species is - and chances are their answer will be "Radiated Tortoises". In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with longtime keeper and recent breeder Paul Rattay to talk about Astrochelys radiata, one of the most strikingly patterned and critically endangered tortoises on the planet.Paul got his start with Radiateds nearly 20 years ago, sourcing young animals from Bill Zovickian and waiting patiently for them to mature into the breeding group he keeps today. From there, the conversation covers the tortoise's narrow native range along southwestern Madagascar, the mild climate they evolved in (no brumation required), and the mounting pressures - poaching, the pet trade, habitat loss, and tourism-driven development - pushing wild populations toward collapse.The episode also digs into a topic most care guides skip entirely: the regulatory limbo Radiated tortoises live in here in the US. Import for the pet trade stopped years ago, and once Fish & Wildlife stopped issuing new permits, captive-bred offspring could no longer be added to the official stud books. The result is an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Radiated tortoises in the US today, a large share of them undocumented, with no traceable lineage back to the original imported lines.On the husbandry side, Paul makes the case that Radiateds are one of the more forgiving large tortoise species to keep - provided you can give them space, a real growing season's worth of forage, and protection from sustained cold. He walks through his outdoor setup, winter housing in converted stock tanks, feeding routine (dandelion greens, hay, Zoo Med grassland pellets, and whatever's growing in the yard), and the very dog-like personalities that make the males in particular such rewarding animals to keep.Key Questions Answered in This EpisodeQ: Are Radiated tortoises a good species for someone new to tortoise keeping?A: Yes, with caveats. Paul describes them as one of the easier large tortoise species to work with — hardy eaters with great personalities — as long as they aren't exposed to extended cold or kept in a space too small for their eventual adult size.Q: Can you still legally import Radiated tortoises into the US?A: Not for the pet trade. Import is essentially closed except under strict scientific permits held by certified research institutions — it's not a path available to hobbyist keepers or breeders.Q: Why are so many Radiated tortoises in the US considered "undocumented"?A: Once US Fish & Wildlife stopped issuing new permits, captive-bred offspring could no longer be officially added to the stud books. Paul estimates the US population at well over 5,000 animals, possibly approaching 10,000, with a large portion untraceable to any known bloodline.Q: What do Radiated tortoises eat in human care?A: A mix of grasses, hay, weeds like plantain, and store-bought greens such as dandelion, supplemented with grassland pellets for added fiber and occasional calcium.Q: Can Radiated tortoises be sold or gifted across state lines?A: Radiated tortoises are ESA- and CITES-I-listed, meaning they cannot be sold across state lines, though in-state sales are permitted. Paul notes there's informal talk in the community about gifting animals without a monetary exchange, though he cautions there's no official policy document confirming what's legally safe.Contact our guest, Paul RattayFacebook: Rattay Radiateds - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568025690064More about the showWebsite: https://www.turtletea.orgTTPG Official Site: https://www.ttpg.orgFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TTPGGroupSubscribe for new episodes every two weeks - next up, we go deeper into Radiated tortoise breeding and hatchling care.
