Summary
The pancake tortoise is quite a different shape from other tortoises. The adult's shell is about 15cm long and only about 3cm high presenting a very flattened appearance, hence its name. The underside of the shell, known as the plastron, is very soft and flexible so that it yields under pressure, enabling it to squeeze into crevices in times of danger.
Large males get the most chances to mate in the breeding season. Small males will not even approach females in the presence of larger males. The female tortoise will lay one egg at a time, and up to four in a year at different times. The baby tortoises are independent as soon as they hatch.