top of page

Introduction : Tortoise  

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

For other uses, see Tortoise (disambiguation).

TORTOISES :

Tortoises (/ˈtɔːr.təs.ᵻz/) are a family, Testudinidae, of land-dwelling reptiles in the order Testudines. Tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The carapace is fused to both the vertebrae and ribcage, and tortoises are unique among vertebrates in that the pectoral and pelvic girdles are inside, rather than outside, the ribcage. Tortoises can vary in size from a few centimeters to two meters. They are usually diurnal animals with tendencies to be crepuscular depending on the ambient temperatures. They are generally reclusive animals.

General information :

 

Giant tortoises move very slowly on dry land, at only 0.17 mph (0.27 km/h).[23] The fastest recorded tortoise speed is 5 mph (8.0 km/h).[24]

 

 

Aldabra giant tortoise

 

(Aldabrachelys gigantea)

 

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Testudines

Suborder:Cryptodira

Superfamily:Testudinoidea

Family:Testudinidae
Batsch, 1788

 

Type species :

Testudo graeca
Linnaeus, 1758

Use of the terms turtle, tortoise, and terrapin:

 

Differences exist in usage of the common terms turtle, tortoise, and terrapin, depending on the variety of English being used; usage is inconsistent and contradictory.[1] These terms are common names and do not reflect precise biological or taxonomic distinctions.[2]

 

The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists uses "turtle" to describe all species of the order Testudines, regardless of whether they are land-dwelling or sea-dwelling, and uses "tortoise" as a more specific term for slow-moving terrestrial species.[1] General American usage agrees; turtle is often a general term (although some restrict it to aquatic turtles); tortoise is used only in reference to terrestrial turtles or, more narrowly, only those members of Testudinidae, the family of modern land tortoises; and terrapin may refer to turtles that are small and live in fresh and brackish water, in particular the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).[3][4][5][6] In America, for example, the members of the genus Terrapene dwell on land, yet are referred to as box turtles rather than tortoises.[2]

 

British usage, by contrast, tends not to use "turtle" as a generic term for all members of the order, and also applies the term "tortoises" broadly to all land-dwelling members of the order Testudines, regardless of whether they are actually members of the family Testudinidae.[6] In Britain, terrapin is used to refer to a larger group of semiaquatic turtles than the restricted meaning in America.[4][7]

 

Australian usage is different from both American and British usage.[6] Land tortoises are not native to Australia, yet traditionally freshwater turtles have been called "tortoises" in Australia.[8] Some Australian experts disapprove of this usage—believing that the term tortoises is "better confined to purely terrestrial animals with very different habits and needs, none of which are found in this country"—and promote the use of the term "freshwater turtle" to describe Australia's primarily aquatic members of the order Testudines because it avoids misleading use of the word "tortoise" and also is a useful distinction from marine turtles.[8]

Tile with two rabbits, two snakes, and a tortoise, illustration for Zakariya al-Qazwini's book, Iran, 19th century

Biology :

 

Lifecycle :

 

Female tortoises dig nesting burrows in which they lay from one to 30 eggs.[9] Egg-laying typically occurs at night, after which the mother tortoise covers her clutch with sand, soil, and organic material. The eggs are left unattended, and depending on the species, take from 60 to 120 days to incubate.[10] The size of the egg depends on the size of the mother and can be estimated by examining the width of the cloacal opening between the carapace and plastron. The plastron of a female tortoise often has a noticeable V-shaped notch below the tail which facilitates passing the eggs. Upon completion of the incubation period, a fully formed hatchling uses an egg tooth to break out of its shell. It digs to the surface of the nest and begins a life of survival on its own. They are hatched with an embryonic egg sac which serves as a source of nutrition for the first three to seven days until they have the strength and mobility to find food. Juvenile tortoises often require a different balance of nutrients than adults, so may eat foods which a more mature tortoise would not. For example, the young of a strictly herbivorous species commonly will consume worms or insect larvae for additional protein.

 

The number of concentric rings on the carapace, much like the cross-section of a tree, can sometimes give a clue to how old the animal is, but, since the growth depends highly on the accessibility of food and water, a tortoise that has access to plenty of forage (or is regularly fed by its owner) with no seasonal variation will have no noticeable rings. Moreover, some tortoises grow more than one ring per season, and in some others, due to wear, some rings are no longer visible.[11]

 

 

Adult male leopard tortoise, South Africa

Young African sulcata tortoise

Tortoises generally have one of the longest lifespans of any animal, and some individuals are known to have lived longer than 150 years.[12] Because of this, they symbolize longevity in some cultures, such as China. The oldest tortoise ever recorded, and one of the oldest individual animals ever recorded, was Tu'i Malila, which was presented to the Tongan royal family by the British explorer Captain Cook shortly after its birth in 1777. Tu'i Malila remained in the care of the Tongan royal family until its death by natural causes on May 19, 1965, at the age of 188.[13] The record for the longest-lived vertebrate is exceeded only by one other, a koi named Hanako whose death on July 17, 1977, ended a 226-year lifespan.[14]

 

The Alipore Zoo in India was the home to Adwaita, which zoo officials claimed was the oldest living animal until its death on March 23, 2006. Adwaita (sometimes spelled with two ds) was an Aldabra giant tortoise brought to India by Lord Wellesley, who handed it over to the Alipur Zoological Gardens in 1875 when the zoo was set up. West Bengal officials said records showed Adwaita was at least 150 years old, but other evidence pointed to 250. Adwaita was said to be the pet of Robert Clive.[15].

 

Harriet was a resident at the Australia Zoo in Queensland from 1987 to her death in 2006; she was believed to have been brought to England by Charles Darwin aboard the Beagle and then on to Australia by John Clements Wickham.[16] Harriet died on June 23, 2006, just shy of her 176th birthday.

 

Timothy, a spur-thighed tortoise, lived to be about 165 years old. For 38 years, she was carried as a mascot aboard various ships in Britain's Royal Navy. Then in 1892, at age 53, she retired to the grounds ofPowderham Castle in Devon. Up to the time of her death in 2004, she was believed to be the United Kingdom's oldest resident.

 

Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise living on the island of St Helena, may be as old as 182[17][18] or 178 years.[19]

 

Sexual dimorphism :

 

Many species of tortoises are sexually dimorphic, though the differences between males and females vary from species to species. In some species, males have a longer, more protruding neck plate than their female counterparts, while in others, the claws are longer on the females.

In most tortoise species, the female tends to be larger than the male. The male plastron is curved inwards to aid reproduction. The easiest way to determine the sex of a tortoise is to look at the tail. The females, as a general rule, have smaller tails, dropped down, whereas the males have much longer tails which are usually pulled up and to the side of the rear shell.

 

Brain:

 

The brain of a tortoise is extremely small. In the 17th century, Francesco Redi performed an experiment involving removing the brain of a land tortoise, which then proceeded to live six months.[citation needed]Freshwater tortoises, when subject to the same experiment, continued similarly, but did not live so long. Redi also cut the head off a tortoise entirely, and it lived for 23 days.[20][21][22]

 

 

 

 

 

Adult male tortoise

Diet :

 

Most land-based tortoises are herbivores, feeding on grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, and some fruits, although some omnivorous species are in this family. Pet tortoises typically require diets based on wild grasses, weeds, leafy greens and certain flowers. Certain species consume worms or insects and carrion in their normal habitats. Too much protein is detrimental in herbivorous species, and has been associated with shell deformities and other medical problems. As different tortoise species vary greatly in their nutritional requirements, it is essential to thoroughly research the dietary needs of an individual tortoise.

Baby tortoise feeding on lettuce

Taxonomy :

 

This species list largely follows van Dijk et al. (2014)[25] and Rhodin et al. (2015).[26]

 

-Family Testudinidae Batsch 1788[27]

 

  • Aldabrachelys Loveridge and Williams 1957:166[28]

    • Aldabrachelys gigantea Aldabran giant tortoise.

    • †Aldabrachelys abrupta Late Holocene, extinct circa 1200 AD

    • †Aldabrachelys grandidieri Late Holocene, extinct circa 884 AD

  • Astrochelys Gray, 1873:4[29]

    • Astrochelys radiata, radiated tortoise

    • Astrochelys yniphora, angonoka tortoise, (Madagascan) plowshare tortoise

 

 

 

 

Baby tortoise, less than a day old

Skeleton of a tortoise

Fossil of the extinct Ergilemys insolitus

Achilemys cassouleti, the most primitive testudine

  • Centrochelys Gray 1872:5[30]

    • † Centrochelys atlantica

    • † Centrochelys burchardi

    • † Centrochelys marocana

    • † Centrochelys robusta

    • Centrochelys sulcata, African spurred tortoise, sulcata tortoise

    • † Centrochelys vulcanica

  • Chelonoidis Fitzinger 1835:112[31]

    • † Chelonoidis alburyorum Abaco tortoise, Late Pleistocene, extinct circa 550 BC

    • Chelonoidis carbonaria, red-footed tortoise

    • Chelonoidis chilensis, Chaco tortoise, Argentine tortoise or southern wood tortoise

    • † Chelonoidis cubensis

    • Chelonoidis denticulata, Brazilian giant tortoise, yellow-footed tortoise

    • † Chelonoidis lutzae Lutz’s giant tortoise, Late Pleistocene

    • † Chelonoidis monensis

  • Chelonoidis nigra complex:[32]

    • † Chelonoidis abingdonii, Pinta Island giant tortoise, Abingdon Island giant tortoise (extinct)

    • Chelonoidis becki, Wolf Volcano giant tortoise, Cape Berkeley giant tortoise

    • Chelonoidis chathamensis, San Cristobal giant tortoise, Chatham Island giant tortoise

    • Chelonoidis darwini, San Salvador giant tortoise, James Island giant tortoise

    • Chelonoidis duncanensis, Pinzon giant tortoise, Duncan Island giant tortoise

    • Chelonoidis hoodensis, Espanola giant tortoise, Hood Island giant tortoise

    • † Chelonoidis nigra, Floreana giant tortoise, Charles Island giant tortoise (extinct)

    • † Chelonoidis phantastica, Fernandina giant tortoise, Narborough Island giant tortoise (extinct)

    • Chelonoidis porteri, Santa Cruz giant tortoise, Indefatigable Island giant tortoise

    • Chelonoidis vicina, Isabela Island giant tortoise, Albemarle Island giant tortoise

  • † Chelonoidis sellovii Southern Cone giant tortoise, Pleistocene

  • † Chelonoidis sombrerensis Sombrero giant tortoise, Late Pleistocene

  • Chersina Gray 1830:5

    • Chersina angulata, angulated tortoise, South African bowsprit tortoise

  • † Cheirogaster Bergounioux 1935:78

    • †Cheirogaster gymnesica Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene

    • †Cheirogaster schafferi Pliocene to Early Pleistocene

  • †Cylindraspis Fitzinger 1835:112[31] (all species extinct) following Austin and Arnold, 2001:[33]

    • Cylindraspis indica, synonym Cylindraspis borbonica, Reunion giant tortoise

    • Cylindraspis inepta, saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise or Mauritius giant domed tortoise

    • Cylindraspis peltastes, domed Rodrigues giant tortoise

    • Cylindraspis triserrata, domed Mauritius giant tortoise or Mauritius giant flat-shelled tortoise

    • Cylindraspis vosmaeri, saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise

  • Geochelone Fitzinger 1835:112[31]

    • † Geochelone burchardi Tenerife giant tortoise[34]

    • † Geochelone vulcanica Gran Canaria giant tortoise[35]

    • Geochelone elegans, Indian star tortoise

    • Geochelone platynota, Burmese star tortoise

    • † Geochelone robusta Malta giant tortoise

  • Gopherus Rafinesque 1832:64[36]

    • Gopherus agassizii, Mojave Desert tortoise, Agassiz's desert tortoise

    • Gopherus berlandieri, Texas tortoise, Berlandier's tortoise

    • Gopherus flavomarginatus, Bolson tortoise

    • Gopherus morafkai, Sonoran Desert tortoise, Morajak's desert tortoise

    • Gopherus polyphemus, gopher tortoise

  • † Hadrianus

    • Hadrianus corsoni (syn. H. octonarius)

    • Hadrianus robustus

    • Hadrianus schucherti

    • Hadrianus utahensis

  • † Hesperotestudo

    • Hesperotestudo alleni

    • Hesperotestudo angusticeps

    • Hesperotestudo brontops

    • Hesperotestudo equicomes

    • Hesperotestudo impensa

    • Hesperotestudo incisa

    • Hesperotestudo johnstoni

    • Hesperotestudo kalganensis

    • Hesperotestudo niobrarensis

    • Hesperotestudo orthopygia

    • Hesperotestudo osborniana

    • Hesperotestudo percrassa

    • Hesperotestudo riggsi

    • Hesperotestudo tumidus

    • Hesperotestudo turgida

    • Hesperotestudo wilsoni

  • Homopus Duméril and Bibron 1834:357[37]

    • Homopus areolatus, common padloper, parrot-beaked tortoise, beaked Cape tortoise

    • Homopus boulengeri, Karoo padloper, Karoo dwarf tortoise, Boulenger's Cape tortoise

    • Homopus femoralis, greater padloper, greater dwarf tortoise

    • Homopus signatus, speckled padloper tortoise

    • Homopus solus, Nama padloper, Berger's Cape tortoise

  • Indotestudo

    • Indotestudo elongata, elongated tortoise, yellow-headed tortoise

    • Indotestudo forstenii, Forsten’s tortoise, East Indian tortoise

    • Indotestudo travancorica, Travancore tortoise

  • Kinixys

    • Kinixys belliana, Bell's hinge-back tortoise

    • Kinixys erosa, forest hinge-back tortoise, serrated hinge-back tortoise

    • Kinixys homeana, Home's hinge-back tortoise

    • Kinixys lobatsiana, Lobatse hinge-back tortoise

    • Kinixys natalensis, Natal hinge-back tortoise

    • Kinixys spekii, Speke's hinge-back tortoise

  • Malacochersus Lindholm 1929:285[38]

    • Malacochersus tornieri, pancake tortoise

  • Manouria Gray 1854:133[39]

    • Manouria emys, Asian giant tortoise, brown tortoise (mountain tortoise)

    • Manouria impressa, impressed tortoise

  • † Megalochelys Falconer, H. and Cautley, P.T. 1837.[40]

    • † Megalochelys atlas, Atlas tortoise, Extinct – Pliocene to Pleistocene

    • † Megalochelys cautleyi, Cautley’s giant tortoise

  • Psammobates Fitzinger 1835:113[31]

    • Psammobates geometricus, geometric tortoise

    • Psammobates oculifer, serrated tent tortoise, Kalahari tent tortoise

    • Psammobates tentorius, African tent tortoise

  • Pyxis Bell 1827:395[41]

    • Pyxis arachnoides, (Madagascan) spider tortoise

    • Pyxis planicauda, flat-backed spider tortoise, (Madagascan) flat-tailed tortoise, flat-tailed spider tortoise

  • Stigmochelys Gray, 1873

    • Stigmochelys pardalis, leopard tortoise

  • † Stylemys (Genus extinct)

    • Stylemys botti

    • Stylemys calaverensis

    • Stylemys canetotiana

    • Stylemys capax

    • Stylemys conspecta

    • Stylemys copei

    • Stylemys emiliae

    • Stylemys frizaciana

    • Stylemys karakolensis

    • Stylemys nebrascensis (syn. S. amphithorax)

    • Stylemys neglectus

    • Stylemys oregonensis

    • Stylemys pygmea

    • Stylemys uintensis

    • Stylemys undabuna

  • Testudo

    • Testudo graeca, Greek tortoise, spur-thighed tortoise, Moorish tortoise

    • Testudo hermanni, Hermann's tortoise

    • Testudo horsfieldii, Russian tortoise, steppe tortoise, Horsfield's tortoise, or Central Asian tortoise

    • Testudo kleinmanni, Egyptian tortoise, including Negev tortoise

    • Testudo marginata, marginated tortoise

 In religion  :

 

In Hinduism, Kurma (Sanskrit: कुर्म) was the second Avatar of Vishnu. Like the Matsya Avatara, Kurma also belongs to the Satya Yuga. Vishnu took the form of a half-man, half-tortoise, the lower half being a tortoise. He is normally shown as having four arms. He sat on the bottom of the ocean after the Great Flood. A mountainwas placed on his back by the other gods so they could churn the sea and find the ancient treasures of theVedic peoples.

 

Tortoise shells were used by ancient Chinese as oracle bones to make predictions.

The tortoise is a symbol of the Ancient Greek god, Hermes.

Cultural depictions :

 

Main article: Cultural depictions of turtles and tortoises

Bas-relief from Angkor Wat, Cambodia, showsSamudra manthan-Vishnu in the centre, his turtle AvatarKurma below, asuras anddevas to left and right

Baby Testudo marginataemerges from its egg

Testudo graeca ibera,Testudo hermanni boettgeri, Testudo hermanni hermanni,Testudo marginata sarda

 

Young (3.5 years) African spurred tortoise,Geochelone sulcata

Young, 20-year-oldTanzanian leopard tortoise feeding on grass


 

Aldabra giant tortoise,Geochelone gigantea

22-year-old leopard tortoise

African spurred tortoise from the Oakland Zoo

1- Choose your tortoise. Tortoises come in many varieties and there are many factors to consider when it comes to choosing one, from the way you want your tortoise to look, the environment your tortoise prefers, and how much money you want to "shell out" on this shelled creature. Any type of tortoise you choose will make a wonderful pet for your family, once you commit to caring for this particular species. Some of the more common species of tortoises include the Sulcata, Leopard, Redfoot, Yellowfoot, Greek, Russian, Hermanns, and Indian Star. Here are some things you need to know about choosing a tortoise:[2]

 

  • Though the tortoise you bring home may be small and cute initially, but some species of tortoises can grow over two feet in length after 5-10 years of care. If you're really committed to having one for a long time, try not to get caught in their appearance, and consider what species best suit your lifestyle, financial income, surroundings and whether or not you're able to provide the required care of that specific species.

Pair of African spurred tortoises mate in a zoo

 

Boy rides a tortoise at a zoo

For the External links and refrences read the original wikipedia article  ..

Tortoises Care : 

- How to Care for a Tortoise :

courtesy to :  www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Tortoise

Tortoises have been on the planet for over 200 million years, which means that these exciting creatures walked the earth at the same time as dinosaurs.[1] They make enchanting pets and are fun to watch and to care for. However, since they've been around a long time, they've had plenty of time to pick up a few preferences and to develop a thorough list of personal care needs. This means that caring for a tortoise is a bigger commitment than you may think and that it takes time and dedication to make sure that your tortoise stays healthy and strong. If you want to learn how to start caring for this incredible creature, see Step 1 to get started.

 

 

PART One : Choosing Your Tortoise

2- Provide your indoor tortoise with adequate lighting. If your tortoise is outdoors, then you don't need to worry about him or her having enough light. But if your favorite creature is indoors, then you'll need to make sure your tortoise gets enough light, and therefore Vitamin D, to be healthy. Here are some things to consider as you find proper lighting for your tortoise:[7]

 

  • You should either use a desk lamp, which should have at least 100W of power for heating, and another UV light for your tortoise to bask in, or even a single mercury-vapor lamp to provide your critter with both heat and UV light.

  • The lamp's temperature should be between 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), but this changes, depending on the species.

  • Make sure you position the lamp correctly so your tortoise is able to soak up the heat and cool down at separate parts of their enclosure.

  • Not only is providing your tortoise with heat and UV light essential to his or her health, but it's also helpful for your creature's happiness. They actually love basking in the light!

2- Buy your tortoise from a reputable seller. It's important to purchase your tortoise from a seller that you respect, who has a history of making a successful sale and who can promise that you have been given the tortoise under healthy conditions. Avoid getting your creature at a reptile show, because this may make it likely that you won't be able to get in touch with the seller again after buying a tortoise, so there's no way he or she can check up on how you're caring for your tortoise.

 

  • Find a seller who prides themself in customer service, whether you are going to a pet store or finding your creature online. If your seller says that he or she will be easy to contact after the sale is made, then it's more likely that you are making a solid transaction.

  • There are some legal restrictions on keeping or breeding some tortoises, especially Mediterranean breeds. If this is the case for the tortoise you want, then make sure the seller has a certificate from C.I.T.E.S. (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).[3]

 

3- Make sure you can make a long commitment to your tortoise. If you're only around to take care of your tortoise for a year or two before you want to jump ship, then it may not be the ideal pet for you. Tortoises can live between 30~100 years, which means that your lovely pet may live longer than you. Don't let this scare you, though; just make sure you get a pet tortoise when you live in a stable environment and know you can find someone to take care of your tortoise if you have to move or leave.[4]

 

  • You don't have to be settled in one place for 50 years, but you should be prepared for many years of care for the new addition to your home.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

PART TWO : Nourishing and Handling Your Tortoise

1- Feed your tortoise. The type of food your tortoise eats will largely depend on the species of tortoise you've chosen. It's important to ask the source where you got the tortoise what you should make a part of its staple diet. In general, though, most tortoises eat mixed leafy greens, such as a typical "spring mix" you can find at any grocery store. When tortoises are babies, they need to eat softer or crispier foods, because their tiny jaws will find it hard to tear apart harder foods. Tortoises can eat most vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, or kale, especially if you mix them in with the mixed greens, but it's important to know what your type of tortoise needs.

 

  • Your tortoise may need supplements to make sure that he or she grows healthy and strong. The supplements must have Calcium and a some Vitamin A, Vitamin D3 should be offered too if the tortoise is kept indoors without UV light.

  • Some tortoises prefer dandelion leaves, celery, lettuce, and sometimes fruit.

2- Provide your tortoise with water. It's important that your tortoise has enough water to stay hydrated and healthy. You can just pour some water in a shallow tray or saucer and sink it into the floor of the enclosure so that your tortoise can't flip it over. It should be shallow enough so that your tortoise can easily stand in it and can place its head in the water without being completely submerged.[5]

 

  • Replace the water daily. Your tortoise should have its own bowl of water, whether it is outdoors or indoors.

 

3- Handle your tortoise with care. Never drop a tortoise; if their shell breaks, they might die from an infection. Though you may be dying to hold your pet tortoise, you should try to take it easy on holding it, or letting others hold it. This can be stressful for your favorite creature.

 

 

  • If there are small children around, explain to them that it would be better if they would admire it through observation and contact is only necessary during care.

 

4- Soak your baby tortoise in water a few times a week. Tortoises need to stay hydrated, especially when they are young. When you first bring home your tortoise, you should soak it in water a few times a week, so it feels fully hydrated, making sure to keep its head above water. Usually, after a tortoise is good and soaked, The tortoise will almost immediately begin to drink it. This will be a sign that everything is running smoothly. Remember that more isn't always more when it comes to soaking your tortoise. Every other day at most should be just fine.

 

 

5- Choose the type of shelter you'd like for your tortoise. Ideally, you should provide some outdoor shelter for your tortoise. Some people believe that it's inhumane to care for a tortoise only indoors. If you're really committed to having one, you should be prepared to have some outdoor shelter for it, unless it's a smaller tortoise or a variety that is really able to just stay indoors. If you're committed to having an indoor tortoise only, then you should do your research and pick a species that can handle this.[6]

 

  • You can also mix and match, keeping your tortoise indoors for the colder months and letting it roam outdoors during the warmer months. You should be prepared for both types of housing to keep it healthy and happy.

  • See the sections below for learning the proper care for your tortoise, whether it is an outdoor or an indoor creature.

     

PART THREE  :  Caring for a Tortoise in an Indoor Shelter

1- Have adequate indoor housing. If you want to house your tortoise indoors, then you have to think about what kind of an enclosure you want, whether it's a glass aquarium or a terrarium. Just keep in mind that you should have at least 3 square feet available for a baby tortoise. A 10–20 gallon (37.9–75.7 L) tank can work for a baby, but it will outgrow it pretty soon, and you'll need to make sure your creature has enough room to grow.

 

  • You can use glass, but tortoises get frustrated because they try to walk through the glass. You can tape paper to the outside of the tank to keep them from getting confused.

  • You can also use a plastic sweater box or a cement mixing tub for a baby tortoise. They have the bonus of having foggy sides that won't frustrate tortoises as much as glass.

  • The enclosure should be high enough so that the tortoise won't escape.

3- Have the proper substrate for your tortoise. The substrate will cover the floor of your tortoise's environment and will need to have proper composition to ensure the health and safety of your tortoise. The most important thing, whether your tortoise is outdoors or indoors, is to make sure that it is not overly moist, or your tortoise will be prone to infection if they get cuts or unhealed skin from over shedding. The substrate depends on the species of tortoise you have. Here are some things to consider:[8]

 

  • If your creature needs mid to high humidity, then your substrate needs to be able to hold moisture well. It should include things like coconut coir, sphagnum moss, or peat moss, in this case.

  • If your creature needs a more dry climate, then the substrate should include dry coconut coir, grass clippings.

  • Avoid using sand in the substrate, because tortoises may eat it and cause great harm to themselves.

  • When your tortoise is outdoors, the substrate doesn't matter as much, as the natural environment should be suitable. You can add some peat moss to the environment, for additional stimulation. Just make sure that anything you add to the substrate is free of chemicals or pesticides.

PART FOUR - Caring for Your Tortoise Outdoors :

1-Create a protective barrier for your tortoise. Having your tortoise outdoors during normal temperatures is ideal for your creature. However, you can't just let your tortoise do whatever it wants in your yard. Instead, you'll need to have an escape-proof barrier so that the tortoise remains in the perimeter. You can use concrete bricks that are mortared together or painted or sealed wood walls.

 

  • Your tortoise might try to burrow under or dig in to the corners of their enclosure, so it should be nice and secure. If your tortoise burrows, you can add a wire mesh below the surface of the barrier to keep your tortoise safe.

  • Tortoises really don't do well in the cold, so unless they're kept indoors the whole time, you'll have to prepare to temporarily bring your tortoise indoors if where you live can get below 60°F/15°C during its coldest months. If you live in a very hot climate and want to keep the tortoise outside, this will be easier, but always have shade available especially over moistened areas or water source(s).

2- Provide shelter for your tortoise. You'll need some kind of shelter for your tortoise to make it feel safe, and to provide some shelter from the heat, the rain, or other elements that may be in the way. You want to keep your tortoise nice and warm and to keep it from overheating as well. Ideally, you should make a hut for your creature, which will be where the tortoise sleeps and weathers the climates. You can make it out of wood and cover it with a few inches of soil, as well as a heating element for the cold weather, if needed.

 

  • First, just dig a large hole. You can place a plywood barrier inside the floor.

  • Add a top to the hide box to shelter your tortoise.

  • Cover the shelter with dirt and soil.

3- Provide plants for your tortoise. You should keep an adequate amount of plants around for your outdoor tortoise so that he or she can eat and feel secure throughout the day. Look into the diet of your tortoise to see which plants are and are not toxic. In general, many tortoises will eat broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, any grasses, or clover.

 

  • Live plants can also help control Ammonia and Nitrates in the soil, which reduces the frequency of substrate changes in indoor enclosures.

4- Provide stimulation for your tortoise. Your tortoise should have an exciting environment to keep it active and busy. You can add some clump grasses to help your tortoise burrow, as well as to allow for some shade. You can add a few boulders to give your creature some privacy, as long as they aren't too steep. You can also add some small trees for shade and shelter and just for the environment to look nice.

 

PART FIVE : Keeping Your Tortoise Healthy

1- Protect your tortoise from other creatures. If you're taking care of your tortoise outdoors, then you will have to take precautions to make sure it is safe from other predators, such as cats. If you have a dog, never allow it to be near the tortoise; even the gentlest dogs have been shown to attack tortoises without warning. Though it's impossible to keep your tortoise completely safe from birds, foxes, or other predatory creatures, try to keep it as protected as you can by having lots of shelter and places for your tortoise to hide, keeping its enclosure intact, and keeping an eye on the outside environment.[9]

 

  • Some people recommend that you line a juvenile tortoise's home with wire mesh to protect it from pesky creatures.

2- Help keep your tortoise healthy if it closes its eyes. Many people think that something is wrong with a tortoise's eyes if it begins to keep them shut. In fact, this is rarely serious. If a tortoise keeps its eyes shut, soak it in a bit of water and cover up its shelter a bit to make the environment more moist if housed indoors. If this is a chronic problem, it could be a sign of an infection, but it's usually external, try applying a water+salt solution into its eyes 1-2 times daily until they're able to open them, then feed them small amounts of Spinach as a source of Vitamin A once every other day, the most common causes are Vitamin A deficiency and dehydration. If symptoms persist for over a week with home treatment, visit a veterinarian who specialises in reptiles.

3- Help your tortoise stay active by meeting their basic needs. Though it's normal for baby tortoises to sleep for most of the day, if your critter is just completely inactive, then you have to start troubleshooting to locate the source of the problem. Here are some reasons why your creature may not be so active:

 

  • The most common reason is that your tortoise is too cold. Make sure that its enclosure is in a warm place relative to their environment.

  • If your tortoise is indoors, then make sure he or she get enough light in general. Brighter lights help keep it active.

  • Make sure your baby tortoise is getting a regular soaking throughout the day. One reason your tortoise may be inactive is because they might not be properly hydrated.

  • Try to minimalize handling, as stress could cause inactivity.

  • Make sure your tortoise is getting a balanced diet. Check to see that your mix of green veggies, and/or supplements is providing everything your tortoise needs.

4- Keep your tortoise's shell firm. If your tortoise develops a soft shell, then it's likely because they're not getting enough light and Calcium. This is a rare condition for outdoor tortoises, but it can happen to indoor tortoises because it can be harder for them to have access to a steady light source. If your indoor tortoise has a soft shell, make sure that he or she is at least 8-10" from the UV light source, and that the bulb is changed after at least 9 to 12 months to remain fresh and active.

Warnings :

 

  • Don't drop your tortoise, they can get a fatal infection if their shell gets broken.

  • If you don't give your tortoise Calcium supplements, it makes it more important to understand the Calcium:Phosphorus ratio in their food to better ensure proper shell development.

  • Watch out for the Oxalate content in their greens. Whenever a tortoise ingests Oxalic acid along with Calcium, it renders some of the Calcium indigestible which then exits the tortoise as Uric acid, too much Oxalate in certain greens can cause Uric acid to accumulate faster than the tortoise could excrete, resulting in a bladder stone. It could also cause Calcium deficiency if there are relatively more Oxalate.

Things You'll Need:

 

  • A large enough enclosure.

  • Lamps that emit heat and UV light. (For indoor enclosures)

  • Well-balanced foods.

  • Water to soak/bathe the tortoise, to maintain their enclosure's humidity and to keep the substrate underneath moist.

  • Hiding/sleeping place(s) for them.

  • A water dish.

  • Substrate.

Vivarium & Terrarium Creatures .. 

Tortoises  -  Introduction Care and breeding - General information   PART one   ..  PART two 

                      -   Species List :                        

1- African Spurred Tortoise  2- Aldabra Tortoise  3- Leopard Tortoise4- Russian Tortoise 5- Sulcata Tortoise6-Red-Footed Tortoise7- Radiated Tortoise8-  Pancake Tortoise 9- Hermann's Tortoise10-Marginated Tortoise11- Gopher Tortoise12- Greek Tortoise13- Galapagos Tortoise14- Elongated Tortoise15- Hingeback Tortoise16-  Yellow Foot Tortoise  17- Desert Tortoise  18- Indian Star 

 

1- African Spurred Tortoise  2- Aldabra Tortoise  3- Leopard Tortoise4- Russian Tortoise 5- Sulcata Tortoise6-Red-Footed Tortoise7- Radiated Tortoise8-  Pancake Tortoise 9- Hermann's Tortoise10-Marginated Tortoise11- Gopher Tortoise12- Greek Tortoise13- Galapagos Tortoise14- Elongated Tortoise15- Hingeback Tortoise16-  Yellow Foot Tortoise  17- Desert Tortoise  18- Indian Star 

 

bottom of page