Here is a list of the essentials you need to provide to keep your tortoise happy and healthy.

A suitable food source for your tortoise’s species

Please check the nutritional requirements of your pet carefully or contact us for advice. Many tortoises are vegetarian and require very low levels of proteinaceous food in their diets. However, there are some species that may eat carrion. Food should be dispersed over a wide area to encourage foraging. If bowls are used, please ensure that they are cleaned thoroughly with a quaternary ammonium compound. As a guide, a [vegetarian] tortoise should eat a pile of grasses and weeds roughly the same size as its body each day.

A supply of vitamins and minerals

This should include calcium, they may be given by dusting food with the supplement. Be aware that many tortoises will not eat the food if they see you applying them! Some tortoises may lick vitamin blocks or eat grated (or whole) cuttlefish. Ensure your pet does receive these supplements in one form or another to avoid profound ill health developing over time.

A water source must be available

Tortoises do need to drink on a regular basis! Desert species require less water than tropical species, but water should be provided for all species. In order to drink, a tortoise needs to be able to fully submerge its head in the water, so a bowl will not be adequate. Tortoises should instead be bathed in hand hot water that comes up to the top of the first line of scutes (shell segments) from the floor, or to the top of the ‘skirt’. The water must be deep enough to allow the head to be fully submerged, but shallow enough to allow your pet to lift its head from the water easily.

Baths should last for around 10-15 minutes, or until the water cools. Your tortoise is likely to pass urates in the bath – this will happen once they are fully hydrated, so they should be removed from the bath at this time and not left to sit in contaminated water. A permanent bath may be provided so long as a suitable ramp is in place to facilitate getting in and out – this must allow suitable grip for your pet.

Vivariums or enclosures

These should be large enough to provide a heat and humidity gradient. There should be space to allow your pet to move around, and they must have adequate ventilation. Substrates vary widely and many are suitable, but please check any wood chips used are not toxic for your pet. For more information or to chat about options, please do not hesitate to contact us. Housing areas should be cleaned thoroughly with a quaternary ammonium compound on a regular basis. If a tortoise table is used, it is a good idea to provide a box area with a heat source inside – otherwise, heat will simply dissipate and your pet will be too cold on an almost permanent basis.

Space to exercise

Tortoises can travel large distances on a daily basis in the wild depending on the species, so exercise is extremely important. If the housing is not large enough to allow exercise, provisions should be made for supervised exercise sessions in warm areas elsewhere on a daily basis.

Environmental enrichment

Hides are essential for your pet to allow them to relax and feel secure. Try to make the vivarium environment as close to the natural environment as possible. Tortoises like to hide in grasses and thorn thickets that allow dappled light through naturally, so supplying handfuls of dried grasses can be a good idea.

Heat must be supplied and thermometers fitted to ensure a correct gradient is maintained

Bulbs must be covered with a guard to prevent your pet from sustaining thermal burns. Tortoises will try to climb most things, so do not be fooled into thinking your tortoise will not be tall enough to touch the bulb! Heated rocks can easily cause burns if not on a thermostat and may be best avoided. Heat mats can be ideal for tortoises and should be placed on the floor – these should be used with a thermostat. A hot spot should be available at one end of the vivarium under the heat bulb, with the opposite end of the vivarium offering cooler climbs.

Heat and light sources should be separate to allow heating without lighting the area over night. Tortoises can see infra-red light so these bulbs are not appropriate.

Ultraviolet light

This should be provided for all species because it is essential for calcium uptake from the diet and its production within the body. It also plays a large part in maintaining health and happiness and speeding healing, although the mechanisms for these processes are unknown. UV bulbs should be replaced every 6 months and should be covered with a guard and a reflector. This is to prevent thermal burns to your pet and damage to your eyes. Bulbs should be of the correct intensity for your pet’s species environment, and should be separate from the heat source.

UV light must be available whilst your pet is eating and digesting (for diurnal species), and must be placed at a position above your pet so that the beams shine down (like sunlight). If the bulb is too close to your pet’s line of vision and shines into their eyes, blindness may eventually result – it would be like staring at the sun for a long period of time.

A humidity gradient must be maintained that is appropriate for your pet’s species

Desert species need very little moisture whilst tropical species must not dry out. Fitting hygrometers at both ends of the enclosure will allow monitoring of the gradient. Sphagnum moss may be useful in providing an area of higher humidity if required – please contact us for more information. Prolonged periods of high humidity with poor ventilation can cause chronic pneumonia in these species, so regular air movement is also essential.

Ventilation

This is absolutely essential for your tortoise’s health, and poor ventilation is frequently the cause of respiratory infection. Ventilation is not, however, to be confused with air movement. Adding a fan to the room will not improve the ventilation, it will simply push contaminated air around the room! A source of fresh air should be supplied without compromising the heat or humidity gradients, and without causing a draft to flow over your pet – please contact us for more information.

Safety from predators, including your pets, at all times

Never leave your dog or cat with your tortoise when unsupervised. Dogs in particular often view tortoises as a chewy toy or moving bone, and it only takes one lapse in attention for your dog to inflict often life-threatening injuries or even eat a tortoise completely. Even dogs that have ignored tortoises for years may slip up and chew your tortoise – it is a natural behaviour so the responsibility for vigilance lies with you, the owner!

Regular health care

We recommend six monthly check-ups for all species to keep up-to-date with their general health. Tortoises take a long time to demonstrate any signs of ill health, but by the time that they do, damage has frequently already been done. The recovery period is even slower, so if you notice any change in your pet, please bring them for a check-up as soon as possible.