Tortoise Requirments ?

Question

Im getting a tortose in a couple of weeks and have been reading books and site (e.t.c) and am not sure what the actuall requirments are as everything is sayng something different, is there anyone out there that has experiance with torts and can tell me what their set up is like, what is needed (bulbs, supliments). That kinda stuff would be a great help.

Answer 1

Box and a lot of straw....

Answer 2

Best thing to do is look up the type of tortoise you are getting. Then you will get specific information for that kind.
I have a Russian Tortoise. It's a vegetarian and will stay small. I have her in a glass terrarium, with outdoor carpet cut to size. Carpet is better because it can't be swallowed and cause constipation like substrates.
Remember when you are looking at cages that they want lots of floor space. The more the better. Kiddie pools are great for tortoises. The hard plastic ones.
I have a UV "clamp lamp" in one corner, it creates a basking spot that is really warm and leaves the rest of the cage cooler so Marco (my tortoise) can pick where he is coziest.
I have a small baking pan as a swimming hole (and water dish). I don't know if they make these anymore, it's about an inch deep and about the size of a sheet of note book paper. A large dog bowl will work too, make sure the tortoise can get in and out safely and that it won't spill.
I cut one of the short ends off a shoe box size rubbermaid container for a "bedroom".
Moss and a plant mister keeps humidity comfortable for Marco. I mist the moss every day so that it feels the tinyest bit damp.
Two food bowls complete his home. I put pellet food out all the time and offer fresh food morning and night. I leave it in his cage for about 45 minutes then take it out. That way he doesn't eat spoiled food and it doesn't attract bugs. I feed him all kinds of fruit and vegetables. He seems to prefer yellow and orange food.
I hope this helps. Email me anymore questions you have. I love talking about Marco.

Answer 3

I have two tortoises, during the later stage of spring all throughout summer and for another month or so they live in the garden, they have their own wooden house for sleeping in and the run of the garden during the day. I only keep tortoises because I live in a very quiet area, a completely secure tortoise friendly garden, lots of countryside near me to provide them with food (supermarket food just isn't right to feed tortoises or any reptile for that matter) and a mum who works from home so takes cares of them during the day. Then when it turns colder and less sunnier I will stat their hibernation process - never a good time of the year!! As much as I love and admire the species if I didn't have any one of the above I would not consider having a tortoise. They are not the easiest of pets to have,they are a lot of hard (but very very rewarding) work. There are lots of other factors to think about. Hope this helps! check out Tortoise Trust, they have made my tortoises lifes a lot happier since joining them and their dedication to all species of tortoises.

Answer 4

1 A leash
2 A kennel
3 Beware of the tortoise sign
4 A bag of Boneo

Answer 5

It would REALLY help to know the species-. For example, high humidity species (liek Red-foots) and low-humidity species have TOTALLY different set-ups.

My big pen is based on 4' x 8' sheets of plywood, etc. It is divided into 4 2x4 zones based on temps and substrate. The hot zone and warm zone are lined with stone tiles. The cool zone is lined with indoor/outdoor carpet, and the cold zone (it is not really 'cold', just the name I use for the end furthest from the hot zone) uses pans of sand/loam mix. There are a few pans sunk into the warm and cool zones as well- some are planted with various foodstuffs.

Underneath each 2x4 zone is a layer of sand with greenhouse cables laid in it. The hot zone is ground-heated to about 90, the warm zone is set to about 80, the cool zone runs at 70, and the cold zone is thermostatically set to not drop below 65. The pen is in my basement, so the room temps are never too high.

My walls are knee-high sheets of laminated hardboard for easy cleaning. (Mine are rigged up in 24" wide panels that slip into grooved uprights)

Over the pen I have several suspended racks of lighting. A bank of fluorescent bulbs come on early and stay on the longest to help simulate dawn and dusk, and offer some additional color balance. A bank of incandescants and a couple spotlights in the hot zone kick on a little later. The infrareds come on a bit after that, and they are followed by some UV lighting during the 'hot time' of the day. Each bank is controlled by a timer or two.

Water is provided by a shallow pan (a plastic paint roller pan) that is sunk into the floor. I have it rigged with a couple small 'overflow' holes, and a jug suspended over the pond drips water in it all day. Another jug is rigged up over the plants to keep them watered.

For my humidity loving torts, I have a 'humidity hut' rigged up in the warm zone- basically a plastic tent set up around a plant with a spotlight shining on it. Water drips into the plant on onto the plants clay pot and the heat of the lamp evaporates it. Torts push through a hanging curtain of plastic strips for access.

There are potted plants scattered around for shade, humidity, and hiding places. There is a pile of flat stones in the middle to climb on. Each corner has a little 'roof' for more shelters and hiding paces.

I have a few big 'Sterilite' tubs (I like the translucent walls better than Tupperware) for special needs, small torts, and to use for hospital cares.

Future plan:
I plan to create an 'L' shaped habitat built on a raised platform along a big chunk of the basement wall. The plan calls for a waterfall and 'creek' feeding a pond of filtered, recirculated water, better burrowing spaces, scattered hot spots, etc. One leg will be the tropics, the other will be the Mediterranian.

The table this will be on will support several smaller pens for special needs, breeding, incubation, and hospital cares.

Answer 6

try contacting a zoo with a reptile house and talk to the staff specialising in reptiles there will probably be 1 staff member who "just loves them" and will bend your ear on the subject till you have to beg them to stop, a visit to the zoo after making initial contact to find out which member of staff to talk to is probably better than email or phone conversations, oh and because you are specifically seeking advice from a specialist and have made an official enquiry they might even let you in free as an "official visitor" as long as your only going to the reptile house but check on this in your initial contact - or the staff member concerned might meet you outside the zoo or in the reception to discuss it again after an initial enquiry to the zoo, hope this helps

Answer 7

General Mediterranean Tortoise Care




1. Weighing your tortoise regularly is a good indicator of its health. Any sudden changes may indicate a health problem, similarly a tortoise continuing to lose weight over a long period would indicate illness. It is a good idea to use the same kitchen scales, and to weigh monthly, keeping a record of the weights. This could also help your vet to diagnose the cause of illness, (suggested vets, who have experience with tortoises are listed at the end of this booklet).






2. Twice yearly check by a vet, usually before and after hibernation, is a good idea.




3. Tortoises do get worms, which are not transferable to humans, but which if left untreated will eventually make your tortoise feel ill, and can be fatal. Your vet should routinely worm the tortoise during the Spring check-up. If any worms are passed the worming should be repeated. Note that only suitable wormers should be used e.g. Panacur ® and Systamex ®. Some worm treatments can be fatal to tortoises.

4. Nails and beaks can become overgrown, and can be filed down gently with an emery board, or if very long you may wish the vet to trim them.




5. Lumps, bumps and discharges are all signs that your tortoise is not in good health, and should be investigated by a vet.




6. The behaviour of your tortoise is a good indicator of its well-being. Any sudden changes in feeding, drinking, walking, production of faeces and urates, or other behaviour could indicate problems. If in doubt consult an experienced vet.

7. Give your tortoise a weekly bath to ensure that they are able to drink.





Security




SECURITY is important in two ways:




1. Tortoises can be surprisingly agile, they can climb, and are extremely persistent. If they think that there may be a way out of their enclosure they will try over and over to get through. This tends to be less of a problem where tortoises have the whole garden, or a very large run, so give your tortoise as much space as your garden will allow. Ideally, fencing and other barriers should be solid walls or timber, rather than wire, in which a tortoise can become trapped or could injure itself trying to get free.




2. There are many thefts of tortoises, often for resale illegally. This can occur at night if the tortoise is left outside, or when left unattended during the day. Consider having your tortoise “chipped” or “finger printed”. Take clear close up photographs of it’s shell, including the lower side (plastron) for identification purposes. If you are unfortunate enough to have your tortoise stolen, or if the tortoise escapes, you should always be able to prove that it belongs to you. Don’t advertise the fact that you have a tortoise and make your garden as secure as possible.



Picture of the tortoise's plastron (underside)





Important Points

1. Whatever the conditions provided in your garden, your tortoise should feed well within 2 days of waking from hibernation, and continue to be active, alert and feeding throughout the Summer, although it will of course be less so on rainy and overcast days. If the Summer weather is very poor you may have to provide more suitable conditions indoors, or in a vivarium (see hibernation care sheet), or in a greenhouse to ensure that your tortoise gains sufficient weight before hibernation in the Autumn. It is a good idea to be able to accommodate your tortoise indoors as well as outside. This will help to provide suitable tortoise weather all year round if necessary. Tortoises which are under-weight, or ill should not be hibernated.




2. Tortoises of different species should not be kept together, as they can transfer diseases to one another.




3. Keeping male and female tortoises together, even if they are of different species, will result in mating behaviour, which may cause considerable damage to the shell of the female, and should be avoided by keeping them separate. In some cases desperate males will damage each others’ shells during attempted matings, when no females are available. If you are making a serious attempt to breed tortoises, ensure that you have enough information, and that you have the necessary facilities, including an incubator, and a vivarium for any hatchlings which may result.




It is illegal to import Mediterranean or North African tortoises into Britain without a CITES permit. They are strongly protected by law, although it could be argued not strongly enough, as they are very seriously endangered in their native countries, due to the pet and souvenir trades. The species covered by this law include Spur thighed, Hermanns, Marginated and Eygptian tortoises.



4. It is illegal to buy or sell these tortoises in Britain without a licence issued by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (defra). Many tortoises are sold illegally, and in some cases they will have been stolen. One way to be sure that you could identify your tortoise should this misfortune occur, is to take a colour photograph of the underside of the shell (the plastron). This should be clear and in focus, and if the tortoise is found it can be used as a means of identification, since this pattern is unique. You could have a microchip inserted by a vet, similar to those used in dogs and horses.




5. It is much better to obtain a tortoise from a reputable keeper or breeder, who can show you the way in which the tortoise has been kept. In the case of hatchlings and juvenile tortoises you should be able to see the parents and receive genuine documentation regarding the origin of the animal as required by defra. If you wish to offer a home to one of our tortoises,

Answer 8

They love lettuce and when you tickle them under their chin, they poke there head out, and yes, it looks like a tortoise.

Dont forget to let then sleep all winter, they are real lazy bugger*, and if you wake them up early, they will get really angry, and will take the next 3 months, to get from the shed to your lounge, where they will leave the biggest droppings you will ever see.

Answer 9

make sure you feed it calcium but not milk or something a calcium stone! and the teeth will keep strong and healthy

Answer 10

what kind are you getting?