Tortoises

A tortoise requires a larger area to live in than you may think. A basic tortoise house will need to be big enough for your pet to move around freely, burrow when it wants to hide away and it will also need to have heat and light source as tortoises are ectothermic (cold blooded) If your pet tortoise is 12 inches long for example it will need an enclosure of 9ft x 9ft! This is a considerable amount of space and will need careful consideration.

There are many different types of tortoise for you to choose from to have as a pet. However, you ill need to consider the specific habitat required for it. This means you need to do your homework! There are many tortoise species that would make perfect pets for your home such as a Pancake tortoise or Egyptian tortoise but you will have to do some research and see which type would suit you best. When Choosing a pet tortoise is important to understand what you are wanting from the experience and how well you can care for one?

Your pets diet will be determined by the specific species you decide to keep. Most tortoises are herbivores and require green leafy vegetables and also some soft fruits to maintain their health. You can also buy commercially available tortoise pellets but you may want to supplement these with some vitamins. You can get these from your pet shop or vet.

A pet tortoise may not be fluffy like a dog or cat and obviously will not require a daily walk but it still needs to have a lot of input from the owner. Children love to have tortoises but you will have to supervise the child when they are handling it. This is not just for the sake of the tortoise but also the health of your child. Salmonella is carried by some tortoises so it is important to have good hand hygiene and also to teach your child how to care for their pet.

If you have other pets in your home they may not appreciate you bringing in another pet. Although a tortoise has usually got a hard shell for protection they can still be harmed by an over exuberant dog or curious cat. If you have an outside enclosure for your tortoise you will have to make sure it is secure so that the dog or cat cannot get to it.

Keeping tortoises as we have seen requires a lot of planning but what if you want to keep a few different species of tortoises? Mixing tortoise species is not always a good idea as they can fight. The smaller species can be bullied by the larger tortoise and not allow the smaller one to eat any of the food. There is also the risk of cross infection. If you have an established tortoise enclosure and want to introduce a new one into it you will have to quarantine the new tortoise for a number of weeks to ensure it does not have any disease or is carrying any parasites.

In conclusion- keeping a pet tortoise can be a very rewarding hobby but you have to be aware you are taking care of a living creature that does require a lot of care and at times expenditure. They may not be fluffy and playful but they all have their own particular personality and can be your companion for many years! Tortoises often live for over 100 years if looked after properly so you may have to pass on your tortoise to your grandchildren!