A Pet tortoise can be a remarkably easy animal to take care of. However, the suitability of different types of housing depends on the type and size of your pet tortoise. Here are some considerations for choosing a suitable house for your pet:
What size is your pet tortoise?
If you have a hatchling, a small plastic container or aquarium can work well. For older juveniles and adults, a 30-gallon aquarium, an outdoor enclosure, or a storage bin with some modifications might be best.
What kind of climate does your pet tortoise come from?: Tortoises from specific areas of the world should be kept in similar conditions. Pets that come from desert areas, for instance, do best in warm climates with low humidity.
Where will your pet tortoise live?: If you have a tortoise who will spend most of its time outdoors in an enclosure, you don’t need to worry so much about insulation or temperature control inside the house. You might simply want to provide a cool shelter and a heat lamp if necessary. On the other hand, a pet who spends a lot of time indoors will likely need a very secure enclosure and heating and lighting equipment.
What is tortoise species?
Different types of tortoises have different needs when it comes to housing types and conditions. Find out more about the species of your tortoise to determine which housing is best for them.
Some popular species of pet tortoises include:
Desert Tortoise, Hermann’s Tortoise , Greek Tortoise , Sulcata tortoise, Russian Tortoise.
What are the main considerations when it comes to choosing suitable housing for your pet tortoise?
When it comes to housing a tortoise, there are some considerations that you need to take note of. One of the considerations is how large your herpetology enclosure is. You also need to consider whether or not the area where you put your enclosure has adequate UV radiation and basking spot.
There’s also the consideration of whether or not your enclosure is easy to clean. Another consideration would be how well ventilated your enclosure is. Lastly, there’s the type of substrate that you will use for your pet tortoise. You can either use newspaper or soil as substrates for your pet tortoise’s enclosure.
Enclosures should be made in such a way that it can provide your pet tortoise with the opportunity to bask because this is something that they need in their daily life. Basking helps them because it will allow their body to absorb Vitamin D3 which contributes to the proper processing of minerals and calcium within their bodies.
With regards to the substrate, you can use soil or newspaper for this purpose. The downside of using soil as a substrate is that it may lead to impaction which means that your pet tortoise may have difficulty passing feces from its body.
You would also notice if your tortoise has impaction because it will no longer be interested in food and refuse all food offered. In order for your pet tortoise to avoid impaction, you should use soil in moderation only.
Using newspaper as the substrate
Using newspaper as the substrate is also a good option but it has to be changed regularly or else your pet tortoise would develop health problems if it is exposed constantly to the same worn-out newspaper for several weeks. Your pet tortoise may suffer from digestion issues, not eating well, and sometimes leads to death because of this problem.
With regards to ventilation, make sure that there are enough holes present in your enclosure so that fresh air will circulate inside the herpetology enclosure. If you notice condensation inside your enclosure, make sure you dry it up by using an absorbent material which will help with keeping the humidity down.
>Sulcata tortoises
>Leopard tortoise
>African spurred tortoise
>Horsfield’s tortoise
>Aldabra giant tortoises.
You can provide it with fresh vegetables or fruits instead of feeding it dry commercial foods which contain little to no nutritional value. Providing your pet tortoise with a diet that is rich in fiber, calcium, and Vitamin D3 will help avoid impaction. The downside of using newspaper as substrates is that if your pet tortoise decides to eat the newspaper, this may cause an intestinal blockage which means that they may also experience impaction.
Sulcata Tortoise
Scientific name: Geochelone sulcata
The sulcata tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) is the largest species of tortoise in the world. It is also one of the most common pet tortoises, but its popularity has led to captive breeding for this specific species so there is an increasingly large number of these animals in captivity, with supplies to meet demand.
There are many challenges facing conservationists when trying to save this reptile. The sulcata tortoise is listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which bans the importation of this animal into certain countries.
Another issue is that it has a large home range for nesting and breeding, so it has to be added to many areas in which it is not native to keep the population controlled. These factors, as well as other problems like habitat loss and poaching, make this animal increasingly threatened.
Leopard tortoises
The Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) is a species of tortoise found in Africa. It is the fourth largest mainland tortoise after the Aldabra giant tortoises, African spurred, and Gopherus agassizii. They can grow to be up to long and weigh about.
The carapace ranges from brown to black with yellowish markings on either side of the head and at times light yellow or orange stripes radiating outwards from these markings. The plastron is usually dark brown or black with white lines running across it at right angles; young animals have more distinct patterns than adults do.
The name “leopard” comes from its spotted pattern that looks somewhat like a leopard’s coat.
The Leopard tortoise is the fourth largest mainland tortoise after the Aldabra giant tortoises, African spurred, and Gopherus agassizii. They can grow to be up to long and weigh about. The carapace ranges from brown to black with yellowish markings on either side of the head and at times light yellow or orange stripes radiating outwards from these markings.
The plastron is usually dark brown or black with white lines running across it at right angles; young animals have more distinct patterns than adults do. The name “leopard” comes from its spotted pattern that looks somewhat like a leopard’s coat.
Greek tortoises
Greek tortoises can be found in North Africa, Southeast Europe, and on the island of Cyprus. They also live in Asia Minor. A Greek tortoise was recently found in the UK; it had probably escaped or been abandoned by its owner.
Greek tortoises can be kept as pets, but this isn’t done very often because they need a lot of space to move around freely. They usually have a brownish shell with yellow spots on it, and their head and tail are dark grey or black with white stripes on them. The mouth of a Greek tortoise is called the ‘beak’ and looks like a bird’s beak – hence the name “tortoise-bird”.
Russian tortoise
The Russian tortoise is both a terrestrial and aquatic species that live mostly in Central Asia, Northern China, and Siberia. The Russian tortoise can also be found often in North America. These animals live in a temperate climate and therefore can tolerate cold temperatures. In the colder months of the year, Russian tort’s require shelter from rain and snow.
Red-footed tortoise
The red-footed tortoise is very popular in the exotic pet trade because of its appearance. They are generally healthy, but they have delicate respiratory systems requiring high humidity and warmth, so it is very important to keep their environment clean.
The red-footed tortoise can be aggressive if not raised properly, so supervision is needed when handling them quickly. If you do decide on a red-footed tortoise as a pet, it is essential that you follow proper care procedures both for your benefit and theirs. If you are seriously considering getting one of these animals as a pet (which may constitute animal cruelty), please think again before making the decision.
African spurred tortoise
The African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) is a species of turtle native to Sub-Saharan Africa. The African spurred tortoises has a few subspecies, such as Geochelone sulcata boettgeri and Geochele sulcata olivacea. This turtle can grow to be about 20 inches long and weigh up to 14 pounds.
Its carapace is domed and fairly smooth with a pale yellow or white color. The legs have dark brown to black scales outlined in a lighter brown, giving the appearance of a zebra’s stripes. There are two sets of spikes on the tortoise’s shell; one at the bridge between the head and shell (giving it the name ‘spurred’ tortoise) and another set along each marginal scute.
Russian tortoises
Russian tortoises are one of the most popular reptilian pets. they are easily tamed, quite active and fairly long-lived (up to 50 years).
in captivity, Russian tortoises usually feed on commercial dry tortoise food. however, they will eagerly devour any vegetables and fruits that may be given to them as well. thus even though many guides recommend lean meat for this species, it is not necessary to feed them meat at all (nor it is necessary to supplement their diet with animal protein as some guides say).
the main factors determining proper care are suitable temperature (see picture below), humidity/wetness in the substrate, plenty of fresh water available at all times, correct UVB lighting …and adequate diet.
Metabolic bone disease in reptiles
>Vitamin D3 is the metabolically active form of vitamin D in all vertebrates, including humans. A deficiency in this hormone can lead to serious health repercussions, so it’s important for herpetoculturists to ensure their animals are receiving sufficient Vitamin D3. […]
>Herpetoculturists often use Vitamin D3 supplements on a daily basis during the winter months when UVB exposure is limited, but current thinking among veterinarians is that many captive reptiles may benefit from continuous supplementation year-round due to the widespread prevalence of indoor housing. (Reptile Magazine 2009) However, one group of researchers has discovered that certain reptiles may not need supplemental Vitamin D3 at all! (Eldridge et al. 2004)
What reptile species are studied?
Leopard geckos in nature do not synthesize Vitamin D3 without exposure to ultraviolet light. They also cannot absorb dietary calcium without adequate levels of Vitamin D3 in the diet or in the animal’s bloodstream.
However, when maintained under artificial conditions that limit exposure to ultraviolet light or provide inadequate amounts of this hormone captive leopard geckos not only fail to absorb dietary calcium but they also develop the metabolic bone disease (MBD). (See article: “Calcium and Vitamin D3 for Healthy Reptiles” in the December 2006 issue of REPTILES.)
What did they find?
Eldridge, et al. found that leopard geckos exposed to ultraviolet B light not only synthesized adequate levels of Vitamin D3 but that it was also able to store large amounts of this hormone in the bloodstream.
Moreover, leopard geckos under these conditions were able to absorb significant amounts of dietary calcium. Finally, even though these lizards maintained artificially high levels of Vitamin D3 in their bloodstream throughout the year, they showed no evidence whatsoever of any adverse health effects.
Wild tortoises
Wild tortoises live in the Mediterranean area, the Middle East, North Africa, and India. They are also found in places like Tanzania, Madagascar, or South Africa. All wild tortoises are herbivores that eat plants like cacti, grasses, and leaves which they find in their habitat.
The behavior of wild tortoises is different depending on the species. For example, red-footed tortoises spend more time basking in the sun than other types of tortoise. They also bluff at predators by showing their underbelly to them.
Tortoises thrive
Tortoises are aquatic, terrestrial turtles of the order Testudines. They are shielded by an impenetrable carapace and they feed on a variety of vegetables and fruits. Tortoises also thrive in moist habitats and in dry habitats that have plenty of vegetation. This makes for a broad range of environments that they can survive in.
Water turtles are aquatic and terrestrial as well but also brumate over the winter. They lack a shell and instead build a shelter from plant matter and mud around themselves to protect their bodies.
Turtles are omnivorous, meaning that they will eat both plants and other animals. Their diet often consists of insects, carrion, earthworms, berries, fruit seeds, grasses, mushrooms etc. Some species may also actively hunt prey such as fish or rodents if there is no easy way to procure other food sources. The majority of tortoises live solely on land while some water turtles live fully aquatic lives in rivers and lakes only coming ashore to breed.
Some tortoises eat plants and some turtles do not, but there are many others who both do so it doesn’t matter which you choose here. If your game is set in a medieval or prehistoric period animals would have stuck to what they know best to be plentiful enough to find without too much effort.
If your game is more modern then you can probably introduce many different species of turtle/tortoise into the world ready for your players to discover!
>The fabled tortoise that holds up the sky has deep roots in mythology as does the turtle that carries the earth on its back. They were considered a good omen by sailors, farmers and fisherman alike across multiple cultures around the world making them a natural choice for inclusion in most fantasy or ancient world games.
>Tortoises are also remarkably long-lived, some species living well over 100 years (and reaching their maximum size at about 75). They can survive injuries that would kill most other creatures and they reproduce slowly making them ideal as familiars to magic users or guardians of old knowledge who wish to keep their secrets safe from younger generations. Tortoises have even been known to carry huge burdens on their backs if necessary due to the combined strength of their shells and legs!
Captive Bred
Captive-bred fish are fish that are raised by humans in artificial conditions. They are then sold commercially to the general public, usually through retailers or pet stores. Some fisheries breed their species for this purpose, while others do it on a small scale for home use.
