Which substrate to use in your tortoise enclosure might seem like a small decision. But remember that this material makes up a huge part of your tortoise’s relatively small world! The right substrate will ensure your Hermann’s tortoise is happy, […]
The Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) is one of the most popular species in the pet world—for several reasons! These hardy reptiles are easy-going and rarely grow larger than 8 inches, making them ideal for keeping indoors. With an average lifespan
No matter what tortoise species you maintain, you’re going to need to be patient. Tortoises grow very slowly. But while this can often frustrate their keepers, it means that tortoises also live very long lives. These aren’t pets that’ll die
If you keep a tortoise from a temperate climate zone, such as a Russian (Testudo horsfieldii), Hermann’s (T. hermanni), or desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), you’ll need to provide your pet with a chance to brumate (the reptile version of hibernating).
Some tortoises live in tropical climates and are therefore capable of remaining active all year long. This includes rainforest-dwelling red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) and desert-dwelling sulcatas (Centrochelys sulcata), among others. But other tortoises live in areas with cold winter weather,
Whether born of a desire to breed tortoises for profit or out of simple curiosity, many tortoise enthusiasts wonder how many eggs tortoises can produce. It’s actually a very important subject, as tortoise clutch sizes influence things ranging from the
In many respects, tortoises make undemanding pets. As long as you start with a healthy animal and provide him with an appropriate habitat and care, your pet will likely live a long and healthy life. However, even tortoises that receive
Tortoises are certainly slow-moving animals, as anyone who has seen one ambling around can attest. But are they always slow? Are they capable of moving quickly or do they simply have little reason to do so? And if they can
Tortoises are fairly distinctive animals, and while it can occasionally be tricky to identify some by species or subspecies, it usually isn’t very hard to determine whether an animal is a tortoise or not. In most cases, any reptile with
To care for a pet tortoise, you’ll need to do everything from establishing a proper thermal environment to providing your pet with a nutritious diet. But the first thing you’ll have to do is decide which type of enclosure would
