Tortoise Care Sheet | Aquariums, Reptiles, Pet Supplies, Fishing Tackle, and Aquatics Supply stockists.

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Tortoises The tortoise is a living fossil having survived since the dawn of the age of reptiles, 200 million years ago. Collection for exportation and habitat destruction have dramatically reduced populations in their native countries around the Mediterranean like France, Spain, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Turkey, Greece and Northern Africa
Britain, with wet summers and cold damp winters, they are outside their distribution range, but if basic guidelines are followed, a captive tortoise can have as long and happy a life as possible. Common Mediterranean Tortoise Species The species of Mediterranean tortoise most commonly imported into Britain have been the Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca) and the Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni). The Spur-thighed Tortoise is further divided into sub-species with a main division between Europe and Northern Africa. They are in an active state of evolution and not fully understood. The Hermann's tortoise, with two recognised sub-species, exists in the south of France, on the coastlines of Italy and the former Yugoslavia and on islands in the Mediterranean. The Spur-thighed Tortoise has a spur on either side of the tail, whereas the Hermann's Tortoise has a single horny claw at the tip of the tail. In both species. the male can be recognised by the longer, narrower and more pointed tail some males have a concave plastron. A tortoise's body is surrounded by a protective shell with an upper part (the carapace) and a lower part (the plastron), both of which are made up of individual bony plates and horny scutes. The upper and lower parts of the shell are joined by bridges between the fore and hind limbs. The vertebrae of the backbone are fused to the carapace, as are the scapulae (shoulder blades) and pelvis (hip girdles). The lungs are located in the top third of the carapace and below are the other body organs. The lungs during breathing, are inflated and deflated using the muscles of the front legs. Tortoises, like most reptiles, are ectothermic and rely on an external heat source (the sun) to raise their body temperature sufficiently for them to be alert, feed and digest their food. They are inactive in cold weather. Husbandry And Housing Tortoises like roaming about, so if possible make the garden completely escape-proof. Walled gardens are ideal but if you have to pen your tortoise in, allow at least 10 square metres per tortoise and make sure that the animal can neither climb over nor burrow under the surround. Wire or wooden pens should be at least 40cm (16 ins) high, buried to a depth of 10cm (4 ins), with wooden stakes as support. Garden ponds should be adequately covered to prevent risk of drowning. A well ventilated greenhouse with access to a clover lawn and a paved sunbathing area is ideal for tortoises as in both spring and autumn the animals will be able to heat up sufficiently to feed well, thereby extending their year and shortening their hibernation period. A lower pane of glass can be replaced with a panel of wood with an entrance hole or cat flap in it, thus ensuring that the tortoises can escape from overheating on the hottest summer days. Never attempt tethering a tortoise by string round the leg which will cut off blood circulation and may result in gangrene or by boring holes through the shell, which will cut through live tissue and cause pain or infection. A waterproof house in a sunny position is essential to protect the tortoise from extremes of cold, wet and heat. It should be of a wooden construction, preferably covered with roofing felt and be slightly raised to prevent the floor from becoming damp. It can be lined with thick newspaper or dried leaves. If you have several tortoises, it is advisable to separate the males and females as the males often engage in female shell-butting and leg biting as part of their courtship. Females constantly exposed to this treatment and unable to escape will feed less, produce eggs less frequently and will eventually suffer from extensive shell and leg damage with an increased likelihood of infections. Watering Contrary to belief tortoises do drink, especially on waking from hibernation, when a warm bath is usually appreciated . A shallow dish about 10 cm (4 ins) deep, should be sunk into the ground to allow the animals to submerge their heads Into the water. Allow for easy access into and out of the dish. Feeding Tortoises need a diet which is high in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, but low in fat and proteins and feed mainly on green leaves. If your tortoise has the run of a garden it will forage quite successfully for itself on: Dandelion, Trefoils, Honeysuckle, Cat's ears, Vetches, Sow thistle, Hawk bits, Hawkweed, Plantains, lover (Red & White), Pansies, Rose Leaves and petals, Hibiscus, Mallows, Grape vine leaves, Agave plant, Mulberry leaves, Bindweeds, Opuntia cacti pads and fruit, Roman or red leaf lettuce, Watercress, Endive, Escarole and Chicory. Beware of weed killers and slug pellets. In the wild, tortoises are opportunistic feeders and they will on occasion tackle carrion and dung. Their digestive systems are, however, geared towards the digestion of leaves, including cellulose, so a wide variety of greens must be offered and the diet should be as varied as possible with leaves, vegetables and as well as proprietary vitamin and mineral supplements such as Vionate or the Vetark range (Arkvits, Nutrobal AceHigh). The following foods can be tried: Cabbage, Beet greens, Kale, Alfalfa Hays and finely chopped carrots but should only be offered occasionally. A varied diet is recommended and one guided by the wild situation.

Please only take the information given in any of our caresheets as general advice. They may not provide an exact answer to your particular reptiles problem and are to act as a general guide and 'heads-up' to keeping reptiles. We cannot be held responsible for any problems your reptile encounters following the reading of these pages.

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