HEALTH / LIFESPAN

BEFORE PURCHASING A TORTOISE, IT SHOULD BE KNOWN THAT THIS ANIMAL WILL BE A LIFETIME COMMITMENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, RED FOOT TORTOISES LIVE AROUND 50 YEARS AND WEIGH AROUND 20 LBS.

TORTOISES CAN GROW LONG NAILS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ANIMAL. BECAUSE OF THIS, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ADDING SOME SLATE INTO YOUR ENCLOSURE TO GRIND DOWN THE NAILS.

A ROUTINE CHECK-UP WITH AN EXOTICS VET IS ALWAYS

RECOMMENDED AS IT MAY HELP CATCH AN ISSUE MAY NOT BE VISIBLE TO THE UN-TRAINED EYE.

HOUSING

TORTOISES REQUIRE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SPACE TO MEET THEIR SPECIFIC HUSBANDRY REQUIREMENTS AND MAINTAIN A POSITIVE QUALITY OF LIFE.

IT SOUNDS SILLY,  BUT THEY CAN'T COMPREHEND THE CONCEPT OF SEE-THROUGH GLASS AND WILL CONSTANTLY BASH THEIR HEAD INTO GLASS IF HOUSED IN A GLASS TANK.

FOR A BABY TORTOISE, WE RECOMMEND A WOODEN 3'X2' ENCLOSURE.

FOR AN ADULT, WE RECOMMEND A WOODEN 6'X6' ENCLOSURE.

HUSBNDRY

THESE TORTOISES ARE DIURNAL TROPICAL REPTILES WHICH MEANS THEY REQUIRE HIGH TEMPERATURES, HIGH HUMIDITY, AND A SOURCE OF UVB LIGHTING.

HEATING

A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH RANGE UP TO 95° FOR BASKING ON THE HOT SIDE. OUTSIDE OF THE BASKING AREA, THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF THE ENCLOSURE SHOULD BE 75º-80º. THIS ALLOWS FOR THE TORTOISE TO CHOOSE WHICH TEMPERATURE THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE IN AT ALL TIMES. 

UVB LIGHTING

A SEPARATE FIXTURE EQUIPPED WITH AN APPROPRIATE UVB BULB SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED. UVB IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN PREVENTING METABOLIC BONE DISEASE WHICH IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON DISEASE FOUND IN TORTOISES.

THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THESE TWO ITEMS, BUT WE PREFER THE CERAMIC HEAT PROJECTORS IN COMBINATION WITH AN OBLONG TS UVB FIXTURE FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS!

SUBSTRATE

FOR SUBSTRATE OPTIONS, WE RECOMMEND A 50/50 BLEND OF ORGANIC SOIL AND REPTILE-SAFE WOOD CHIPS. WE MIX REPTISOIL AND FORREST FLOOR TO ACCURATELY MIMIC WHAT TROPICAL TORTOISES WOULD EXHIBIT IN THE WILD.

REMOVE WASTE AS IT IS DEPOSITED INTO THE SUBSTRATE, AND FULLY CHANGE SUBSTRATE EVERY OTHER MONTH.

THESE TORTOISES GREATLY BENEFIT FROM A BIO-ACTIVE ENCLOSURE. ASK US HOW ADDING LIVE PLANTS AND A CLEAN UP CREW CAN INCREASE THE LIFE OF YOUR SUBSTRATE!

HUMIDITY

TROPICAL TORTOISES REQUIRE 70% -80% HUMIDITY. IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THIS, MIST THE ENCLOSURE REGULARLY AND PROVIDE MOSS. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES FOR THE ANIMAL.

FEEDING

MOST TORTOISES ARE VEGETARIAN, BUT SOME WILL EAT SMALL AMOUNTS OF INSECTS.

BOTH BABIES AND ADULTS SHOULD BE FED DAILY. THEIR DIET SHOULD CONSIST OF APPROPRIATE FRUITS, VEGGIES, AND FLOWERS.

CONSISTENCY IS BEST, SO TRY FEEDING THE MOST VARIETY AS POSSIBLE.

OUR GO-TO CONSISTS OF A ROTATION OF ROMAINE LETTUCE, KALE, MUSTARD GREENS, CARROTS, PEAS, ZUCCHINI, SQUASH, DANDELIONS, HIBISCUS FLOWERS, APPLES, BANANAS, BLUEBERRIES, AND MORE!

THESE TORTOISES ALSO REQUIRE EXTRA CALCIUM. EVERY OTHER FEEDING CAN BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH A SPRINKLE OF NON-D3 CALCIUM POWDER TO HELP WITH THIS.

A CUTTLE BONE CAN ALSO BE GIVEN. THESE ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF CALCIUM TOO!