Health Care Sheets

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Tortoises

General information

There are many different species of tortoise and each species requires slightly different husbandry. Although these details may help to give an insight into the husbandry of other species, they only apply in detail to the Mediterranean tortoises - Testudo graeca, Testudo hermanni, Testudo marginata and Testudo Horsfieldi.

Tortoises should be kept clean. Do not put oil on their carapaces. If you do, it will reduce the efficiency of heat exchange when basking and it makes shell-rot worse. Wash frequently, using a nailbrush or toothbrush, with an anti- bacterial cleaner and water. Avoid getting the cleaner into their eyes and make sure their nails are clean.

Feeding

Food should consist primarily of natural grown weeds, in particular plantain, dandelion, clover, sow-thistle, wild pansies, etc. This can be supplemented with green vegetables such as cabbage, watercress, sprouting seeds, cauliflower, etc. The percentage of protein and fat in the food should be as low as possible. European fruit can be fed as a treat to Testudo graeca but not more than once a month, or to Testudo hermanni but not more than twice a week. Do not feed tropical fruit such as avocados or bananas. Tortoises will often eat unsatisfactory food. Do not give them the chance. A high protein diet will lead to liver problems which are incurable.

A weekly pinch of vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Vionate or Nutrobal, is helpful if the diet is lacking (weeds contain plenty). Do not overdo this, it is possible to overdose.

Excessive quantities of protein are to be avoided and mineral vitamins levels carefully balanced and available in sufficient quantities. In summary, the ideal diet for herbivorous species should consist of the following:-

• Low in fats, oils and protein
• Rich in minerals and vitamins
• High in fibre
• Adequate in water content

Lettuce, cucumber, tomato are enjoyed by tortoises but contain little of value. They may be used to make other food more palatable but should not form too large a proportion of the diet.

Tortoises need calcium in large quantities. Wild Mediterranean tortoises only live in areas where the ground is virtually pure calcium carbonate. Almost all captive tortoises are severely calcium deficient. Powdered calcium carbonate should be put on everything the tortoise eats (about 10 to 15% of the diet). This can be obtained as:-

• Cuttlefish - Buy from a pet shop. Alternately soak and drain (or leave in the rain) to get rid of the fishy smell which is very unpleasant for tortoises. Grate using a cheese grater.
• Eggshells - Crush in a liquidizer; needs to be very fine to improve absorption (if too coarse it minimizes the amount absorbed), add water, turn on for about a minute. Let it stand. Decant off the "eggy" water. Add clean water. Repeat until eggshell is clean. Sieve. Put in a bowl and in the microwave to dry out.
• Limestone Flour (Calcium Carbonate)

Do not feed human calcium tablets. They are normally calcium lactate which is derived from milk.

Do not feed bone meal (calcium phosphate). This causes dehydration and provides too much phosphorus.

The following are plants that are safe for Mediterranean tortoises to eat - the list is by no means complete as research is still to be carried out in this field.

Do not feed any dairy products or meat.

Behaviour

Tortoise behaviour is very different from human behaviour. Beware of thinking that they have similar instincts to humans. They do not. Tortoises are solitary, territorial animals. They do not form herds or packs. They do not pair bond.

Outdoor area

The tortoise should be able to get between indoor and outdoor areas without human assistance; they can be taught to use a "cat flap" fairly easily. The area should be as large as possible, preferably the whole garden, and should be escape-proof. Tortoises (particularly Hermanni) love to climb, so the perimeter should be of walling with a minimum vertical height of 18" or 12" with an overhang. Avoid growing any climbing plant on an outside wall that might give the tortoise a foothold. It is best if the soil is light, well-drained and infertile (ideally chalk). An area of grass should be allowed to grow until weeds have flowered and seeded, then the grass should be cut and the hay removed. This encourages the growth of weeds which the tortoise will eat.

There should be some hard surfaces. If there is not enough hard surface, the claws of the tortoise will grow too long. If there is too much the claws will wear away (particularly if the area is too small). The whole area should be as sunny as possible but sheltered from the wind; there should be shrubs for shade and for the tortoise to hide under. There should be rocks and changes of a level to provide interest and exercise but these should be arranged so that the tortoise cannot fall onto a hard surface. A pen on the lawn is not adequate.

Hibernation

Fridge hibernation is often the most controlled way to hibernate your tortoise.

It is very important that a larder fridge is used and not one with an ice-box at the top, as with these, there is a risk of the temperature dropping too low whatever the thermostat is set at.

Check the temperature in the fridge. Adjust the thermostat to produce 5°/6°C. Put the tortoise in a box with plenty of shredded paper or other insulation. Put the box in the fridge. Monitor the fridge temperature. It is better to keep hibernating tortoises and human food in separate fridges to avoid any possibility of cross species infection.

In the Spring bring them to room temperature overnight and when fully awake give access to a basking lamp. Provide sufficient background heat to ensure the tortoises eat, at least 20°C, higher if they are not in the best of health. Maintain the background heat until the general air temperature reaches 15°C. Often a warm water bath can be useful to rehydrate the tortoise before it starts eating.

When using refrigerated hibernation, the tortoises will hibernate indefinitely. Generally Mediterranean tortoises hibernate for 16 to 20 weeks (this does not apply to hatchlings).

Tortoises should eat within 48 hours of waking from hibernation.