Pet Tortoises
Tortoises are delightful creatures. We have enjoyed the company of our Spur-Thighed Tortoises for thirty years. Watching them grow and develop from hatchlings into mature tortoises has proved a fascinating experience.
Time spent getting to know tortoises will reveal that they are far from the dull unresponsive pets many people assume. Each has his own individual character, his likes and dislikes, and will soon become just as important to you as your cat or dog, and, perhaps even some of your relatives!
Despite their slow-coach image, tortoises are actually very active when warm and well fed. Most of our tortoises come to our call at lightening speed, in the hope that we might be bringing some tasty morsel. The poor old dog often has to make a rapid escape before he's trampled underfoot!
If the correct conditions are provided and suitable species chosen, then tortoises are easy to keep, not too demanding in time, or on the pocket.
However, while tortoises often bring a great deal of pleasure to their owners, it is unfair to take on a tortoise unless you are happy with the very long-term commitment this involves.
Keeping tortoises of the easier species, like Herman's and Spur-thighed tortoises, is fairly simple if their basic management needs are catered for, but they do have certain critical requirements that MUST be met if they are to thrive and live long healthy lives. Here at Tortoise.org.uk you will find information on how to successfully keep the most popular tortoise species and in time we will cover the more challenging species too.
The site is set to become a whole lot bigger with much more information on the particular challenges of keeping sun loving tortoises in our inclement UK climate. By following some easy steps detailed, on this site, you can more effectively simulate your tortoise's natural environment. This helps to meet both their physical and psychological needs, and so avoids stress and associated diseases.
We are also just putting the finishing touches to the new section on buying home-bred tortoises from reputable breeders. We have already started with some basic advice on how you can avoid buying illegal wild-caught tortoises. These are now being sold in many UK petshops and online. This dreadful trade is not only threatening various wild tortoise populations with extinction, but is also risking the spread of deadly tortoise diseases into healthy home bred tortoise collections. We plan to give more information in this section on reputable breeders of home bred tortoise so you can avoid inadvertently fuelling this grim trade.
We also plan to devote a whole section of the site to the work going on round the world to protect wild tortoises from habitat loss and population depletion. Much can be done to protect the forty or so tortoise species that still thrive on the earth today. The easiest way is for pet owners to only ever buy captive bred tortoises from expert tortoise breeders.
In addition, the more people who become true tortoise enthusiasts and learn just how amazing these reptiles are,the more chance there is that steps will be taken, in time, to protect wild tortoises, and deal with the increasing problems they face in the wild. This is where Tortoise.org.uk comes in!
Tortoises have thrived on earth, more or less unchanged, for over 250 million years. If they can survive the threats man now poses to their world, then I suspect they will go on to leave us all way behind in the evolutionary dust, along with that pesky old hare!
Please check in again soon to see how the site is developing.
Thank you for visiting Tortoise.org.uk.
© Tortoise.org.uk
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Comments submitted from other visitors |
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Name : |
Jen Pearson |
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Comment: |
how long Can i leave my male and Female herman together before they make baby ones. The male has started trying not sure he is actually quite there with his technique yet. He is about 2 years she is about 3 years. Please post some information about mating. Thanks. |
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bryan |
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Comment: |
Hi,I have an old hermans (vet reckons 80 ish)which has not been its normal self since it came out of hibernation. The day it came out of hibernation it seemed ok but the next day I actually thought it was dead so panicked a little and splashed water all over it to try and 'revive' it! It seemed ok after that and in the warm month of April it was running around like I've never seen before. This lasted a month and since then he is so lethargic, just coming out of his house (outside)and not walking about hardly at all.He has had RNS (bubbles from nares)that the vet treated with drops and then injections.It has improved but still not perfect and the other day the tortoise 'passed' a long worm so am now de-worming him. Is there anything else I should be doing to help him as he just doesnt seem right, although he does eat a lot but only when I put food down for him. I have had him for 40 years and always kept him outside in the summer and he hibernates in the garage in a box full of straw. Should I now use the fridge method after all these years?. Sorry for all these questions but I want to do all I can to help him. Thanks very much |
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Melissa |
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Comment: |
I had 2 spur thighed tortoises, a male and a female (George and Millie). I woke this morning to find Millie had sadly died. She ate last night as normal and my husband checked on them before bed and said they were fine. She was only 4 years old and had showed no sign of illness. They had been going throuhg the motions of mating also. Her body was severely swollen and her shell was blood streaked and leaking watery blood from between the shell plates. She was also bleeding from the mouth. I am devastated and terrified the same could happen to George as I have no idea what could possibly have happened overnight? I keep them in a heated viv with UV lighting which they always stay in at night. They have an outdoor run they use when the weather allows and indoor run for other times. They eat a mix of tortoise pellet food, leafy greens and vegetables. I dust the fresh food with Nutrabal twice a week. If anyone possibly has any idea on what could have happened please let me know, thanks |
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mari mcdonagh |
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Comment: |
hi i want a tortoise but my mum says aye whatever i was going to call it gizmo so please get back to me so i can coivecn her to get me one :) |
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Name : |
Dan |
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Comment: |
Hi there, I'm looking to get a tortoise for a pet because of their fascinating characters! However, I already have a cat and a dog living in my house. Is it a problem raising a tortoise alongside my cat and dog?? |
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isaac |
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Comment: |
what kind of cage/home do tortoises need and what sizes will they need, also what kind of things do they eat. thanks for all the other info it has been very helpful. hope you can get back to me soon. thanks, isaac |
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Suzanne |
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Comment: |
Please can I have some advice, my tortoises shell is turning orange around the edges and seems thinner but not brittle, recently our bearded dragon died, he had been housed with the tortoise, I don't know if he is missing him and this is why this has happened, could anyone please give me some advice. |
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anne |
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Comment: |
i have just got 2 tortoise same breed but one of them the male has very long claws he is 3 years old and the other is 2 years he tends to walk on his claws and the other dusnt i rang the previus owner and e said thay are ok but thay are starting to turn at the end is this anything to worry about or can i get them clipped at the vet thanks |
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jayne |
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Comment: |
I am worried about my 4year old spur thighed tortoise. It looks like the skin on the corners of its mouth is lifting/ cracking, Any ideas? |
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Name : |
Julie Khaliq |
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Comment: |
I was told after buying my tortoise that vivariums were no good and went online and came across this website for tortoise tables www.tortoise-table.co.uk they are well made and very resonably priced from £49.00. Thought this may be useful for other members. |
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kazymum |
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Comment: |
Hi there. I have taken in a gorgeous 6 year old hermanns called Clive. I am totally besotted with him and have read as much as I can to make sure i'm doing everything properly and there are 2 questions I can't find the answers to so I thought I'd try here, if that's OK? He digs for up to an hour in his vivarium and scrapes the side of the tank(I hope a vivarium is ok, it came with Clive)....is he stressed or is this normal? and the other question is I am addicted to Clive and love his company and like to have him walk around the house as much as poss as I worry about him being on his own and think he needs the exercise....how long is it safe for him to be out of the vivarium walking around? I worry about him getting cold and over tired, I do keep an eye on his shell temperature but I am such a novice. Oh and he spends a lot of time trying to push himself under things (settee, bookcase etc!!), does this mean he's wanting to go back in his tank for a rest, needing a dark place to hide, I don't really understand a lot of his behaviour. If you can give me any advice it would be very much appreciated so I can give Clive the best life possible. Your site is fabulous and I have learnt a lot from it, it's great but must go now as I'm going bog eyed after all this reading!!! Thanx in advance |
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Name : |
Baloo |
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Comment: |
Tortoise with swollen neck... any ideas? |
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Name : |
Vicky |
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Comment: |
Hi Tortoise.org. I am planning on getting a pet tortoise. We have a mid terraced house and the garden is about 20 feet square with lawn and a patio. It is fenced in all around with tall fences. Would this be an ok size for a tortoise to wander around? I am going to sort all the plants out so can grow some of the things that you have suggested and get rid of most of the stuff in the garden as I think it's mainly weeds anyway! Can tortoises just come inside if it's cold? Would a box in the garden be better? I quite like the idea of a tortoise just wandering around the house (not phased by poo-have got a toddler who will be potty training soon anyway!). We don't have any other pets. We did have a cat but he sadly died last year. Would a tortoise use a cat flap or would it be too big to fit through? I have found your site very helpful and really really would like a tortoise now. |
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Name : |
talia |
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Comment: |
i might be geting a tortoise in the summer,i was going to call it Bolt! |
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Name : |
Georgia |
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Comment: |
I am studying and working in the animal welfare field. Rescued 9 tortoises so far, shells cracked of some. Keep them in my garden and they doing great, have rehabilitated six of the nine to the point where I could release them. Still got three with me. The male has copulated with the female. So watching and see what becomes of it. Working towards starting an animal rehab centre and sanctuary. would really like some info and advice. I got the tiger eye shell tortoises which is well known in the Western Cape South Africa. Regards Gia |
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