Enclosure

The size of the aquarium to set up your tortoise will vary depending on the size of the tortoise you purchase. For a juvenile tortoise, a 20-gallon tank will suffice. For adult tortoises, you may need to dedicate a space to fence that is outdoors. To find the right size enclosure, research how large the tortoise will grow.

If using a glass enclosure, sometimes the animal will try to walk into the glass. Be sure you monitor your pet to ensure they do not injure themselves. If your tortoise keeps trying to escape, put cardboard around the glass so they can't see through it.

Always keep a screen cover on the top of the tank, especially if you have other pets in your home. Dogs and cats may injure the turtle if they can access the inside of the tank.

Substrate

Tortoises like to burrow. Properly filling the tank with substrate will allow the tortoise to continue to practice those natural behaviors. Make sure the substrate is deep enough for burrowing.

If you have a baby tortoise, Dr. Mark Mitchell (Professor of Zoological Medicine at Louisiana State University) suggests using a liner or newspaper to examine its feces. 

          "I always like to screen those because we do see parasites in these animals, and we want to treat them before they become somewhat problematic.” - Dr. Mark Mitchell

Fluker’s Repta-Bark is a wood-based substrate that allows for density with an aesthetically- pleasing look. It also has a natural effect for the tortoise and helps hold in some of the moisture for humidity control. Controlling the humidity is important to prevent dehydration of your pet.

Dr. Mark Mitchell advises against using pellets as a substrate because harmful organisms like spores can contaminate them. For new pet owners, he suggests using a simple liner. For established setups, consider using orchid bark or Repta-Bark.

Accessories

Once you set up the substrate, the next step is to set up accessories or cage furniture. Tortoises are a bit different than snake and lizard setup. Tortoises do not require a lot of accessories. In most cases, tortoises only need shelter.

Tortoises like to graze early in the morning. When it's hot, animals stop eating grass and find shelter to cool down. They come out again in the afternoon to graze again. Here are 5 tips for setting up your accessories:

• Most tortoises only require shelter inside the enclosure. We recommend providing shelter on both sides of the enclosure... one on the cool side and one on the warm side.
• Make sure the entrance is spacious enough for the animals to use and dim enough for them to hide from people seeing them. Please don't position the shelter high enough for the tortoise to climb up and fall.
• Next, you can add certain non-toxic plants. These are also good for aesthetic purposes. However, because they are plants, the tortoise may try to eat them, so do not include any toxic greenery.
• You should add food and water bowls to your indoor or outdoor enclosure. There is no need to de-chlorinate your tortoise’s water. The chlorine in the tap water will keep down any pathogens.
• Ensure the water bowl is large and deep enough for the tortoise to get in and soak, and ensure you change the water daily.

Temperature and Humidity

Just like all reptiles, did you know tortoises are ectotherms? This means they regulate their body temperature based on the environment they live in. Having your tortoise’s enclosure at the right temperature affects their metabolism, immune system, and their desire to eat.

It is important to identify the proper temperature for your pet tortoise. Depending on your tortoise species, you will want a basking area of around the mid 80’s to low 90’s. Dr. Mitchell recommends maintaining a temperature range of high 80s to low 90s for Sulcata tortoises. For Redfoot tortoises, he suggests keeping the temperature closer to 86-88 degrees.

           "You don’t need to make the temperatures quite as warm as some suggest because that is getting these animals to grow a little bit faster than we want and my goal is to keep them growing at a slower rate. They have a whole life to live, and we don’t want them to develop complications because of things like pyramiding and some of the consequences associated with that." - Dr. Mark Mitchell

As with any other reptile, there are three types of lighting the sun provides that we need to mimic for our pets in captivity.

1. Ultraviolet
2. Visible
3. Infrared

Infrared light helps achieve the proper basking temperature. There are several different incandescent light bulbs to choose from.

1. White – used during the day
2. Black – monitor pet at night
3. Red – heat source

The wattage of the bulb you will need is based on the distance from the heat source to your animal. Please follow the manufacturer's instructions for additional guidance.

Thermometers and Hydrometers can be used to measure the enclosure's proper temperature and humidity. Digital systems are available and help by allowing you to check both sides of the tank. The warm side should be around 88-90 degrees, and the cool side should be approximately 78-80 degrees.

If you can't keep the temperature stable in your area, you might need more reflectors and light bulbs to help.

UVB lighting is also essential as well. Tortoises use it to synthesize Vitamin D, an important hormone that helps with many functions in the body. Dr. Mitchell recommends having a reflector with one of the coil bulbs in the enclosure.

“I recommend getting 12 total hours of lighting per day with only 2 hours of UVB lighting now, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.”

He says if your tortoises blink a lot, they might be getting too much UVB light. You can reduce the light to help them feel more comfortable.

Humidity is also a crucial factor in a tortoise enclosure. Maintain proper humidity by spraying inside the enclosure or misting the orchid bark or a live plant. Tortoises need humidity levels of 50%-60%, while tropical species need 60%-70% humidity.

Diet and Nutrition 

Most tortoises are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants, or plant material. However, some species are omnivores. The omnivorous tortoises eat animal material through eating invertebrates like earthworms or crickets.

For herbivores' diets, Dr. Mitchell recommends a diet comprised of fresh vegetables and hay. Timothy hay and orchard grass are low-calorie foods that help animals digest important fatty acids. Tortoises, like humans, can become spoiled by foods with stronger flavors. To introduce more greens into your tortoise’s diet, try romaine lettuce, mustard greens, and collard greens.

Dr. Mitchell warns against Alfalfa Hays because they are too rich in protein and calcium.

You can also feed your tortoise some colored vegetables such as beans, squash, and peppers. Tortoises tend to like anything with color.

Limit the diet to about 10% fruits. Most tortoises love berries and apples. The more colorful they are, the more your tortoise will like them. Fruit is good for vitamins but is not as high as vegetables for their nutritional value. The more diverse you can make your pet’s diet, the better off they will be.

If you are struggling to find quality vegetables your pet will eat, there are always commercial diets available. Pellet diets and semi-moist form diet options are available. The benefit of dry commercial diets is that we can get nutritional value that may not be in fresh fruits or vegetables. Fluker’s sells food for young and adult reptiles, including pellets, moist options, and calcium powders to sprinkle on their food.

Behavior and Handling of Tortoises

Tortoises are docile. Most of them will not bite and cannot get away quickly. When picking them up, we want to support their body and make sure they feel comfortable.

Dr. Mitchell says, “Grasp the shell on both sides... The carapace (the top) and the plastron (the bottom) with index finger and thumb.” With a smaller animal, just place them in the palm of your hand.

As with other reptiles, give them a couple of hours to roam around and get used to their enclosure. They must familiarize themselves with where their water and food sources are and their shelter.

It is important to see your local pet veterinarian any time you notice clinical disease or symptoms like hiding a lot in their shelter, not eating or drinking, swollen joints, discharge from their eyes, nose, mouth, skin discoloration, or diarrhea.

If you are looking for more information about tortoises, you can download the tortoise set up and care sheet or order any of the products mentioned in this article, on www.flukerfarms.com, your local retail pet stores, or pet specialty shops.