Tortoises are turtles, which live on land and belong to the reptile family of the order Testudines. They too have shell like sea turtles. The top part of the shell is called carapace and the bottom aspect is named plastron. They have both exoskeleton and endoskeleton. They are active during the day and are very shy animals.
They are very fascinating animals, but their dietary habits are totally different than others. Totally different species have a different diet. They eat huge amounts of food and the calcium and phosphorous stability should be maintained in their diets. The tortoises are also temperature sensitive. Normally it is a good idea to bring the tortoise indoors at night. And when the weather is cold, they should be stored inside totally. But this can be a big drawback if the tortoises are big in size. Some species also hibernate during winter. This can be really stressful for the animal as well as the owners. The homeowners should provide the pet with special provision for hibernation otherwise the pet will undergo with stress.
A pen might be constructed in the yard, where the tortoise can live. The pen should be really strong and the fences should be buried deep as some of the tortoises have fascination of digging. They are also very robust reptiles. They can easily break weaker walls. Also some tortoises are good climbers, so the pen must also be provided with a roof. The roof also saves the tortoise from other dangers such as dog bite, hen attack, etc. The owner must check out for possible threat to the pet, also inside the pen itself. Some crops might be harmful if the tortoise feeds on them. So vegetation that are edible only should be planted or saved in the den.
They should also be provided with water, but the water body should be shallow, so that the tortoise wonÂ’t drown in it. Other things which are sharp or which will be chewed and not digested by animal shouldnÂ’t be stored in the pen. Steps must also be avoided throughout the pen, as a result of while they are climbing they will trip and fall over their back, which is very deadly for them.
Some species grow really big, so this factor also needs to be considered while building the pen. In fact, this factor should be thought-about when buying itself. Different species grow to different sizes; have totally different dietary habits, living conditions, and temperature adaptability. Beginners should actually go for a captive bred, as they are less troublesome than the ones that come directly from the wild. Also when tortoises are captured from the wild and transported, there are possibilities that they will fall unwell or even die due to high ranges of stress. Also such forms of animals carry a variety of parasites, which will be dangerous for the owner as well. When the potential owner thinks of shopping for a tortoise, it should get it completely examined for parasites and other illnesses from a vet.
Tortoises favor to stay alone. They shouldn’t be blended with different pets and no two male tortoises should be kept collectively as they can fight and injure one another very seriously. Tortoises have a very long lifespan. They’ll dwell as much as hundred years. There will be chance of the pet outliving the owner, so the proprietor should have all the pieces planned and may make a lifetime commitment.
