Looking After Your Mediterranean Tortoise
About
Tortoises are becoming more popular to be kept as pets. The care requirements for Hermann, Horsfield and Spur-thigh tortoises are very similar, they are classed as Mediterranean tortoises.
Tortoises can live 60-100 years. Horsfield tortoises grow between 16-20cm depending on their sex, females are generally larger. Hermann and Spur-thighs will grow 25cm-28cm. Tortoises are very slow growing and should put on a maximum of 4 grams in a month.
Housing
ortoises should have access to both indoor and outdoor space. Indoor accommodation can comprise of a purpose-built enclosure, often called a tortoise table. The table can be extended as the tortoise grows with an extension option. A vivarium isn’t recommended due to ventilation issues. The minimum indoor enclosure size for an adult should be 3 x 3m, but the bigger and more varied the habitat is, the more likely the tortoise is to thrive. The best substrate is either Tortoise Life, Westland Topsoil or a coir brick. Tortoises are clean animals so their habitat can be spot cleaned daily with a full clean out monthly using a reptile safe disinfection.
During the spring and summer months, tortoises can enjoy natural light by going outside. All outdoor accommodation should be predator-proof. Ideally there should be access to edible weeds and flowers to graze on. Tortoises are great diggers and can easily dig under the sides of the enclosure. There must be areas of sunlight for basking as well as areas of shade.
One option is a rabbit run as it provides adequate protection. Another option is to build an enclosure
e.g. a wooden planter. The planter can be filled with topsoil and be planted with safe plants to provide hiding places and be covered with wire mesh if required.
Furnishing: Your tortoise needs somewhere to shelter so provide them with a suitable hide. Ensure heated areas remain simple to reduce the possibility of your tortoise overturning in heat. Substrate should be sprayed or watered regularly to keep healthy humidity levels and prevent breathing problems due to dust. Provide a shallow water bowl to ensure the tortoise can get in and out without the risk of drowning.
Heating: There are two options for providing heating and lighting:
- A strip UVB light (10% UVB) with a reflector,
to optimise performance, can be attached to the tortoise table along with a clamp lamp and heat bulb (60W or 100W) which attaches over the table. - The second option is an Arcadia clamp lamp with bulb which provides combined heat and UVB, the bulb can either be 80W or 100W.
The heat bulb should be attached to a thermostat, so temperatures can be adjusted. Temperatures under the lamp should be around 28-32°C and a cooler area of 19-22°C. This creates a thermal gradient allowing the tortoise to choose its preferred temperature. The UVB light should be left on for 10-12 hours in the day, and the bulbs will need replacing regularly – UVB output decreases with use, this is usually once every 6 months. At night the temperature should drop to about 18°C which can simply be achieved by switching off the heat lamp.
Feeding
Tortoises are herbivores, so they need a varied high fibre diet, high in calcium, low in fat and protein. Tortoises should eat a very varied diet of weeds and flowers with calcium supplement.
Safe weeds/plants include; plantains, dandelion leaves and flowers, hawkweeds, mallow, sow-thistle, chickweed catsear, hibiscus flowers, nasturtiums, pansies and violas.
Safe vegetables are; rocket, watercress, lambs lettuce, carrot tops and kale.
Foods such as broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, cabbage and tomato shouldn’t be fed to your tortoise as they can cause internal issues.
Please note that this isn’t a full list.
Tortoises food should be dusted with a calcium supplement such as Calci-dust, to ensure they are getting the right levels. The Calci-dust should be applied lightly like salt & pepper. A cuttlefish can also be added to their enclosure which will also help trim their beaks. Fresh water should always be available.
If housing your tortoise outside, you can buy a prepared mix of tortoise feed seeds, which you can plant for the tortoise to encourage foraging. You can also grow the seeds to pick and feed to your tortoise as you please.
Pelleted food can be offered occasionally but most brands are too high in carbohydrates. If you want to offer pelleted food the best one is Pro-Rep Tortoise Food because it is made up of dried weeds.
Health
A healthy tortoise should be bright and alert with shiny eyes. Its body should be carried above the ground and the head and limbs should withdraw if alarmed. The shell should be hard and there should be no signs of the following:
Diarrhoea: This can be caused by incorrect feeding or an internal parasite infestation
Worms: Tortoise species carry a level of Tachygontria (Pinworms) worms. Generally, these are not a problem until high stress is put onto the tortoise e.g. poor diet and/or living conditions can cause the levels to rise. If this is a problem tortoises can be wormed by your vet.
Mouth rot: Cheesy deposits in the mouth. This is sometimes encountered after hibernation where inside the mouth might be inflamed and its usually down to a bacterial infection.
Soft or deformed shell disorders: Can be due to poor diet, a lack of calcium and/or vitamin D3 and/or incorrect lighting. A cuttlebone should be added to the enclosure to help trim down the beak as well as provide extra calcium.
Size & Weight
To help ensure your tortoise is healthy we recommend you keep a monthly record of your tortoise size and weight, you can check this using ratio charts set out in good tortoise books.
If your tortoise is underweight speak to your vet.
Hibernation
Hibernation is a natural response for tortoises during cooler temperatures. If the temperature drops and they are unable to thermoregulate they will go into hibernation. Hibernation helps slow growth down as naturally they wouldn’t be awake all year around.
Your tortoise may not be suitable for hibernating for the first few years, a vet can advise you further.
Hibernation requires careful planning, your tortoise must be a healthy weight, the digestive system needs to be empty, although the tortoise must be hydrated. Length of hibernation varies between age and size, and never exceed more than 12 weeks. With correct preparation hibernation can be a safe and beneficial process. Ideal hibernation temperature is 5°C and should not fall below 3°C or rise above 8°C.
Full details on hibernation can be found on the tortoise trust website at www.tortoisetrust.org
It’s important to have a specialist vet preform a health check to ensure the tortoise is in good health and ready for hibernation.
Bathing
Tortoises require regular bathing to help hydrate them. In the wild tortoises urinate when they get to a water source. A lukewarm bath, no higher than halfway up the shell encourages them to drink, defecate and urinate.
Bathing 3 times a week is recommend. You should soak for at least 5-10 minutes each time and make sure the tortoise is clean and dry when it goes back into its enclosure.
Generally, tortoises are hardy animals, we would recommend a health check once a year.
Behaviour
Naturally tortoises are solitary in the wild. They can be kept singularly. Females can be kept in pairs or groups, however, the sex cannot be guaranteed until they are around five years old. Never mix species, this can spread diseases.
Handling
Tortoises do not overly enjoy being handled as it is not natural. An effective way to interact with your tortoise is to talk to it and handfeed their favourite foods.
You will need…
- Indoor enclosure & provision for outdoor enclosure
- Substrate (enclosure base) Enclosure furnishings
- UVB tube & heat light or combination UVB/heat bulb
- Two thermometers
- Prepared tortoise mixed seed & edible plants
- Edible tortoise plant food
- Water bowl
- Digital scales
- Calcium & vitamin supplements Reptile safe disinfectant
- Good book on tortoise care
