CARE SHEET

Mediterranean Tortoises : General Information

In UK the majority of animals kept as pets are mammals.  The husbandry and care is reasonably well understood by pet owners, farmers and vets.

Tortoises are reptiles.  This means that their needs are different.  The critical difference is that mammals keep their bodies at the correct temperature by burning food internally to provide heat.  This can be achieved without any conscious thought on the part of the animal.  Tortoises, however, cannot do this.  They need to bask in the sun in order to raise their bodies to the correct temperature and they need both shade and sun in order to be able to regulate their temperature.  The tortoise does this consciously in the same way that we are conscious of the need to eat and drink.

Another critical difference between tortoises and mammals is the tortoise's ability to cope with adverse conditions for long periods.  If a mammal is put in conditions where air, food and water supply are inadequate, its condition would rapidly deteriorate.  If we subject a dog to incorrect care, its condition tells us that we are doing something wrong.  Tortoises, however, can put up with many potentially lethal conditions for long periods.  This may seem at first to be an advantage but, unfortunately, it results in the owner not knowing that something is wrong and the tortoise suffering for months or years, eventually dying from malnutrition or kidney failure. Perhaps the owner may think it has died of old age but a tortoise can live to a hundred years and beyond, so old age is rarely the cause of death.

It is a sad fact that 98% of all tortoises imported into this country die within five years and the rest are in poor health.

Another point to remember is that tortoises do not appreciate being petted and cuddled.  This is worth remembering when choosing a tortoise as a pet for a child.  They are fascinating creatures but, having created the best environment and diet we possibly can, we should leave them to enjoy it.