Basic Tortoise Care Sheet
Tortoise are cold blooded and
need warmth and light for atleast 10 hours a day, they also need the correct underbedding and cover to allow comfortablity.
To produce these conditions the correct 'vivarium'
The best combanation to have is:
*image taken from google.com and edited by me.1) Pool Area
The pool area is essential. Many believe tortoises do not drink, however this is wrong. My tortoise is fed on tortoise pelets which contain no moisture, therefore the only source of water is her pool. The pool also acts as an emergency cool down for the tortoise if it over heats due to sleeping whilst basking, therefore place the pool well away from the basking area so the water does not heat.
*note* change the water daily as by natural instict they will excrete within it.
2) Shelture.
Like humans, tortoises prefer to sleep under a roof. Boxes, Logs and any other form of shelter is vital, it protects the tortoise from the heat, and the cold. Its also vital for comfort.
3) Basking area.
You
need a lamp, some people say that heating mats and heating rocks are just as good, however like the whole 'tortoises don't drink' thing, its not true, the UV light given off by the lamp helps the tortoise make vitimin D. Also heating rocks and mats, if not used the correct way, create terrible burns to reptiles, so i suggest not using them.
if you do use them make sure the mat is under atleast 1.5 inches, aprox. 4cm, under sand, soil or grit. And that the rocks are out of reach of the tortoise.
4) Leasure.
Leasure space and objects of interest make the tortoises life more comfortable and more exciting.
5) Plants.
These go into leasure alot but they can be editble making feeding alittle easier on yourself, I personally use pellets as they are easier to prep and feed, as i am a busy person
however letuce and the occasional tomatto have proven a very nice meal.