Last year April I bought 2 tortoise hatchlings, one Leopard and one Sulcata. At first, I didn’t realize they don’t fit in the climate of my neighborhood and so have bought only the basics like cage, bedding and feed… until one day both of them refused to eat. I wasn’t sure why, but I was pretty certain that something was wrong. Is it the food? Is it the habitat? Is it the temperature? To find out, I researched online and read ALL the articles and forum posts possible for 2 days straight. And not to my surprise, I was not caring for them properly!
I brought them to a vet on their 2nd fasting day and the first thing I heard from the vet was, “9 out of 10 hatchlings died and it took a lot of experience to raise one”. While the vet intent to send me home after bursting out this cruel emotionless message, I insisted on treating them. The quick treatment involved a deworming and a bunch of dog & rabbit supplements to bring home. (Yes, dog & rabbit supplements as written on the package that cost me $250!!!!!!!)
Trust me, I had no time to get furious and my only objective was to get my lovely pets cured. First thing I did was, I got a new cage and separated two of them. Then, I bought them UV lights (UVA & UVB). Third, I soaked them with warm water at 37°C twice a day. And of course, I followed the instruction of the vet and fed them dog & rabbit supplements.
Fast forward 10 months, my Leopard and Sulcata are both healthy and strong. Not only did they wither the bad habitat I provided at the beginning, they also enjoy their every day regardless of how cold and cloudy it is this winter. My hatchlings are celebrating their 1st birthday soon, and I'm happy to see them grow by 116% and 188% respectively.
I'm sharing this experience to give confidence to those who struggle with raising a hatchling that tortoises have strong survival instinct and with the right habitat, diet and care, they can actually live longer than human.
My two babies after they're healed
Tortoises are from the wild and they need lots and lots of space. While they prefer to be kept outdoor, you can also get them wooden enclosure as indoor housing. Check these turtle tables / tortoise tables out which your pet will love. They come with a size big enough for you to set a warm side and a cool side, which is necessary for tortoise to move in day time (warm side) and rest at night (cool side).
Alternatively a terrarium can also be considered as long as it has an open top for placing UVA/UVB and warm lights.
Some tortoise types love humidity and others prefer it dry and I kept mine under a range of 50 and 80%.
Use a heat bulb to warm one side of the tank to 95 to 100 degrees; the cool side should be 70 to 85 degrees. At night, keep the entire terrarium between 60 and 70 degrees.
Keep track of the temperature and humidity with simple tool like this.
Tortoises need 12 hours of “daylight” but should not be kept in the direct sun. You can keep them under the sun for maximum 30mins, and I prefer to add shades where they can hide themselves when they choose to. Other than that, UVA/UVB bulb will simulate the light they need for their bones and shells.
Different tortoise types also prefer different bedding. Greek Tortoises like sterile soil and calcium sand, while Russian Tortoises and Red-Foots prefer coconut fiber or bark.
Some may think that accessories are for decoration only but there are some that I see a must. A shallow dish of water supply, a rock on the warm side for your tortoise to bask on, a cave or other structure on the cool side so they can hide are all essential.
Shallow water dish
Resting Rock
Tortoise Cave
Some tortoise owners love to feed their pets with a large variety of vegetables and fruits. For me, I suggest to keep 80% of hatchling’s diet to tortoise food that includes the best mix of fibre and nutrient.
Tortoises have low metabolism and are prone to digestive problem. That’s the reason I soak them twice a day in warm water, once at 8am and another at 4pm, both before their mealtime. It can save you lots of hassles in cleaning their home too, as they love to poop in the warm water.
Raising tortoise can be challenging, but at the same time rewarding. They can live a very long time (anywhere from 50 to 100 years) and might even outlive you, making them the best live companion.
