Tortoises

What a beautiful and wonderful creature they are. If one can live to approximately 250 years you have to respect them! These are an intermediate keepers reptile and with time and effort you can have a pet that could outlive you and possibly even your children.

We have invested in the online Tortoise Trust Husbandry course and have successfully completed it. We now use this extended learning to pass on to all our customers.

We cannot stress the importance of researching what the requirements are for your Tortoise as each one has different requirements. Once you know the exact details for your Tortoise you will be half-way there. We won't say it is easy but it is really rewarding. (I am saying this while our Tortoise is head-butting our front room door!) They all have their own personalities and really you've got to respect a creature that has to carry his home on his back. You will find that whoever you speak to you will always get contradictions - we use the Tortoise Trust way and will give you only that way!

Habitats

The main habitat we recommend is the Tortoise Box. This allows all the requirements necessary to keep your tortoise indoors. The thermo-gradients can be met and as long as you provide the correct basking area, together with UVB output light. However we house our Max in The Tortoise Tray System or the Akva Stabil Terrarium (see Terrariums Page).

There is no such thing as a Garden Tortoise as these creatures do not come from our climate and therefore if you intend to keep them outdoors you will need to make sure that they have adequate heating and lighting resources to enable them to survive. By all means keep the Tortoise outside but be prepared for it to stop eating due to our cold environment. You can build them an outdoor enclosure but be prepared for an increase in your electricity bill!

The only exception is to put them outside on an extremely warm day in an enclosure where they cannot climb out of and then bring them back inside in the evening.

NEW TORTOISE TRAY SYSTEM

The recommended way to keep Tortoises with plenty of overhead heating, lighting, UV and ample ventilation. You can use both indoors and outdoors and your Tortoise is totally secure.

Tortoise Tray System with equipment

The Tortoise Tray Systems are available in 3 sizes

Easy to clean
Tough and durable
Indoor & outdoor use - essential for those sunny days!
Fitted with castors for mobility
Removable Tray
Secure wire screen top
2 heights - ideal for all size tortoises

Prices

1M     Tortoise Tray System                       £79.99
1.2M Tortoise Tray System                       £99.99
1.5M Tortoise Tray System                     £149.99
Tortoise Tray Equipment Set                   £129.99     (add on Tray System in size required)

Equipment Set includes:

Specialist UVB/Heat Lamp, Water Dish, Food Dish, Nutrient Supplement, Lamp Holder/Reflector Unit, Thermometer, Bark Hide, Bedding Pack, Indepth Care Guide (these are subject to change and amendments)

Tortoise Set-ups

In the shop we have 2 set-ups. The Tortoise cages (on the left) and the 2 stack of Vivariums providing the correct environment for a Red Foot Tortoise on the bottom layer and on the top 2 Herman's where we have modified the lid to ensure that they get the correct ventilation required.

Tortoise Cage System - £125

80cm long x 50cm wide x 38cm high

Includes: Ceramic basking spot lamp fitting, 75watt day light basking bulb, 18watt 12% UVB Tube and 18watt starter unit, 1 bag of Alfalfa pellet substrate, 1 small tortoise pool water/soaking dish, 1 bag of Alfalfa Hay

suitable for Russian, Mediterranean and some African species £125

Substrates
Substrates are a constant cause for debate and the most successful one is the Tortoise Trust (50% Sand / 50% Sterilsed Soil mix). We mix our own called the Ideal Tortoise Substrate. The next one we recommend would be Corn Cob by Chipsi - very good for spot cleaning. Thirdly Hemp Bedding. Any sort of wood chippings especially pine chippings should definitely be avoided.

African Sulcata Tortoises

These are the 3rd largest tortoises in the world and the largest in Africa. The are by no means pets as they require large amounts of room with adequate heating and UVB lighting. Pictures of Healthy specimens:

Tortoises fed on the wrong diet causing pyramiding (as below). Tortoises shells should be smooth eg. the scutes should not be raised.

Sulcata Care Sheet (Tortoise Trust). Please be aware of these unhealthy specimens. (as this one above)

Hermans Tortoises (Testudo Hermani)

Requires an ARTICLE 10 license - please ensure that you get one wherever you purchase your Tortoise from.

8cm From £125 14cm from £250

5 Years old - this is Max our pet! He is now in the shop with his friend Paddy!

Testudo Hermani Tortoise Caresheet,

Testudo Hermani Feeding Guide,

What do I need?

Horsfield Tortoise

PICTURE TO FOLLOW

Russian Tortoise with four toes which does not require a license.

Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) £150

. Leopard Tortoise Caresheet

Red Foot Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria)

Male 15cm £180
Red Foot Tortoise Caresheet

Galapagos Tortoises

Galapagos Tortoise Trust

We have just involved our son's school in sponsoring a Galapagos Tortoise so we can spread the word about these creatures that can survive up to a year without food - wow!

If you have the resources log onto the link above and see what you can do for these amazing tortoises.

The Creature Feature sponsor a Galapagos Tortoise

We have utilised money from an educational talk we did for Wetherby Leisure Centre in the summer and have put this towards sponsoring a Galapagos Tortoise - we look forward to receiving updates on our Tortoise and will post more on the website - what an honour to be able to use our time to help support these spectactular creatures.

If everyone gave just a few pounds we call help ALL endangered species around the world. We will promote more conservation next year as it is an absolute horror that some species are going to die out in our lifetime.... we cannot let this happen. To all pet lovers out there let 2008 be the year you get involved with animal conservation.