What Are the Largest Pet Tortoises?

March 14, 2019March 3, 2023 ~ BackwaterReptiles

What are the largest species of tortoise commonly kept as pets?

The largest species of pet tortoises are Aldabra Tortoises and Sulcata Tortoises. Most other tortoise species kept as pets remain fairly small and are relatively comparable in size including: Star Tortoises, Leopard Tortoises, Greek Tortoises, and Russian Tortoises.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll stick to discussing the main two larger species, the Aldabra and Sulcata Tortoises.

**Aldabra Tortoise (Geochelone gigantea)**

As its name suggests, the Aldabra Tortoise is found in a very specific area of the world – on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. They are typically dark grey, brown or tan with a tall, domed shell. They also have relatively long necks for a tortoise which helps them when grazing on trees in the wild.

As indicated, Aldabras are one of the largest species of tortoise that are kept as pets. They are second in size only to the giant Galapagos Tortoise, which cannot be kept as a pet, making them the largest species of tortoise you can legally own. The carapace of the Aldabra Tortoise averages about 48 inches long, while the average weight reported varies between 290 to 550 pounds. It’s likely that these number values are so far apart because males and females are considerably different in size and also because there are not too many “sample” animals that have lived long enough in captivity to obtain extremely accurate records.

juvenile aldabra tortoise — Pictured is a juvenile Aldabra Tortoise. She will likely outlive her owner!

Although Aldabra Tortoises make excellent pets with very long life spans, they are somewhat hard to come by, particularly adult specimens. It’s far more likely that you’ll find a breeder offering babies or juveniles for sale as adults take a considerable amount of time to reach their full mature size. Aldabras are actually thought to be one of the longest-lived animals with some being recorded as reaching over 200 years old. This means that if you intend to own an Aldabra, you will own it for life and then you’ll likely have to make arrangements for the tortoise once you pass on!

Because Aldabra Tortoises are not particularly easy to come by, even within the reptile hobbyist world, they tend to come with quite a hefty price tag. However, if you purchase from a reputable breeder or importer, we doubt you’ll regret it since these reptiles have a lot of personality and make highly rewarding pets.

Due to their large size, Aldabra Tortoises require special enclosures…at least once they’re fully grown. We are of the mentality that natural is best, so we always recommend that any larger, hardier species of tortoise be kept outdoors if possible.

They do very well in tortoise pens outside as long as the weather is not extreme. A good outdoor enclosure for an Aldabra should have walls that are a little over two feet tall and there should be plenty of room inside for the tortoise to roam.

You should also include a tortoise hide space that is sheltered from poor weather and heated in case temperatures drop too low.

But what about young Aldabra Tortoises? Although they can be kept outside, we recommend keeping Aldabras younger than two years old indoors. They are more sensitive to their environment and are vulnerable to predators.

They will need the standard tortoise enclosure items of a hide, water dish, proper substrate, UV lights and a heat source. Once they are large enough and/or old enough, you can relocate them to an outdoor pen.

In captivity and in the wild, Aldabra tortoises are primarily herbivores. However, they have been observed eating protein/meat in the wild when the opportunity presents itself. In captivity, you can feed your Aldabra Tortoise typical tortoise fare including tortoise pellets and veggies such as cactus pads, leafy greens and fruits for treats.

Backwater Reptiles does receive Aldabra Tortoises from time to time, however we do not have them listed for sale on our website as they are not in extremely high demand.

If you’re interested in obtaining a pet Aldabra Tortoise of your own, you can email our customer service team at sales@backwaterreptiles.com for a price quote and availability.

If you wish to learn more about Aldrabra Tortoise care, you can also check out our blog article on this lovely species.

**Sulcata Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata)**

The Sulcata Tortoise is known by a few other names including African Spurred Tortoise, Spurred Tortoise, and African Spur Thigh Tortoise. Whatever name you might know this species by, one thing is for sure – they are the most commonly bred tortoise species in the world. Sulcata Tortoises are readily captive bred these days in the U.S. This means that babies are typically available year round, which is very different than the Aldabra Tortoise.

Although they are the second largest tortoise species that you can legally keep as a pet, Sulcatas are actually typically quite small when they find their homes. Backwater Reptiles usually sells them as babies. Like Aldabra Tortoises, they also have incredibly long lives. They are estimated to be able to live well beyond seventy years old!

adult sulcata tortoise — Adult Sulcata Tortoises can live in outdoor pens.

Many people are drawn to Sulcatas because they are very easy pets to keep and are relatively low maintenance. However, they also have wide appeal due to their appearance and likeable personalities. Sulcatas are typically light straw-colored or brown with round shells rather than domed ones. They can reach around 200 pounds and approximately 36 inches in length.

Although Sulcatas are burrowers, they still do best housed outdoors in a pen. You will need to make sure your enclosure has walls high enough that your tortoises can’t climb over them. In addition, it’s necessary to extend your walls below ground so that your Sulcatas can’t dig their way out of your yard.

Sulcatas in outdoor enclosures should be at least a few years old. Like any outdoor reptile, they will need an sheltered area to avoid extreme weather such as rain or extreme hot or cold. Ideally, your shelter should also be temperature controlled.

Your Sulcata tortoise will be easy to feed as they usually have hearty appetites. They will enjoy eating vegetation that grows within the perimeter of their outdoor pen, but they will also munch on many of the same foods that an Aldabra Tortoise would.

They enjoy commercial tortoise pellets, green leafy veggies, fruit, and juicy vegetables as well. Variety is key when it comes to making sure that your Sulcata is getting a balanced diet.

One of the fun things about owning a Sulcata is that they often behave like dogs. They are friendly and will come running to greet their owner, especially if the owner is bringing them food! While they might be too slow to take on a walk, they are definitely docile and will happily show off their unique personalities.

Backwater Reptiles typically sells baby Sulcata Tortoises year round. We don’t often come by the larger, adult tortoises, however sometimes we do re-home rescues.

If you are interested in learning more about Sulcata Tortoise care, you can also check out our previous blog article on caring for these fun reptiles. We also wrote an article on how to create an outdoor Sulcata Tortoise enclosure.

Conclusion

In our opinion, all tortoises make adorable and entertaining pets. Their vegetarian nature makes them docile creatures that typically enjoy human interaction. They are also highly intelligent, can learn to recognize their owners are and some even behave like dogs!

baby tortoise — Many species of tortoise make excellent pets, even the smaller ones.

We’re also big fans of tortoises because it’s pretty uncomplicated to make outdoor pens or enclosures for them. Any reptile will be happiest when their natural habitat is closely replicated and with tortoises, it’s easy to do this.

The larger species do take a very long time to grow to be their full size, but half the fun is watching them grow and nurturing them along during the journey.

Ultimately, we do encourage all potential pet owners to research prior to making the commitment to any animal. Tortoises, particularly the large Aldabra and Sulcata species, have very long life spans and specific care requirements.

We recommend making sure you can care for the animal as a baby through to adulthood since their housing requirements will change as they grow.

How To Trim Your Tortoise’s Beak and Nails

November 2, 2017 ~ BackwaterReptiles

We care for turtles and tortoises of all types, ages, and sizes at the Backwater Reptiles facility. While most of these shelled reptiles are pretty low maintenance, from time to time, they do require some additional care such as nail trimming or beak trimming.

Most of the time, trimmings won’t need to occur more than once or twice per year, and the process will be quick and easy to perform. However, because Backwater Reptiles accepts rescue animals, we do often receive turtles and tortoises who need to have this process taken care of right away.

In this article, we’ll address these topics and answer the following questions:

How to trim turtle and tortoise nails
Why is it necessary to trim turtle and tortoise nails?
How to trim a tortoise’s beak
Why is it necessary to trim a tortoise’s beak?

How to Trim Turtle and Tortoise Nails

What supplies do I need to trim my turtle or tortoise’s nails?

Luckily, you really don’t need many supplies to trim turtle or tortoise nails and the supplies are identical regardless of whether you’re using them on a turtle or a tortoise.

In order to trim your turtle or tortoise’s nails or claws, you will need:

1) Cat/Dog Nail trimmer OR human cuticle nail trimmer

2) Paper towels or other soft pliable material such as a normal towel

3) Corn starch

How do I trim my turtle or tortoise’s nails?

The first step you’ll want to take when trimming your turtle or tortoise’s nails is to secure the animal safely and eliminate squirming and discomfort to the animal as much as you can. This can be accomplished by wrapping the animal in paper towels or a soft towel. It will also help avoid slipping as it can be somewhat tricky to get a firm grip on the animal’s shell without some sort of “blanket” to hold the animal in place.

If you are trimming the front nails, wrap the back half of the animal firmly but not too hard. You don’t want to squash or harm the animal, and wrapping it up half way will help to make sure you don’t unintentionally over-restrain it.

Some owners find it useful to place the turtle or tortoise between their thighs while trimming, while others keep the animal on a counter or other hard, torso-height surface. We have used both methods and we recommend doing whatever feels safest for you as the whole process will run smoother if you are confident in your abilities.

turtle nail trimming — Sometimes turtle claws require trimming. This photo shows what the turtle’s nails looked like before being trimmed using the methods described in this article and what they looked like once the process was completed.

Once your turtle or tortoise has been securely wrapped, you’ll need your clippers. There are many types on the market and the type of clipper you will use will vary based on the size of your animal and the thickness of the animal’s nails or claws. We don’t usually use the guillotine type of clippers as we find they provide less accuracy, particularly with terrestrial turtles and tortoises. Our clipper of choice tends to be either the manicure clippers used by people or the scissor type used on cats and dogs. When it comes to your own pet’s needs, we recommend using whatever feels most comfortable for you personally that will also get the job done quickly. The speedier you are able to perform the process, the less stress you will cause the animal.

Once you’ve determined which type of nail clipper works best for you and your animal, you will simply trim the nail as close to the quick as possible without actually hitting the quick itself. The quick of the nail is the portion that still receives blood flow. It’s essentially a blood vessel within the nail or claw.

The corn starch is really just a precautionary measure. You will only require it if you accidentally trim the nails or claws too close to the quick and cause bleeding. If this occurs, simply dab the tip of the claw in enough corn starch to staunch the bleeding. And while you’ll obviously want to avoid hitting the quick if possible, this is not always realistic as reptiles are not known for their ability to sit still during procedures such as nail trimming. But not to worry – your animal will recover quickly and so long as you keep an eye on the nail itself to avoid infection, there shouldn’t be any lasting damage.

Keep in mind that turtles and tortoises in particular, can be shy animals. They will likely do everything in their power to tuck in their feet as much as possible when you try to trim their nails. Please be patient with your pet and don’t attempt to trim their nails if you don’t feel you are capable and prepared for this measure. There are plenty of veterinarians who will perform this process for a small fee and we highly recommend taking your turtle or tortoise to the vet if you are nervous about doing the procedure on your own.

A word of caution: Sometimes the process of nail trimming can bring out attitude in even the calmest of animals. If at all possible, keep your fingers away from the beak of your turtle or tortoise so that you can avoid potential bites. You also want to avoid being scratched by the long nails, which is another reason why we do recommend wrapping the animal in a towel if possible.

Some helpful tips and tricks for getting your turtle or tortoise to stick out a leg:

1) Tickle the animal’s shell. This is particularly useful underneath the shell on the plastron. Sometimes the sensation of touch elsewhere on the animal’s body will bring it out of hiding.

2) Push in gently on the leg on the other side of the retracted limb. There is only so much room inside a shell and a natural response to the crowding will be to relieve it by pushing out a limb.

3) Hold the animal in the air rather than cradling it in your lap. Because the animal will sense that there is nothing underneath it, it might try to walk or start wiggling a little bit and there’s your opportunity!

4) Please be patient with your shelled friends. Never shake or jiggle your turtle or tortoise as this is not only stressful but could cause the animal injury. Eventually, your turtle or tortoise will get tired and you will be able to get at their toes without much struggle.

For your convenience and reference, we’ve included a brief video below demonstrating how we trim nails at the Backwater Reptiles facility.

Why is it necessary to trim my turtle or tortoise’s nails or claws?

While it is true that several species of turtle (cooters, sliders, and three-toed box turtles to name a few) naturally have longer front nails as a sign of prowess or physical fitness, in captivity, these long nails can become a health hazard if they grow too much.

Aquatic turtles can accidentally get their claws caught in filters or in carpet if you remove them from the tank for some exercise. The nails can also unintentionally injure other turtles as they do tend to climb all over one another if they are kept communally. Not to mention, if you enjoy handling your turtle, shorter, clipped nails are far less likely to inflict scratches on their owner.

In the wild, turtles and tortoises walk or exercise enough that their nails will naturally wear themselves down to a manageable length. However, in smaller enclosures, the nails can continue to grow and therefore will require trimming.

How To Trim a Tortoise’s Beak

What supplies will I need to trim my tortoise’s beak?

Trimming a tortoise’s beak is a bit tougher than trimming a turtle or tortoise’s nails, although the supplies needed are virtually the same.

1) A pair or clippers. Human cuticle clippers or pet scissor nail clippers will both work.

2) Paper towels or another type of soft towel or wrap.

3) A nail file. Do not use the metal or glass kind.

And that’s pretty much it! Not much is needed, but you will definitely want to make sure that the pair of clippers you select is an appropriate type. They need to be small enough but still strong enough to cut through the beak quickly.

tortoise beak trimming — This rescue tortoise was in desperate need of a beak trim. We used the methods described in this article to carefully trim his beak to a normal and manageable length.

How do I trim my tortoise’s beak?

First of all, we’d like to mention that you can help minimize the amount of beak trimming you actually have to do by providing a cuttlebone within your tortoise’s enclosure. Like many bird species, tortoises can use a cuttlebone to chew or nibble on to keep their beak at bay.

However, if you do find that you need to trim your pet’s beak, the first step is to secure the animal using the paper towels or other wrap. If possible, you’ll want to make sure that you can keep the legs inside the wrap so the tortoise doesn’t push the clippers away or use them to shield its face.

Next, you’ll want to be very patient in order to gain access to the tortoise’s face. Odds are your tortoise will be shy and it will retreat into its shell. If you are careful and very delicate, you might be able to trim the beak while the tortoise’s head is inside the shell, but it’s much easier if you can gain access while the tortoise has its head outside the shell.

Sometimes, it’s helpful to grip the tortoise’s head gently but firmly for a few brief moments while another person utilizes the clippers to trim the beak. However, we’ve found that for most tortoises, this can actually stress the animal more. Ultimately, you know your animal best and you should use whatever methods work best for you and your pet while minimizing stress.

With most clippers, we’d recommend performing a series of clips. You likely won’t be able to clip the entire beak in one shot. Try angling the clippers at 45 degrees on both sides at first to create a “point” at the beak’s tip. Then you can carefully trim the tip of the point and get it semi-squared off. You’ll want to mimic the natural shape of the tortoise’s beak as much as possible.

Once you have managed to trim the beak down to a normal length, you might need to file it a bit in order to shave down any rough edges. This is where your nail file or emery board comes in handy.

When filing, we highly recommend avoiding files with sharp points or very stiff natures as they can unintentionally injure the tortoise if it happens to jerk or squirm during the process. A simple, flat, emery board works best for this procedure.

Below you will find a video demonstrating how we trim tortoise beaks at the Backwater Reptiles facility.

https://youtu.be/pXrW7jTxP9Y

Why is it necessary to trim my tortoise’s beak?

In the wild, tortoises have to work a lot more to find their food as well as to consume their food. This means that their beaks actually endure more wear and tear and essentially, trim themselves.

In captivity, your tortoise has no need to forage or roam or even really chew its food because most owners do all of that for them. While this is standard pet owner behavior, it does mean that your tortoise could eventually require a beak trim, especially if it doesn’t have a cuttlebone to rub on.

If you allow your tortoise’s beak to become overgrown, it can actually inhibit the animal’s ability to eat. The beak can prohibit the tortoise from opening its jaw wide enough to fit anything its mouth.

Another serious issue that we’ve witnessed in some of our rescue tortoises is scale rub. If the beak becomes too overgrown, it can begin to rub against the scales on the tortoise’s front legs causing irritation and infection.

Conclusion

Turtles and tortoises are very popular pet reptiles and they require relatively minimal care. However, from time to time, it might become necessary to trim either their beaks, their nails or both.

We hope that this article has helped instruct you how to go about these processes. And please – if you’re not comfortable performing these procedures or you think that you might injure the animal by performing them, take the reptile to a vet. Don’t risk your pet’s health.

Aldabra Tortoise Care (Geochelone gigantea)

October 4, 2016October 3, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

If you’re reading this, you want to know all about Aldabra tortoise care (Geochelone gigantea), and rest assured, you’ve come to the right place! These tortoises are very intelligent, responsive, and interactive pet reptiles. Many people are attracted to the larger species of tortoise because they can let them roam their yard much like a dog. Many are even trained to come when you call them!

No matter what your reason for keeping an Aldabra tortoise, clearly you’ll need to know how to care for such a long-lived animal. In this blog article, we’ll set out to detail how to best care for an Aldabra and hopefully prepare you for a tortoise of your own.

Aldabra Tortoise Care Explained

Aldabra Tortoise Description

Did you know that the Aldabra tortoise is the second largest species of tortoise in the world? The only other tortoise that grows larger is the Galapagos tortoise. On average, a mature adult Aldabra can weigh around 500 pounds, although the Aldabra at the Fort Worth Zoo weighs in at around 800 pounds!

Aldabras are very long-lived. Some have been reported to live 200 years and there is currently one in captivity that is 170 years old. So be prepared to pass your Aldabra down to your children and possibly even grand children!

aldabra tortoise care — Aldabra tortoises grow very large and for proper care will need a large amount of space in which to roam around. We highly recommend setting up a backyard enclosure if you plan to keep one as a pet. Pictured is one of our 5-inch beauties.

Aldabra tortoises get their name from the location from which they hail – the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles islands in the Indian ocean. They can be found in a variety of habitats ranging from mangrove swamps to coastal dunes.

Overall, Aldabras are quite remarkable as far as physical appearance is concerned. They have domed carapaces with super long necks and pointed heads. They range in color from dark grey to black and sometimes even dark brown.

Creating an Aldabra Tortoise Enclosure

Like many of the larger tortoise species, the best way to keep an Aldabra is outdoors if possible. Tortoises older than two years old do best with a large space to roam, backyard vegetation to nibble on, and natural sunlight and weather conditions to absorb.

If your backyard doesn’t have a fence, you can create boundaries for your tortoise using cinder blocks or even wooden planks. Your wall should be just over two feet tall and contain as much square footage as you are able to provide.

Using see-through fencing is risky because a tortoise will almost always try to get somewhere it can see. Aldabras aren’t big on digging, like the Sulcata tortoises, so that’s not too much of a risk. We recommend solid wood or cinder block walls.

Your Aldabra will also require a little tortoise home or hide to escape from cold or too hot weather. You will also need to provide a heat source if you live somewhere where the weather drops below seventy five degrees Fahrenheit.

Large heating pads will suffice–we use pig blankets, which automatically heat 20-degrees (F) warmer than the surrounding temperatures, unless it’s already warm out, in which case they don’t activate. You can also simply bring your tortoise indoors during bad weather.

Keep in mind, cooler temperatures generally aren’t overly dangerous to tortoises, it’s cold and wet that’s dangerous. If your nighttime temperatures are dipping below 60F, we recommend bringing your tortoise into a warmer area such as a garage for the evening, unless you’ve got a tortoise house with a heat pad already set up.

If temperatures go below 50F, regardless if you have a tortoise house and heating pad, just take the tortoise indoors.

It’s not necessary, but if you can provide a mudhole for your Aldabra, that is ideal. Surprisingly, Aldabras enjoy wallowing and soaking in a mudhole if one is provided.

Feeding Your Aldabra Tortoise

Many people enjoy keeping pet tortoises because they are vegetarians, which means no insects or mice to feed them.

Aldabra tortoises nibble as they roam on everything from backyard grasses and weeds, but they will also thoroughly enjoy prepared foods. Leafy greens high in nutrition such as collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, and spinach are all excellent options.

Some fruit is also a treat for them, but avoid acidic fruits as they can harm intestinal biotic balance. They are particularly fond of melons. Hay is a great food for them as well. Remember, they are grazers and aren’t used to highly nutritious foods. Mazuri tortoise pellets are also great for supplemental feeding.

Fun fact: If your Aldabra tortoise knows you have food or a treat ready for it, it will come running to greet you. Be prepared – Aldabras are not slow movers, despite what you might believe!

Conclusion – Aldabra tortoise care

Aldabra tortoises are known for their large size and unique personalities. They are fascinating and rewarding animals to keep as pets. They make excellent backyard companions who will absolutely learn to recognize you.

If you are up to the task of caring for such a long-term pet that you can literally pass down to your grand children, then an Aldabra tortoise just might be the reptile for you!

What’s the Difference Between Turtles & Tortoises?

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Have you ever wondered, “What’s the difference between turtles and tortoises?” If so, you’re not alone. Many people confuse turtles and tortoises because these two types of reptiles are very similar in overall physical appearance.

However, when it comes down to it, turtles and tortoises are very different animals and have very different care requirements when kept as pets.

In this article, we’ll delve into the similarities and differences between turtles and tortoises. In our opinion, both make excellent pets, but you’ll want to know if a turtle or tortoise is better suited to your needs before you adopt one.

turtles vs tortoises — This hatchling common snapping turtle (*Chelydra serpentina*) is a turtle species that spends nearly all of its time in the water.

What’s the Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises?

Physical Traits

Upon first glance, turtles and tortoises appear very much the same, mainly because they both have hard shells that allow their body to retreat inside of it. However, when you examine both reptiles closer, you’ll see that their physical characteristics are actually slightly different to reflect their different life styles.

The shells of tortoises tend to be dome-shaped and weigh a fair amount. The shape helps to ward off potential predators. On the other hand, turtle shells are usually flat, smooth, and overall fairly light-weight in proportion to the animal. This is to keep the animal stream-lined for an aquatic or semi-aquatic life style.

A tortoise’s legs are chunky, sturdy and stay bent at the “knee” area to promote walking on land. Conversely, turtles’ legs tend to come straight out from underneath their bodies to support swimming and a more aquatic life style.

peninsula cooter turtle — This Peninsula Cooter (*Pseudemys peninsularis*) turtle has a flat shell, webbed feet, and claws which suit it to an aquatic life style.

Turtles also have claws or toe nails on their webbed feet, which tortoises tend to lack. And if a tortoise does have toe nails, the nails themselves are worn down and not sharp due to the fact that they spend a lot of time walking on dry land. Some turtles have even adapted to have flippers instead of feet. This is generally only true if the turtle species in question is truly aquatic (i.e. a sea turtle).

Habitat

We’ve already hinted at what is probably the biggest different between turtles and tortoises – their habitats. Turtles tend to live fully aquatic or semi-aquatic lives, whereas tortoises live on land.

While there are some turtles that prefer life on land such as box turtles and there are also some turtles that live in the water nearly 100 percent of the time, such as sea turtles, most turtles will split their time between both land and water.

sri lankan star tortoise hatchling — This Sri Lankan Star Tortoise hatchling (*Geochelone elegans*) has a dome-shaped shell to protect it from predators on land.

When you create a turtle habitat in captivity, you need to do your research and make sure that you are setting up the proper habitat to support your turtle’s life style. Some need a dry home with a water dish, whereas others will need a tank filled with water with a platform to emerge from the water to bask. It really does depend entirely on the species you choose to keep as a pet.

Turtles vs. Tortoises: Diet and Food

Most tortoises are vegetarian herbivores, but turtles can be carnivores or omnivores. Just like with habitat requirements, dietary requirements vary from turtle species to turtle species because they consume a wide variety of food.

Pet tortoises need to have leafy greens and veggies as their main diet. We give ours kale, collard greens, spinach, and root veggies like carrots. Occasional fruit can be given as treats too. And we should mention that commercial tortoise pellets are also a great option if you worry about your tortoise receiving a fully balanced diet.

adult ornate box turtle — This is an adult Ornate Box Turtle (*Terrapene ornata*). Although it is a turtle, it is a species that is primarily terrestrial.

Feeding a pet turtle is actually really easy. Aquatic turtles tend to like turtle pellets. We supplement pellets with crickets, roaches, and meal worms too. And it’s wise to leave some vegetable matter in the enclosure too so that your turtle has access to it if it chooses.

Reproduction

Both turtles and tortoises lay eggs. Both species dig a hole, lay their eggs, and then cover the eggs. The eggs will incubate for a time and then the hatchlings will dig their way out of the dirt or sand.

The main difference between turtle and tortoise reproduction is in incubation times, which vary from species to species, and in upbringing methods. Turtle hatchlings are essentially on their own from the time they emerge from the egg. Tortoise hatchlings, on the other hand, have some degree of protection from their mother. Some tortoise species will guard their nest, while others simply stick around and babysit the hatchlings for some time.

Conclusion

Ultimately, turtles and tortoises are very similar in build and physical appearance and we would recommend either reptile to anyone interested in a relatively low maintenance pet.

If you are debating between a pet tortoise or a pet turtle, we recommend going with a tortoise if you want a land-dwelling animal and a turtle if you want to provide an aquatic habitat.

Creating an Outdoor Sulcata Tortoise Pen

May 24, 2016May 24, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

If you’re looking at creating an outdoor Sulcata tortoise pen, you’ve come the the right place! We have years of experience with these magnificent creatures and have experienced tremendous success keeping them in captivity.

Sulcata tortoises (Geochelone sulcata), aka African Spurred Tortoises, are excellent pets for many reasons. They live incredibly long lives, are very easy to care for, eat a plant-based diet, and enjoy human interaction.

Many people start out with a hatchling sulcata tortoise, but eventually that baby tortoise will mature into a large animal that can weigh anywhere from fifty to 200 pounds! When caring for a reptile that large, it’s important to make sure that it has a space big enough to call home, and for most people, this means keeping the tortoise outdoors in their backyard.

Luckily, sulcatas thrive in outdoor environments, provided that the temperatures don’t fluctuate too high or too low. In fact, if you visit almost any zoo, you’ll see that the sulcata tortoise exhibit houses the animals outdoors in the open because that’s just the best habitat for these docile reptiles.

building a sulcata tortoise pen — Adult sulcata tortoises thrive in outdoor environments.

How to know if your sulcata is ready to live outside

We feel we should specify that not all sulcatas can or should be kept outdoors. Babies need to be kept inside in an area safe from predators like birds, dogs, and cats. It’s also wise to keep young tortoises indoors because they are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations and illnesses. Plus an indoor tortoise’s diet can be very closely monitored so you can be sure that your growing hatchling is receiving the proper nutrients and consuming the proper amount of food.

If your tortoise meets these requirements, then it is more than likely safe to move it outdoors:
-Its shell should be at least a foot long, six to eight inches wide, and four to six inches tall.
-Your tortoise is too large for a 100 gallon tank.
-Your tortoise eats and defecates regularly and burrows normally.
-Your tortoise seems healthy and has no abnormal behaviors that would indicate issues with its well-being.

Building your sulcata’s enclosure

So, you have determined that your sulcata is suited for outdoor living. But keeping a tortoise outdoors is not as simple as releasing it in your backyard. What should you do next?

First of all, you’ll need to set up a designated area and make sure that your enclosure is safe. Depending on the size of your backyard and the size of your tortoise, you might need to put up fencing to make sure the tortoise can’t wander too far away.

We highly recommend setting up a pen within your backyard, even if your yard happens to already be fenced in. This is helpful because as your tortoise grows, you can expand its pen to accommodate its need for more space. Once your tortoise is very large, you can allow it to freely roam your backyard.

Just like any reptile habitat, an outdoor pen will need to include the things your tortoise needs to stay healthy. This includes a water dish or soaking facility, plenty of vegetation to graze on (both naturally occurring in your backyard and prepared meals), and any hide spaces and/or decorations you wish to include. Just keep in mind when adding objects to a sulcata enclosure that these tortoises can actually climb. Therefore, you want to avoid incorporating items that are tall enough to allow the tortoise to escape its pen by climbing on them. Tortoises can also fall off these tall items and land on their backs, which is very dangerous if you are not around to put the animal right side up.

If you plan on keeping your sulcata outdoors year round (which we only recommend if you happen to live in a climate with temperatures that don’t drop below the high 60s), it will be necessary to provide a safe place for the tortoise to retire to if the weather gets too cold, rainy, or hot. Many sulcata owners build custom huts or houses with heat lights on timers so that the tortoise can always find a warm space to hide out if need be.

Geochelone sulcata — Sulcatas are burrowers, so be sure to have a brick, cement, or wood foundation below your fence to prevent them from digging out of their enclosure.

It’s also very important to be aware that sulcatas are burrowers. This means your fence must be tall and extend under the ground as well. Many sulcata owners will lay a foundation of cement bricks or wooden barriers under their fence to prevent the tortoise from burrowing out of the intended border of the enclosure.

Because sulcata tortoises are grazers by nature, be aware that an outdoor tortoise can and probably will eat any plants it can find in its area. We highly recommend checking that the plants in your yard are acceptable fare for a tortoise as you don’t want your tortoise to accidentally ingest anything toxic.

Conclusion – Sulcata tortoise pens

Outdoor sulcata tortoises can be great pets. They’re extremely docile animals that enjoy human interaction, so backyard life is perfect for them.

If you are ready to raise your own sulcata tortoise, Backwater Reptiles has them for sale, and we’re always here to offer advice if you’re building an outdoor pen for your’s.

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