Keeping a tortoise as a pet

All these days, we've been telling you how to take care of dogs and cats. You must be thinking that dogs, cats, birds and fish make the best pets. But, why don't you come out of the box and think differently? Why don't you have a tortoise in your house as a pet?

Now, I know what you must be thinking... They are not cute as dogs or cats: they will not make cute noises to chase away your blues (depression): they will not cuddle in your arms like a child, but these silent creatures would make you a real observer. You'll enjoy watching them. I have seen people rearing tortoises as pets, here in Sri Lanka, and believe me, they are really happy with their choices. Today, let me tell you something about how to keep a tortoise as a pet.

When you buy a tortoise, there are certain things you should keep in mind. First, before buying a tortoise, it's better if you can buy a book about keeping these animals as pets. This will give you an idea about the types of tortoises, what food they eat and how they live. It will also provide useful tips about caring for sick tortoises.

Another important thing is that there are many rules and regulations on the transportation and housing of certain species of tortoises. Be sure not to purchase species that are prohibited as pets. It's important to check out the species you buy. If you can, call the wildlife authorities; they'll tell you what exactly you should do.

This will be very useful if you plan to keep a tortoise you found on the road as a pet. Take the animal to an expert. He/she will tell you whether you can keep it or not.

Housing your tortoise

Once you've decided on the tortoise you want, you should find out where it lives in the wild, so you can build it a home which is closest to its natural habitat. Aquatic tortoises require a tank or aquarium; the kind of tank for fish would be fine. If possible, buy a large one, so that your pet can grow and still have lots of room to swim. But, it's important to give tortoises a bit of land to rest on as well.

Land tortoises can live indoors, but often require lots of space, especially if they are big. Small tortoises can live in an tank (without water). Make sure they have plenty of light, but if the source of light is too close, you can hurt their eyes.

If you decide to keep your tortoise outdoors, make sure you put up a good fence around the area, buried 12 inches under ground, because you don't want your tortoise running away! Keeping your tortoise outdoors is a great way to keep it happy and healthy; after all, tortoises in the wild don't live inside houses, so it's most natural that yours won't. But, if you cannot keep your tortoise outside, it will still be happy indoors.

Food

Food is very important because without food, your tortoise will not survive long. Some tortoises are carnivores (meat-eating), while others are herbivores (plant-eating).

Most land tortoises are herbivores, but it's best to ask a vet or someone who knows about these animals before you buy 50 kilos of lettuce for a tortoise that eats worms. Tortoises often like lettuce.

Treating your sick tortoise

The best advice anyone can get about a sick tortoise is from a vet. If you want a happy pet, and you suspect yours is sick, the first thing you should do is see a vet.

The vet can prescribe antibiotics for your tortoise and help it get better. Also, many diseases are caused by improper care, so if you see a vet, he/she can tell you what you are doing wrong. Unless you know what you are doing, it is always best to seek the advice of a vet or reptile expert.

Of course, the best way to deal with illnesses is to prevent it. To do this, make sure you are feeding your tortoise properly and have the animal in good and clean living conditions. If you have an acquatic tortoise, make sure you change the water often. If this is too much trouble, you can buy a filter that will clean the water automatically.

Take care of your tortoise, and if you see a problem, try to fix it early, because your pet may not survive, if you don't. Don't try to cure a sick animal by yourself unless you are a trained vet.

Hope this would give you an idea about keeping a tortoise as a pet. Let us also know if you have a tortiose or if you plan to buy one in the future. May be you can write about your pet tortoise to this page...

Compiled by Janani Amarasekara

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