Tortoises headbutt each other by bracing their legs and ramming themselves forward, causing their shells to collide with other tortoises, objects, or humans. Tortoises won’t harm themselves by headbutting but […]

Scratching and digging are common behaviors in tortoises. Their anatomy makes them skilled at creating burrows and hiding away in tunnels. Aside from protection, wild tortoises often dig to find […]

Tortoises don’t display outward expressions of emotions, so it can be hard to tell when a tortoise is feeling afraid. However, there are behaviors that tortoises engage in when fearful. […]

Tortoises like to climb for enjoyment and necessity, so you may find them scaling stairs, fences, trees, and ramps. If there are sufficient footholds, tortoises may even be able to […]

A tortoise’s eggs are normally buried in the sand or soil for an incubation period of 8-10 weeks. Baby tortoises care for themselves after hatching. Hatchlings live off the embryonic […]

You may find your tortoise moving back and forth in its tank. It may be obsessed with pacing in a straight line from one end of the enclosure to the […]

Tortoises rarely bite their owners, even when afraid. The most common fear-based response is to hide in their shells or burrow out of sight. So, it’s confusing when your tortoise […]

It can be surprising when a placid tortoise suddenly chases after you. You may find the tortoise chasing you during mealtimes and pursuing you around the house when you let […]

Tortoises are accomplished at digging, using a scratch-dig method that has served them well for thousands of years. So, tortoises will burrow underground if their enclosure bedding is deep enough. […]