A pet tortoise needs a calm, anxiety-free lifestyle to avoid stress and the onset of ill health. As ectotherms, tortoises rely on external warmth and humidity for their bodies to […]
Health
Why Can’t My Tortoise Open Its Mouth?
Tortoises keep their mouths closed unless eating, drinking, or attempting to cool off. A tortoise should be able to open and close its beak without obstruction. Unfortunately, pet tortoises can […]
How Do I Know If My Tortoise Is Egg Bound?
Egg binding occurs when a gravid tortoise can’t lay her eggs. This means the eggs remain trapped inside the body with life-threatening implications. The eggs can lacerate bodily tissue, causing […]
Why Tortoises Get Sepsis (And How It’s Treated)
A healthy tortoise’s immune system will naturally fight off many harmful pathogens. However, septicemia can occur when bacteria multiply and spread unchecked. Septicemia and sepsis are often used interchangeably but […]
Irregular Scutes on Tortoises (5 Different Problems)
A tortoise’s most iconic feature is its scutes. Aside from aesthetics, scutes are vital to a tortoise’s health and well-being. Unfortunately, different health ailments can adversely affect the scutes. All […]
Can A Tortoise Survive Without Its Shell?
Tortoises have a hard outer shell, not just scales like most reptiles. They’re born with shells that increase in size to accommodate their age-related growth and development. No, a tortoise […]