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 […]

Tortoises keep their mouths closed unless eating, drinking, or attempting to cool off. A tortoise should be able to comfortably open and close its beak without obstruction. Unfortunately, pet tortoises […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Every tortoise carries worms. Unfortunately, if a tortoise’s natural immunity is compromised by stress, hibernation, or sickness, internal parasites like worms could adversely affect its health. You can tell if […]

Tortoises don’t poop as much as other animals, but they can still get constipated. Tortoises that can’t poop will become lethargic and disinterested in food, appearing distressed and uncomfortable. Tortoises […]

If ignored or left untreated, respiratory infections can be life-threatening because tortoises lack a diaphragm, meaning the chest and abdomen aren’t separated. The tortoise can’t cough up mucus, so it […]