Tortoises are susceptible to shell problems, especially during their formative years. Shell pyramiding occurs due to dietary, sunlight, substrate, or humidity oversights. Unfortunately, pyramiding can’t be reversed, but you can […]

Tortoises differ from other reptiles because they have a hard outer shell, not just scales. Tortoises are born with shells, which grow during their physical development. Their bones, nerves, blood […]

Tortoises don’t poop as much as other animals but can become constipated. Tortoises that can’t poop will become lethargic and disinterested in food, appearing stressed and uncomfortable. Tortoises develop hard […]

Tortoises don’t technically hibernate; they brumate. A tortoise will reduce its activity to almost zero, hold still, and avoid eating. It’ll still wake up at times for water, but any […]

As cold-blooded reptiles, tortoises rely on external heat to regulate their internal temperatures. This usually comes from exposure to direct sunlight. Tortoises rely on UVB rays, basking for hours at […]

Unlike turtles, tortoises cope better in hot climates. The desert tortoise is native to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, where rainfall is limited and scorching heats are frequent. Even still, […]

Weight gain or obesity occurs when a tortoise is fed too much food too frequently. It can also occur when the tortoise is inactive and doesn’t burn enough calories each […]

Vomiting is the body’s way of forcibly ejecting harmful foods and substances from the stomach. Unfortunately, this process can be dangerous for tortoises, leading to dehydration. Also, if the tortoise […]

A tortoise’s immune system will naturally remove germs, but if the number of germs increases and spreads, septicemia becomes a more significant risk. Septicemia and sepsis are often used interchangeably, […]