A tortoise’s most iconic feature is its scutes. Aside from aesthetics, scutes are important for a tortoise’s health and safety. Unfortunately, different ailments can affect the scutes. All tortoise species […]

Russian tortoises are small with a remarkably long life span, averaging 50 years. However, they’re prone to certain illnesses, which can be fatal if left untreated. Tortoises don’t always show […]

Knowing when your female tortoise is mature is important if you want her to lay fertile eggs. Due to the lack of sexual dysmorphism, it can be difficult to identify […]

Fecal impaction is often used interchangeably with bowel obstruction (intestinal obstruction). A bowel obstruction refers to a blockage caused by foreign objects (pebbles, substrate, hair, etc.), while fecal impaction only […]

Gravid (pregnant) tortoises need extra care and attention because they’re often at risk of becoming egg-bound. Egg binding is a serious condition that requires immediate assistance. The symptoms of egg […]

Tortoises are prone to respiratory illnesses, which can be life-threatening. Fortunately, most respiratory illnesses in tortoises can be treated successfully. In severe cases, this will require a vet’s intervention, but […]

Tortoises are calm and even-tempered creatures, so it can be hard to tell when a tortoise feels sad. You may think that a lack of activity, disinterest in food, or […]

Tortoises are prone to respiratory illnesses. These infections often occur due to exposure to low temperatures, unhygienic substrate, and mycoplasma bacteria. Due to the structure of their respiratory tract, tortoises […]

Prolapse happens when a tortoise strains so hard that one of its internal organs (intestine, cloaca, colon, hemipenis, phallus, uterus, or bladder) slides out of its vent. It’s usually a […]