While wild and captive tortoises are susceptible to developing bladder stones (also known as uroliths), they’re most commonly seen in tortoises living in captivity. When tortoises urinate, they produce a […]

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 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 […]

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 […]