The Desert Tortoise

Desert tortoises have been kept as pets for many decades. Tortoises are very personable and often interact with people. Despite this characteristic, the desert tortoise is a pet that should be handled very little. There is much enjoyment and understanding to be gained by simply observing their natural behaviors.

The desert tortoise is a dry land member of tortoise in the tortoise family. It has tough skin, legs that are heavily scaled, and feet that are tough and “elephant-like” instead of webbed. Unlike a turtle, the desert tortoise does not swim. The tortoise’s upper shell (carapace) and lower shell (plastron) are light to medium brown or even black. The carapace is made up of a series of plates called scutes. An average adult tortoise may measure 8-15 inches in length and weigh approximately 11 pounds.

Wild desert tortoises have been strictly protected since 1987 due to the concern about the potential decline of their populations. Tortoises may not be collected from the wild, imported, or exported from Arizona. Tortoises obtained from an adoption program or a captive source may be kept, with one tortoise per family member allowed under Arizona Game and Fish wildlife regulations.

Tortoise adoption programs have been set up to help find homes for tortoises. No one in Arizona “owns” a desert tortoise. People who are committed to providing an appropriate home may become “custodians” to ensure the welfare of the tortoise. Tortoises may live 80-100 years, so your commitment may last a lifetime. The tortoise may outlive you! Liberty Wildlife will accept desert tortoises that can no longer be cared for by an adoptive family. This usually happens when a family moves out of state or the owner passes away.

Remember, once a captive, always a captive. Tortoises released back into the wild do not survive. Remember it is also against the law. Please feel free to contact Liberty Wildlife at 480.998.5550 with any questions.

Diet

One of the most important parts of tortoise care is a proper diet. Please use these guidelines to ensure the health and longevity of the tortoise. The old story of the tortoise and the hare is true but incomplete. Tortoises do move slowly…..they live slowly…..but they also die slowly. Tortoises will accept many foods that are not good for them and appear healthy for years. Poor diets impair their organ functions and eventually the tortoise dies. Tortoises have evolved by making something out of nothing. They have adapted to withstand food and water deprivation and great changes in the climate.

Tortoises cannot tolerate improper diets rich in fruits, proteins, or animal fats. Please do not make the mistake of viewing your tortoise as a “typical” pet like a cat or dog. They are reptiles with specific needs. The desert tortoise is an herbivore, feeding mostly on native grasses that are high in fiber, leafy plants and flower. Cactus fruits may be fed in very small amounts. Native grasses and other grasses such as Bermuda, dichondra, clover, or alfalfa should be incorporated into your enclosures. There should be enough grass to allow the tortoise to graze daily. Supplemental foods such as dark greens are best when clean and fresh. Fresh drinking water should be provided daily. A partially buried saucer or shallow trash can lid works well. Make sure the tortoise can climb in and out of it easily.

It is important to check all the plants in your yard, as many are poisonous. You must make sure that your tortoise cannot consume any toxic landscape plants such as oleander, chinaberry trees, desert and tree tobacco and toadstools. Hamburger or other meat, and cat, dog, or monkey foods are high in protein and do not provide a nutritional balance. Fruit is high in natural sugars and is hard for tortoises to digest.

Good foods include dark leafy greens such as Romaine, kale, collard greens, broccoli, zucchini, yams, spineless prickly pear pads, trimmings from hibiscus (including the flowers), mulberry trees, hay (Timothy when available), and Bermuda grass minced with alfalfa.

Remember:

Do not feed meat.
Do not feed iceberg lettuce or cabbage.
Do not feed canned food.
Do not feed dog, cat or monkey food.
Do not feed fruit.

Habitat and Shelter

One of the tortoise’s major adaptations to living in the desert is not a tolerance for the heat but the ability to utilize a burrow to get out of the heat. The tortoise regulates its temperature by moving to places in the environment that provide the desired effect. It will bask in the sun to warm its body (this helps to digest its food), and then to prevent overheating, it will move to a place cooler than the tortoise’s body. This place may have to be cooler than any aboveground shade. Such a place is a burrow.

Every tortoise should have a burrow that it can enter whenever it wants. Never confine a tortoise to an area too small to provide the range of temperatures it needs to warm up and cool down.

The tortoise’s underground burrow is its shelter and is a vital part of the tortoise's daily life. The burrow acts as a buffer between the tortoise and the extreme desert temperatures in both the winter and summer. The burrow also helps the tortoise conserve vital moisture.

Picking the proper place for the tortoise's burrow is very important. Places the tortoise chooses to dig may not be safe and healthy. Select a dry place where the tortoise will not dig out or tunnel away from your property. Expect the tortoise to lengthen its burrow. You may want to control how long a burrow is or which direction it goes. The properly dug and placed burrow should not become wet inside from normal rains and sprinkler systems.

To see Tortoise Den Specifications, Click here.

Cold Weather Care

In Arizona, tortoises should be kept outdoors year-round. If the tortoise is ill or you live above 4000 feet in altitude, the tortoise should be hibernated inside. As the weather turns cool in the fall, the tortoise will prepare to hibernate. Its appetite will decrease. It will gradually become less active, and its body functions will normally slow down. The tortoise should be set in a shallow pan of water to encourage it to drink. This should be done frequently prior to hibernation. If your tortoise has eaten well during the summer months, it will have a fat reserve built up and should easily survive the winter’s hibernation.

Remember, it is best to hibernate your tortoise outdoors. Indoor temperatures are too warm to slow the metabolism effectively to conserve the fat and moisture at a time when the tortoise does not eat. A tortoise kept too warm in the winter may be debilitated, dehydrated, or dead by spring. Temperatures from 35 to 50 degrees are needed during the winter. An ideal temperature is 40 degrees.

A den for hibernation can be constructed with concrete blocks, plywood, and a heavy all-weather tarp. The structure should be covered with at least 8 inches of soil for insulation. The den should have an eastern, northwestern, or southern exposure. A heavy weatherproof tarp should be placed over the opening to eliminate drafts and reduce the chances of respiratory disease.

If necessary, you may hibernate your tortoise artificially by placing it in a cool, dry protected area such as a garage or storeroom. You may use an insulated box such as a Styrofoam ice chest packed with shredded paper or straw. The box should be covered with several layers of blankets or newspapers. This usually provides adequate protection. The box should be kept off the floor and away from drafts. The temperature should be about 40-50 degrees F.

Hibernating tortoises should be kept in the dark and be quietly checked every 2 weeks to see that no health problems are developing. Try to limit your tortoise to light or disturbances and avoid moving him around. You should also offer water throughout the winter about every 4-6 weeks.

Warm Weather Care

As the weather warms up, tortoises slowly become active. The tortoise should be rinsed and allowed a long drink and soak in a shallow water. Tortoises can drink with their face under water for a long time. Within a few weeks, the tortoise will resume its warm weather routine of eating, basking in the sun, and exercise. In Arizona, tortoises are usually fully active by April 1st.

Make sure the outdoor enclosure is well-fenced. Tortoises can travel as much as 7 miles in a day and easily escape. The tortoise may dig a shallow burrow in the soil. This will provide some shelter from the summer sun. He may also sleep here at night. Make sure to provide your tortoise with fresh water daily. Allow a puddle to form or use a shallow dish which should be dug into the ground so the water is at ground level. Be sure the tortoise always has a dry area available besides his den.

Hazards

Ants attack tortoises! They are attracted in large numbers to food dishes and react quickly when a slow-moving tortoise runs into one of their nests. Treat the tortoise by immediately rinsing him with water. Rinse the eyes well with water. Many ants may be hanging on by their mouth parts. Carefully remove these by hand or with a tweezers. Observe your tortoise carefully at this time and for the next several hours. The tortoise may be having an allergic reaction if the eyes are swollen, there is discharge coming from the nose, the tortoise appears depressed, or their breathing becomes an effort. If any of these symptoms occur, you should contact your veterinarian for care.

To discourage ants from hanging around your tortoises, you can try using a “water ring” to keep ants out of food dishes. Place the food dish inside a shallow dish filled with water and the ants won’t be able to get across to the food. There are no ant baits that are safe for tortoises to eat, so this should not be used near the tortoise’s food.

Illness

It is necessary to discuss the importance of proper care of your desert tortoise. The information provided here should not be a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect an illness in your tortoise, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

White powdery material in the urine is not a sign of illness. This is a normal way of getting rid of uric acid.

Never allow the tortoise to remain on his back. The weight of its lower shell will injure its internal organs. In addition, stress and the hot sun will kill the tortoise in a short time.

Tortoises are susceptible to pneumonia and other respiratory ailments. Symptoms are inactivity, runny nose, labored breathing and loss of appetite.

Parasites are also common in tortoises. If you suspect your tortoise has them, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Symptoms are usually listlessness, weight loss and loose unformed stools.

Another common problem is vitamin deficiency. These symptoms include swollen or puffy eyes and a runny nose. A soft shell is usually caused by a diet that does not provide the correct calcium-to-phosphorous ratio or a lack of sunlight. These can be prevented by a good diet and natural sunlight.

Heatstroke affects even the “desert-adapted” tortoises. Phoenix daytime temperatures are sometimes too hot for tortoises. Tortoises will usually take a siesta in their underground burrows during the warmest time of the summer day. The burrow is cooler (about 80 degrees or less) and allows the tortoise to conserve water during the hottest time of the day. Make sure your tortoise uses his burrow or has a well-shaded earth hut to use during the daytime. Soaking in a shallow saucer or sprinkler encourages the tortoise to drink and urinate. Some tortoises are bowl drinkers, and having fresh clean water always available is a big benefit.

Heatstroke most often occurs when a tortoise is flipped in the sun by a male tortoise, a larger animal, or as a result of medical co-ordination problems. Being flipped over is an urgent life-threatening situation. The tortoise heats up as it struggles. The tortoise may also urinate out all of the water that is stored. Immediately turn your tortoise upright and cool it with lukewarm water (cold water will add to the tortoise’s distress). If your tortoise appears fine—alert, walking well, eating, drinking, and has no nasal discharge—you may just want to observe him carefully. Soak the tortoise twice daily and watch for changes over the next several weeks. If you observe any problems, please seek veterinary assistance immediately. Prompt and proper treatment can prevent or minimize consequences that occur following heatstroke.

Finally, remember, DO NOT paint any part of the shell, DO NOT put oil on any part of the shell, DO NOT drill holes in the shell and DO NOT attempt to tie or restrain the tortoise with wire or rope.

Assuming the responsibility for the life of this interesting animal is the least you can do. Sharing your space with one of these denizens of the desert can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. Paying attention to its needs will ensure many years of pleasure and enjoyment.