Taking Care of the Small Tortoise

Many people want a small tortoise as a pet. “Small” is a relative concept for tortoises, considering the fact that those measure from 10 centimeters to 2 meters, depending on the species. The European, Greek and Russian tortoises are considered small-average tortoises, which can reach 20-25 centimeters at maturity. Sure, you can find smaller tortoises, but those are the most common types that you can also find in your local pet store.

The small tortoise is specialized for digging. Whether we are talking about the European and Russian tortoises that have to dig a hole to prepare hibernation for the winter, or about the sub-tropical species that need to dig to prepare the nest for the eggs, the small turtle is adapted for digging.



The hibernating turtles are inactive from October to March. As soon as the hibernation process is over, the turtle starts the mating period. From the middle of April, when this period is over, the tortoises will start to concentrate about food. Their advantage is that they don’t need to take care of the eggs, which means that they have enough time to eat, to accumulate fat deposits that will be really useful for the winter. This is also a disadvantage, because this leads to a small survival percentage of tortoises. The nests are found by predators, and even if they hatch, the babies are vulnerable during the first hours of their life. Only 2% of the baby turtles survive. Some species of tortoises lay eggs four times in a season. During this period, the female eats less.

It is important for people that want to have turtles as pets to understand those. The majority of tortoises brought from Africa and from subtropical areas don’t survive because of the cold weather. An indoor habitat is required, but as we are talking about turtles that can easily reach 20-25 centimeters, the turtles need to have a space of 1-2 meters.



The tortoises are usually herbivores, but they can also eat worms, meat and even small birds. The tortoise needs carbohydrates, and this is why a large insect is delicious once a day for a tortoise.

Hibernation in captivity is a debated subject. Some say that the tortoise must be forced to hibernate in captivity, even if she has all the heat, light and food required, while others say that the tortoise must “decide”. For this, you will have to create a cave, and to put a layer of sand. If the tortoise wants to hibernate, she will know what to do.

The Decision of Having a Turtle as a Pet

Any person that sees a turtle at the pet shop can’t resist the temptation to buy it. At the beginning, they are only a few inches long, but you need to remember that they grow pretty fast and they can live long enough if they are taken care of. In other words, don’t buy a turtle unless you are absolutely sure about your decision. In the pet shops, you will find many types, the most popular being the Florida Turtle (Chrysemys scripta elegans). The turtle has the size of an egg at first, and then it transforms into a little “monster” this is why you can buy a large aquarium since the start, if you want a turtle, so you will not have to change it after. It is preferred to choose a large aquarium, where you can put two turtles, and to watch them whenever you feel that you need to relax. It is a real pleasure to watch them swim.

The shell of a turtle is covered with scales, which change periodically and allow the turtles to grow. The new scales have different colors than the previous ones, and this can be observed especially for mature turtles. The growing shell is made not by multiplying the scales, as some might believe, but through dimension growing of those.

The turtles must be washed, and this is made by rubbing the shell with a toothbrush. Each scale must be washed separately, those from the shell and from the belly. For a healthy shell, you need to put a calcium blog that can be bought from the pet shop in the aquarium, and a source of light is also required for synthesizing vitamin D (the most important for the shell)

Turtles are reptiles. They reach their sexual maturity at the age of 2-5 years for males and at 5-7 years for females. You might wonder how you can determine if the turtle that you want to buy is a female or a male. Well, once the sexual maturity is reached, the males and females can be distinguished by a few simple to follow elements, such as the tale. The males have longer claws, and a bigger tale.

If you already have turtles, you noticed that, when they are scared, they withdraw in the shell, making a characteristic sound. The sound is given by the air that the turtles breathe, so they could fit in the shell. A turtle can’t leave the shell and survive.

Those reptiles are omnivores. Their food is bought from the pet shop. Amongst the common foods, the small and long worms called Tubifex are good. The turtles can also receive apples cut in small pieces, carrots and salad. Not all the turtles eat the same thing. Some are really pretentious, and they simply don’t eat carrots or salad. It is not a rule, and sometimes, turtles from the same species eat really different things.

The turtles need a certain temperature, and the aquarium must always be clean. The water must be changed every day, or you could buy a filter to spare you from troubles.