Caring for Tortoise may be illegal in some countries. But the breeding of Tortoise can be done both institutionally and independently. Keeping it at home may require a little effort regarding its legality because of the rules governing the animals being protected.
There are several species of Tortoise that are protected because in the wild it has become scarce and there are also species of Tortoise that are not managed because their species is not endangered. This un-endangered species of Tortoise can be kept free at home. That’s what you need to know as soon as you maintain the Tortoise, make sure it’s the type. If the tortoise you bring home is a type that starts or is threatened with rarity, you should immediately consult the Veterinary Office around your home or visit the Tortoise breeding.
Talking about the type of Tortoise, baby Tortoise care is certainly different according to the type. Before going further, it’s better to know the difference between Turtle and Tortoise. This fundamental difference is often not understood by people so they tend to equate the care of both. Even when they grow up later, they have differences that will certainly make their care different.
For those of you who don’t know, Tortoise is a type of large turtle that can live hundreds of years. These animals are part of a reptile nation and out there some types of Tortoise are threatened with extinction due to poaching and theft of their eggs. Because of this, many people began to cultivate the Tortoise in order to incubate their eggs so that the Tortoise would avoid extinction.
This is how to care for baby Tortoise.
- Building the habitat
The first thing to do is to make a tortoise baby cage. Glass aquariums that are widely used, are actually not a very good habitat for Tortoise because the sides are too high and often not enough floor space. Tortoise also doesn’t understand glass and can hit it. A wider and shallow container will work better. Large unused storage containers can be used as their habitat. This storage container works well for indoor habitat. Remember, this container does not need to be closed because if you close it, oxygen can’t enter. When you need a bigger container, you can build or buy a Tortoise table, which is a large wooden cage with high legs. Also, make sure you place the container in a place that is still accessible to sunlight. Make sure the container gets the right UV exposure. In the wild, Tortoises bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature and absorb vitamin D. To keep your Tortoise healthy, it’s important to simulate this exposure in your home. Letting your Tortoise bask in natural sunlight for several hours a week is a good idea.
Do not place the plastic container that is your Tortoise habitat in direct sunlight, because this can cause the temperature inside to be too hot. When your Tortoise doesn’t have access to natural sunlight, use UV lights to provide artificial sunlight. The exact amount of UV exposure your Tortoise needs depends on the species, but varies between 8 and 12 hours per day. Talk about cages or habitat, it is incomplete if it doesn’t discuss the base of Tortoise cage. Make sure you use the right basic materials. There are many bedding materials that available at pet store, but not all are good for Tortoise. The combination of soft soil and sand is the ideal base layer for terrestrial tortoise. Adding creatures such as earthworm, tail spring, and pillbug can help the substrate last longer through aeration and eating leftover. Give a tortoise a place to hide. Be sure to include different additional items that can be used as a hideout by Tortoise. This will give both shade and security.
- Moisturizing and Hydrating
Make sure the habitat tortoise you make is hot with the right humidity. All Tortoises must live in warm habitat. It is recommended thing while you install a heating lamp to make the gradient temperature inside the enclosure. One side must be 22 ° C (70 ° F), and the other must be 29 ° C (84 ° F). The right humidity level depends on the species you have, so make sure you identify it correctly. For example, desert tortoise must be stored in dry habitat, while tropical tortoise must be stored in humid habitat. Some Tortoises may need warmer habitat, so it’s best to identify the type of Tortoise you are caring for and find out what the requirements for your species are. You can increase the humidity with an additional media, especially in the area under the sunbathing lamp.
Soak a tortoise every week to keep the moisture in the body. Reptiles need a temperature balance for their bodies, this also applies to Chameleon. It’s best to soak the baby tortoise every one or two weeks, you should soak them in a bowl of room temperature water for about 15-20 minutes. This will help keep the tortoise hydrated. Make sure the water isn’t higher than their chin. Tortoise may start drinking while soaking, so make sure the water is kept clean.
- Protection
The next step is to protect your tortoise from predators. Tortoise babies are very vulnerable to predators because they are very small. Be careful to protect them from animals such as dog, cat, raccoon and bird. If you store tortoises indoor, make sure your other pets don’t have access to a cage but if you bring tortoise out, make sure to cover the container that you use as their habitat. The lid that you can use is a wire with a narrow gap. This is to allow oxygen to remain in but predators can’t access them. Don’t touch your baby tortoise too often. Baby tortoises are easy to stressed due to the touch you give. You should start caressing them when they are a little more adult. If you are forced to caress a baby tortoise, make sure you gently caress it. Don’t drop or flip them. Don’t let children caress tortoise unattended or for a long time.
- Feeding and drinking
Feed your tortoise a varied food. All tortoises need to be fed a variety of foods to ensure that they get all the nutrients they need. However, each tortoise species has its own specific food needs. So, come back again to be sure to identify the tortoise species that you have and give the recommended food for that species. For your comparison, desert tortoises must be fed a combination of grass, green leafy vegetables, and cactus flowers, with a little fruit. While the leopard tortoise must be fed with a variety of leafy green grass and vegetables. You may not give them vegetables, fruits or other meat. Besides, don’t forget to provide drinking water. Be sure to give your tortoise a bowl of shallow water to drink. Change water regularly to keep it fresh. Don’t worry too much if your tortoise doesn’t seem to drink much because some species, especially those native to dry climates, drink very little water. But still, it’s still good to provide it for them.
Tortoise is an animal that we need to care for and guard. Despite having a shell that is quite hard and thick, in fact the shell can’t prevent them from extinction that has occurred in some of their species. For those of you who have allergies to animal hair, maintaining them is one of the advantages because in addition to easy maintenance, caring for them also doesn’t transmit diseases because they have no hair. They may be dirty because they are too often in the water. Moss and bacteria in water may stick to their bodies. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be cleaned, right?
Have fun with your baby Tortoise!