Tortoise Facts
the tortoise facts of care, feeding and breeding tortoises

Tortoises are fascinating creatures and there are many interesting tortoise facts to be aware of. If you are not familiar with tortoises, these are slow moving, lovable land dwelling reptiles which are in the same class as turtles, however, they do have some distinct differences. 

Tortoises and turtles have long been a part of people’s traditions and religious beliefs. They are a symbol of wisdom, patience, and long life in many parts of the ancient world. The hard shell of the tortoise is a symbol of strength and protection, and many religions believe that the tortoise carries the Earth on its back.

There are a few differences between a turtle and a tortoise, however they are in the same family. Turtles are both land dwellers and water dwellers. They can swim and some species of turtles prefer to live underwater. Tortoises, however, do not swim at all and only wade into the water to clean themselves off or to get a drink. 

Baby tortoises are hatched in a burrowed nest, or a hole. The mother tortoise lays between one and thirty eggs in the hole and then leaves the babies to hatch on their own. After a few months, the eggs hatch and the babies survive off the egg sac fluid for the first couple of days of life. Once they babies are strong enough, they move to their mother’s nest and she protects them until they are old enough to go out on their own.

One of the most fascinating things about a tortoise is its longevity. Tortoises can live to be about one hundred and fifty years old. If you look at the rings on the tortoise shell, you can sometimes determine how old the tortoise is. 

Unlike the turtle, a tortoise is almost always an herbivore. Turtles are known to be omnivorous, eating both meat and plants and sometimes even small animals. However, tortoises love their fruits and vegetables and leafy greens are preferred over a small fish. One of the largest land dwellers on the planet is actually the Galapagos turtle. This lovely creature can be about four feet long and weigh up to five hundred pounds. 

Tortoises are often kept as pets, and there are many different breeds of tortoises to keep. However, tortoises do need a lot off space to roam around and play and they are not very good at being house trained. However, if you have a pet tortoise, you might want to learn more interesting tortoise facts.

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There are many random tortoise facts to learn if you are interesting in tortoises. Tortoises are loveable, slow moving, land dwellers with a very large history. Many people confuse tortoises with turtles, however, there are a few distinct differences between the two.

For example, turtles love water. Many turtles live in or near the water, and they are excellent swimmers. Tortoises, however, are not good swimmers at all and they always live on land. Tortoises only go into the water if they are getting a drink or trying to get clean.

Also, turtles will eat just about anything. They are known to be omnivorous creatures, however, tortoises are definitely herbivores. You can feed a tortoise leafy vegetables and soft fruits, however, they won’t like a small fish or piece of chicken.

Female tortoises lay up to thirty eggs. They make a shallow hole as a nest and lay the eggs in the hole and cover them up. The eggs are left to hatch on their own. After a few months, the eggs will hatch and the tortoises will live their first few days off of the egg fluid. However, once the turtles are strong enough, they will walk over to their mother’s nest and stay with her until they are able to go out on their own unprotected.

Tortoises are also one of the largest creatures on Earth. They can grow to be about five hundred pounds and up to four feet long. He Galapagos Islands are home to the world’s largest turtles and they are known to the locals as “saddle backs” because of the shape of their large shells. These large turtles are on the protected and endangered species list, however, many efforts are being made to preserve these and other tortoises.

Tortoises are well known all throughout history for their symbolism in mythology and religion. The Native American Indians and the Hindus believe that the world is held up by resting on the back of a giant tortoise. Also, in ancient China tortoises were known as a symbol of patience, long life, and wisdom. 

Tortoises are often kept as pets and they make an excellent addition to anyone’s family. They are loveable, quiet, and they live for a long time. However, be sure to give tortoises plenty of room to roam and remember, they are not house trained. There are also many other random tortoise facts you can learn.

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Whether you are looking for a small tortoise that you can keep in a terrarium in your house, or whether you have an outdoor space in a warm climate that will allow you to keep a large tortoise, there is a species of tortoise for every lifestyle, and there are a lot of tortoise facts to consider before choosing a pet.  When searching for your new pet, there are a few important factors to keep in mind. 

1. Do you have the monetary ability to not only buy a tortoise, but to provide adequate care to that tortoise?  

2. Do you have the time required to care for your tortoise?

3. How much space do you have to devote to your tortoise?

4. If you already own another species of tortoise, are you researching what types of species work well together?

These are all questions that are important to ask of yourself before you consider buying a tortoise, and before determining what type of tortoise you want to own. 

There are close to 300 identified species of turtles and tortoises, so there are a lot of options when you are looking to purchase a tortoise.  Keeping in mind the considerations mentioned earlier in this chapter, below are just a few types of tortoises that tend to work well as pets.  This is just a small sampling, and a more extensive list of tortoises can be found by further researching on the web. 

African Spurred Tortoise- This tortoise, also known as the Sulcata Tortoise, can grow to be more than 175 lbs, and is the third largest known tortoise.  Because of this, acquiring one of these tortoises is a big commitment.  

Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone Pardalis) – The Leopard Tortoise is found in Southern Africa.  It cannot be exposed to cold or damp weather.  It also needs extensive access to heat and light throughout the day.  It requires regular access to water, grows very quickly, and eats an herbivorous diet.  

Horsfield’s Tortoise – This tortoise is a popular species to keep as a pet.  Also known as the Russian Tortoise, this tortoise is a herbivore, and likes to burrow to get away from the mid-day sun.  This tortoise is friendly, and usually lives for a very long time – oftentimes between 50-75 years.  

Indian Star Tortoises – This tortoise is very similar in care to the Leopard Tortoise.  It is found in India, requires regular access to water, is 100% herbivore, and does not hibernate.  

Pancake Tortoise (Malachochersus tornieri) – The Pancake Tortoise is so named because of its unusually flat shell.  This tortoise’s shell is actually more flexible than other tortoises, which allows it to get into areas that other tortoises cannot access.  It is an herbivore and lives in dry climates.  

Texas Tortoise (Gopherus Berlandieri) – The Texas Tortoise is native to North America.  It eats vegetation, such as cacti fruit.  It does not necessarily like burrowing and prefers a habitat of grasslands.   

Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo hermanni) – This tortoise is found in Southern Europe.  They are largely herbivorous and enjoy brush to hide in from the sun.  

There are many tortoise facts to consider before choosing a pet and it is important and necessary to weigh each of these factors before choosing a tortoise to best fit your lifestyle.  

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Of all known tortoise facts, their longevity truly captures the imagination.

Tortoises populated the earth almost 200 million years ago, existing alongside the dinosaurs. The latter are long extinct, but the tortoises are still around today.

There are, however, specific tortoises that can be equally proud of their advanced years, if it matters to them. The best claim to oldest living being on earth had been Tui Malila. When only a hatchling in 1777, the royal family of Tonga received him as a gift from the explorer Cook. Generations of the family passed on, but Tui Malila’s life only came to an end in 1965, 188 years later.

Another claimant of the title had been Adwaita, an Aldabra giant tortoise suspected to have been 250 years old when he finally gave up the ghost in 2006 at the Alipore Zoo in India.  There is insufficient documentation to prove this, as Adwaita had been obtained as adult. Allegedly, he had been one of the treasured pets belong to General Robert Clive, a dignitary of the British East India. According to reports Clive had had four such tortoises, but Adwaita was only brought to the zoo in 1875, more than a hundred years after Clive’s demise.  

Harriet was perhaps one of the best known of the ancients. She had travelled aboard the Beagle on the famous scientific exploration undertaken by Charles Darwin. According to records of the trip, there had been 40 tortoises on the ship, but many ended up being served for dinner or on the dissecting table. Harriet proved more fortunate. In later years, there was some confusion about her exact subspecies. She did not belong to any of those native to the islands where Darwin was known to picked up tortoises and DNA testing failed to yield an answer after she died. Her original name was Harry as she was first thought to be a male. Harriet was a popular inhabitant at Australia Zoo, her last home where she died at the ripe old age of 175 in 2006. She was fond of eating hibiscus flowers. .

Another tortoise with a chequered past was known as Timothy. Found on a Portuguese privateering vessel by the Royal navy, she became a mascot on a number of ships in the fleet, even putting in an appearance at the Crimean War. After almost forty years at sea, Timothy finally returned to land, albeit Powderham Castle in England in 1892, where she remained the guest of several Earls of Devon before dying in 2004.

Jonathan, who lives on St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, is estimated to be the oldest tortoise alive today. Brought over from the Seychelles around the age of fifty in 1882, he is taken to be around 169 years old now. A British newspaper dug up an old photograph of Boer War prisoners dated 1900. Clearly visible in the shot is the gentle giant, Jonathan.

The incredible age that some tortoises can and do reach, must surely be the most mind-blowing of tortoise facts.

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