| Are you thinking of buying a tortoise to keep? If so | | | | will need to be strong enough to contain your pet as |
| there are a number of important things to consider. | | | | it will be able to climb over or bite its way through a |
| Caring for a tortoise takes some planning if you want | | | | small and flimsy structure. It is advisable to not build |
| to be successful as they may appear at first to be | | | | internal features close to the perimeter of the |
| an easy pet to care for. | | | | enclosure as your pet will climb over and on top of |
| Firstly, you will need to decide if a tortoise the right | | | | this to escape. This may be more of a problem when |
| pet for you to get. If you have researched your pet | | | | your pet is trying to find a mate! |
| of choice deeply enough you will find that even | | | | You will also have to consider how many animals you |
| though tortoises do appear to be quiet and requiring | | | | want to care for. Caring for tortoises when there is |
| little attention they do in fact require a considerable | | | | only one to care for is obviously easier than deciding |
| amount of care. Tortoises also need a lot of space | | | | to care for many different ones. Some species do |
| to be healthy. | | | | not live happily together and will fight each other. You |
| The size of enclosure for your pet depends on the | | | | have to understand the individual characteristics of |
| size the tortoise will grow to once it is fully grown. | | | | different species in order to mix and match. |
| As a general rule the enclosure should be at least 3 | | | | There is also the health of your tortoise to consider. |
| square yards for each 12 inch tortoise. This means | | | | If you have an established house with one healthy |
| you will require a 9 feet x 9 feet enclosure for your | | | | pet you may want to introduce another one. Firstly |
| pet if it is 12 inches long! This is the size of a small | | | | you will need to establish the new pet is healthy |
| room and you will need to think carefully about how | | | | before you put it into the tortoise enclosure. If you |
| you are able to accommodate this size in your family | | | | introduce an unhealthy tortoise you may infect your |
| home. | | | | other one. This means you will have to quarantine |
| Caring for a tortoise requires an understanding of | | | | your new pet for a number of weeks before you |
| how they like to live. They do not like to be on show | | | | put it with your established one. Of course this will |
| all the time so you will have to make enough hiding | | | | require you providing a suitable enclosure for this |
| places in their home for them to hide away!. If you | | | | tortoise too! |
| decide you want to build a glass tortoise vivarium to | | | | Caring for a tortoise is perhaps more involved than at |
| care for it you may want to consider covering three | | | | first seems apparent. However, if I have not |
| sides of the tank to allow it to hide. You will also | | | | dissuaded you so far tortoise make excellent pets |
| need to provide enough material inside the enclosure | | | | and caring for a one can give you hours of |
| for your pet to burrow. A wooden tortoise enclosure | | | | satisfaction as they are fascinating creatures! |