| If you are looking for a truly amazing and intriguing | | | | Believe it or not, tortoises can actually be quite active |
| pet, you might want to consider purchasing a | | | | in terms of burrowing or even climbing. Therefore, |
| tortoise. At the same time, it is important to note | | | | when creating a pen for your tortoise, you will need |
| that tortoises do require following special dietary | | | | to make certain it is strong enough to withstand a |
| guidelines and other special care. Therefore, before | | | | climbing tortoise. You may also need to put a roof on |
| you head out the pet store and bring home a cute | | | | your pen in order to prevent escape. Similarly, you |
| little tortoise, be sure to learn more about the | | | | may need to bury your fencing in order to prevent |
| species you are purchasing and whether or not you | | | | your tortoise from burrowing and escaping from |
| are truly prepared to care for it. | | | | under the cage. |
| Considering the Size | | | | Considering Predators and Other Safety Issues |
| Many people fail to realize just how big most | | | | Since providing your tortoise with plenty of space to |
| tortoises become. It is easy to be fooled by the size | | | | roam will likely result in keeping it outdoors, you will |
| of the tortoises you see in the pet store, as many | | | | also have a number of safety issues to consider. For |
| are quite young and small. Even the larger ones you | | | | example, keeping your tortoise outside in a pen |
| find in the pet stores may seem to be a reasonable | | | | without a roof will leave it susceptible to predators. In |
| size, but most species of tortoise grow to be very | | | | addition, you should provide your tortoise with some |
| large. Therefore, you will need to create a large pen | | | | sort of shelter where it can go to get warm if it |
| for your tortoise to enjoy. For this reason, many | | | | gets too cold outside, such as a heated doghouse |
| tortoise owners create outdoor pens for their pets. | | | | within your pen. |
| If you live in an area with cold and snowy winters, | | | | You also need to look out for other potential hazards |
| however, your tortoise will not be able to stay | | | | within your tortoise's pen. Poisonous plants or small |
| outdoors throughout the entire year, which means | | | | objects could harm or even kill your tortoise if |
| you will need to have an indoor pen for your tortoise | | | | ingested. Similarly, high levels of water can be a |
| as well. | | | | danger to your tortoise. So, while it is essential to |
| Considering the Lifespan | | | | keep a supply of water in your tortoise's cage, you |
| When properly cared for, most tortoises will live | | | | also need to be certain that all water kept in the pen |
| anywhere from 50 to 100 years. Therefore, it is | | | | is shallow. |
| actually possible that your tortoise will outlive you! | | | | Keeping a tortoise as a pet can be very fun and |
| Since the lifespan of the tortoise is so long, you need | | | | interesting, but be certain you know what you are |
| to realize that you are taking on a serious | | | | getting yourself into before you make a purchase. |
| commitment when you decide to purchase a tortoise. | | | | That way, you can be certain you and your pet will |
| Considering Tortoise Activity | | | | be happy together for a very long time! |