Here's some info from South Africa : Leopard Tortoises in Captivity
A Keeper’s Guide
Mary Sadler-Altena
Geochelone pardalis) which is kept as a pet. Unfortunately many are put in inadequate enclosures and expected to live on a totally unsuitable diet.
It is of course against the law to keep reptiles in captivity without a permit and in happier instances the owner of a newly acquired tortoise will apply for one. An official from Nature Conservation will then make sure that the facilities in which the reptile is to be kept are adequate and that the captive will be fed a proper diet.
So what are the requirements?
First of all the enclosure. This should preferably comprise the whole garden, with its trees and shrubs and lawns and nooks and crannies for sleeping quarters. Leopard tortoises are very territorial and always go back to the same “bedroomâ€Â. Of course the fence must be such that the miniature tank cannot force its way out as it would do with post and rail. Keep in mind that tortoises seem to have no sense of self-preservation and will get irretrievably stuck sideways in a palisade fence if given half a chance. If the run of the garden is impractical, make the enclosure as securely fenced and as big as possible. Tortoises are wanderers and in the wild occupy a home range of from 1 to 3 square kilometres. Few sights are more pathetic than seeing one trudge endlessly around the perimeter of its pen in either dust or mud, compliments of the weather. If the base is sand, OK, but the drainage must be such that there is no danger of waterlogging on rainy days. The enclosure must have shelter and for the less ambitious landscaper a commercial doghouse will do just fine, provided the entrance is big enough. A more natural looking shelter of rocks and maybe tree stumps would of course be more pleasing aesthetically. But garden or pen, one vital feature of the tortoise’s domain is a swimming pool, incidentally a prerequisite for getting your permit. Leopard tortoises love to swim and, judging by the length of time they spend in the water, they need it. However, be prepared to clean often, for it will be extensively used as a water loo.
Diet: why some people think tortoises will thrive on a diet of lettuce leaves is a mystery, for where would they come by such fare in the wild? In the veld, the leopard tortoise will stuff its huge body with just about anything it comes across, be it grasses, succulents, aloes, fungi, wild fruits and berries, millipedes, snails, faeces (especially an hyena’s), reptile and birds’ eggs and the corpses of small animals such as frogs and mice. An average sized garden should have a stock of some of these, but must be complemented with seasonal fruit and chopped-up vegetables as well as protein in the form of canned pet food and dog meal. Raw eggs are a treat and should be given unless you have free-ranging chickens in which case the tortoise will help itself. And of course don’t let it loose in your prized flower beds. It loves flowers and a fussy eater may often be tempted with bright orange or yellow ones.
During the winter months the tortoise’s activity level will be very low and food should not be offered during the coldest months provided there is some grazing available.
Tortoises are said to be carriers of Salmonella bacteria and adequate hygiene should therefore be observed when handling them.
Also, any new arrival should be inspected for ticks and sprayed with a dip suitable for dogs/horses, as an engorged female tick will lay up to 3 000 eggs and quickly infest your garden.
With proper care leopard tortoises can live up to 70 – 75 years, reaching sexual maturity at 15. They readily breed in captivity and the clutch of 5 to 20 eggs are laid in a hole as deep as the female’s hind foot can dig, then refilled and tamped fast with the underside of the shell. After about a year, depending on the weather, the eggs will hatch and if the soil is soft enough the little ones can burrow to the surface, otherwise they will have to wait for a rainy day. The hatchlings weigh from 25 – 50 gram and are 40 – 50 mm long. In their natural environment they will at first feed mainly from cover to protect themselves from predators. If born in captivity, these small ones require much extra care of course, but the mortality rate won’t be nearly as high as it is in the wild.
Growth during the first years is slow. When they are about 7 years old they may weigh only up to l kg and after that their mass just about doubles every 2 – 3 years until maturity is reached.
Tortoises are prone to digestive upsets if fed the wrong kind of food, and have been known to run a fever, but are otherwise generally very healthy. As they become very tame, they can, if managed with common sense, be as much part of the family as the dog or cat and as much fun.
I think the swimming pool and dietary info is very interesting.
A Keeper’s Guide
Mary Sadler-Altena
Geochelone pardalis) which is kept as a pet. Unfortunately many are put in inadequate enclosures and expected to live on a totally unsuitable diet.
It is of course against the law to keep reptiles in captivity without a permit and in happier instances the owner of a newly acquired tortoise will apply for one. An official from Nature Conservation will then make sure that the facilities in which the reptile is to be kept are adequate and that the captive will be fed a proper diet.
So what are the requirements?
First of all the enclosure. This should preferably comprise the whole garden, with its trees and shrubs and lawns and nooks and crannies for sleeping quarters. Leopard tortoises are very territorial and always go back to the same “bedroomâ€Â. Of course the fence must be such that the miniature tank cannot force its way out as it would do with post and rail. Keep in mind that tortoises seem to have no sense of self-preservation and will get irretrievably stuck sideways in a palisade fence if given half a chance. If the run of the garden is impractical, make the enclosure as securely fenced and as big as possible. Tortoises are wanderers and in the wild occupy a home range of from 1 to 3 square kilometres. Few sights are more pathetic than seeing one trudge endlessly around the perimeter of its pen in either dust or mud, compliments of the weather. If the base is sand, OK, but the drainage must be such that there is no danger of waterlogging on rainy days. The enclosure must have shelter and for the less ambitious landscaper a commercial doghouse will do just fine, provided the entrance is big enough. A more natural looking shelter of rocks and maybe tree stumps would of course be more pleasing aesthetically. But garden or pen, one vital feature of the tortoise’s domain is a swimming pool, incidentally a prerequisite for getting your permit. Leopard tortoises love to swim and, judging by the length of time they spend in the water, they need it. However, be prepared to clean often, for it will be extensively used as a water loo.
Diet: why some people think tortoises will thrive on a diet of lettuce leaves is a mystery, for where would they come by such fare in the wild? In the veld, the leopard tortoise will stuff its huge body with just about anything it comes across, be it grasses, succulents, aloes, fungi, wild fruits and berries, millipedes, snails, faeces (especially an hyena’s), reptile and birds’ eggs and the corpses of small animals such as frogs and mice. An average sized garden should have a stock of some of these, but must be complemented with seasonal fruit and chopped-up vegetables as well as protein in the form of canned pet food and dog meal. Raw eggs are a treat and should be given unless you have free-ranging chickens in which case the tortoise will help itself. And of course don’t let it loose in your prized flower beds. It loves flowers and a fussy eater may often be tempted with bright orange or yellow ones.
During the winter months the tortoise’s activity level will be very low and food should not be offered during the coldest months provided there is some grazing available.
Tortoises are said to be carriers of Salmonella bacteria and adequate hygiene should therefore be observed when handling them.
Also, any new arrival should be inspected for ticks and sprayed with a dip suitable for dogs/horses, as an engorged female tick will lay up to 3 000 eggs and quickly infest your garden.
With proper care leopard tortoises can live up to 70 – 75 years, reaching sexual maturity at 15. They readily breed in captivity and the clutch of 5 to 20 eggs are laid in a hole as deep as the female’s hind foot can dig, then refilled and tamped fast with the underside of the shell. After about a year, depending on the weather, the eggs will hatch and if the soil is soft enough the little ones can burrow to the surface, otherwise they will have to wait for a rainy day. The hatchlings weigh from 25 – 50 gram and are 40 – 50 mm long. In their natural environment they will at first feed mainly from cover to protect themselves from predators. If born in captivity, these small ones require much extra care of course, but the mortality rate won’t be nearly as high as it is in the wild.
Growth during the first years is slow. When they are about 7 years old they may weigh only up to l kg and after that their mass just about doubles every 2 – 3 years until maturity is reached.
Tortoises are prone to digestive upsets if fed the wrong kind of food, and have been known to run a fever, but are otherwise generally very healthy. As they become very tame, they can, if managed with common sense, be as much part of the family as the dog or cat and as much fun.
I think the swimming pool and dietary info is very interesting.
