霍斯菲尔德陆龟饲养指南说明书

Horsfield

Tortoise

Husbandry

Guide

This guide is intended to give

an overview of key basic

requirements for your pet.

If you require more detailed

guidance, think your pet is

unwell, or would like specific

advice, please contact your

vet!

Fast Facts!

Some basic facts and needs for your Horsfield tortoise.

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Home Sweet Home!

Creating a mini wilderness for your

horsfield tortoise!

The Horsfield tortoise naturally inhabits dry hillside slopes from Russia

through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India to China. This small tortoise

seldom reaching more than 10cm in length is very well adapted to a dry

arid habitat. Although very closely related to Mediterranean species,

horsfield tortoises are very different and should be carefully managed as

more intolerant to wet weather. Our weather and climate are not suited to

what they need to stay healthy. Therefore, we must create a ‘mini-

climate’ for them in our home.

Many of the health conditions seen in pet horsfield tortoises can be traced

back to issues with their husbandry (environment and care).

Most tortoises are kept in tortoise tables. These tables are specially

designed to suit their needs, they allow for good ventilation which is

vital to your pets health. They must have sides high enough to prevent

escape. If you have other pets in the house a mesh lid is a good idea.

The minimum size table for a juvenile tortoise is 3ftx2ft with 20cm sides.

For adults the minimum size should be 4ftx8ft with 30cm side height.

This gives plenty of room for a healthy temperature gradient and for your

pet to explore.

If kept outside they must have an insulated area of shelter with a higher

temperature and UV provision available.

Your pet will need to have this home all to themselves –

they can fight and injure each other if kept together.

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Substrate

Substrate is the name for the floor

covering in your pets’ home.

Choosing the right substrate is very important. For tortoises we

recommended that a mix of reptile safe topsoil and play sand is used in

a 70:30 ratio.

This substrate allows moisture retention to maintain humidity and

allows for natural digging behaviours. Always use reptile-safe sand

such as clean children’s play sand rather than builders’ sand which has

sharp edges.

Sawdust or wood litter pellets are not recommended as they can be dusty

which can cause respiratory issues and also can accidentally be eaten

by your pet.

It is important to keep the substrate clean to ensure your pets’ health.

Spot cleaning any waste daily and removing uneaten food is essential.

The home should be cleaned with a reptile-safe disinfectant monthly too!

Make sure to wash your hands after cleaning and handling as reptiles can

carry Salmonella which can cause nasty stomach upsets in people.

‘Bioactive’ substrates can be implemented to use to keep your pet’s

home clean in a more ‘natural’ way. This should be implemented only

after research into the method.

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Lighting

Providing the correct lighting is essential

for your pet's home.

Tortoises use natural daylight to set their day and night patterns, in the

wild they would warm up and bask in the sun.

We aren’t quite so lucky with our sunshine here in the UK. Sunlight

contains visible light and ‘ultraviolet’ (UV) light. Horsfield tortoises can

see part of the UV light, called UVA, essential for their colour vision.

Another very important part is called UVB, which allows your pet to

make essential vitamin D3 in their skin. Vitamin D3 allows your pet to

store and use calcium, an essential mineral. UVB does not pass through

glass windows so placing the home near a window is not enough.

Instead, a reptile UVB lamp must be used inside your pets’ home.

Create a ‘photogradient’, from light to shade, by positioning your light

source close to the basking zone at one end of the table.

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Lighting

Providing the correct lighting is essential

for your pet's home.

Choose a 10% UVB fluorescent tube, at least one half of the table length,

and fix above the table as far into the hot end as possible.

UVB decreases with distance, so follow the UVB tube manufacturer’s

recommendations regarding distance between the lamp and your pet. UVB

is partially blocked by mesh, so you may need a stronger UVB bulb in

a taller tortoise table, or one with a mesh lid.

The cool end will then be more shaded, just as in the wild.

Use a reflector of the correct length to direct the light onto your pet. Follow

the UVB tube manufacturer’s recommendations regarding distance

between the lamp and your pet.

The UVB output decreases over time so the UVB output should be

checked regularly using an appropriate UV Index (UVI) meter

positioned at the level of the animal directed towards the UV lamp.

The bulb will need changing when the UV produced

is no longer high enough. UV lamps must always be

guarded to prevent burns, or injuries should the bulb

shatter.

Turn off all lights at night. Lamps can be controlled

using a simple plug-in timer: 12 hours on during the day

and 12 hours off at night.

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Heating and Humidity

Providing the correct heating and hydration

is essential for your pet's home.

Lower humidity is essential to prevent skin or breathing problems. It

should be measured in the cool end of your pets’ home and should

normally be around 40-50%. If it is too high, you will need more ventilation.

Tortoises cannot control their own body temperature like people can.

They rely on warming up in the sun in the wild to raise their temperature.

We must replicate the heat for them in their home. As above, with the

photo-gradient, we must also create a ‘thermo-gradient’ for them. This

means we must have a hot end and a cool end for your pet.

This gives your pet a choice of what temperature they would like to be

at. It is important these temperatures are checked every single day.

A digital 2-in-1 thermometer/hygrometer at each end of the home is

the best way to check your pet’s home is perfect!

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Heating continued

Providing the correct heating and hydration

is essential for your pet's home.

Horsfield tortoises need a basking zone in their hot end with

temperatures of 32-35⁰C. Position a 100-160 watt light bulb or ceramic

heater, or deep heat projector (DHP) at the hot end of their home

pointing downwards.

Place a natural stone in the basking zone to provide access to the heat.

Heat lamps must be guarded to prevent burns.

A thermostat must be used with all heat sources. Place the thermostat

probe at the level where the animal will sit. Adjust the thermostat

temperature and check the basking zone with a digital thermometer until it

reaches 32-35⁰C.

The cool end should be between 18-20⁰C. Some heat emitting bulbs will

also emit visible light, therefore will need to be turned off at night.

A temperature drop at night is natural however, the temperature should

not drop below 16⁰C at night. A thermostat and non-light emitting heat

source may be needed to maintain the air temperature whilst keeping

their home dark overnight. To do this a guarded ceramic heater or deep

heat projector (DHP) can be used.

Ideally your pet’s home should be set up at least a week

before you bring them home to ensure everything is

running smoothly.

8

Feeding

Horsfield tortoises are Herbivores!

In captivity Horsfield tortoises need to eat many plants and vegetables.

Packs of pre-packed suitable greens are available, or you can grow

these at home.

Safe greens for your Horsfield tortoise are:

CorianderBrussel Tops

Watercress

Rocket

DandelionGrasses

Curly Kale

Clover White Nettle

Honeysuckle

Spring GreensChickweed

For times when fresh food is not available (or for variety), there are pre-

made tortoise dried foods which can be used.

These should not be confused with commercial pellet (complete) type

foods. These pellet diets are high in proteins and artificial colourings which

are not recommended.

Foods such as carrot, pepper, cucumber, parsnip and courgette can be fed

occasionally as a treat.

Water

Tortoises may not drink from water bowls often as a lot of their moisture

is provided in their diet. However, a large, shallow dish must be

provided at all times in the cool end of their home with clean, fresh

water.

This must be replaced daily and as soon as it is soiled.

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Supplements

Supplements

Naturally diets in captivity do not provide

all the vitamins needed.

The captive environment does not supply all of the vitamins and

minerals available in the wild, so supplements are required.

These supplements can be sprinkled over each meal as per

manufacturer guidance. Vitamins and minerals can be overdosed so

always follow the instructions of the chosen brand.

For example, with a well-set UV system you will not need to supply a lot

of vitamin D3. You could also provide calcium rocks and cuttle fish

bones to help supplement this.

Trips to the vet

If your pet requires a trip to see a vet then it is important to

bring them in a secure container with ventilation. It is

also best to bring a heat source with you so their

temperature does not drop too low. This can be a

covered microwaveable heat disc or hot water bottle to

keep temperatures up.

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Handling

Handling your pet is a great way

to bond!

Never surprise or grab your tortoise as this can cause stress and lead to

a struggle. The tortoise should be gently scooped up with both hands so

all four legs are supported.

Alternatively you can hold them gently by the shell whilst lifting.

If your pet backs away from you or hiss when you try to pick it up or

threatens to bite, it’s better to leave them alone and wait for another time.

Do not move your tortoise around too much in the air as this causes

stress.

They should not be taken from their home for so long that their temperature

drops. Around 10 to 15 minutes at a time is a safe period for this,

depending on the air temperature.

Keep other pets separate, regardless of how trustworthy they have been

before.

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Enrichment

Your pet needs to feel safe in their

home.

In the wild Horsfield tortoises would hide from predators under rocks

and branches.

While in captivity they also will enjoy climbing some low level rocks when

basking/exploring.

It is important to provide a hide at each end of their home so they can

feel safe.

Branches/plants/extra levels can also be provided to allow your pet to

climb and explore.

If contained safely, such as in a secure pen, your horsfield tortoise can be

taken outdoors on bright summer days for some natural UV and

enrichment. In this case, ensure that your tortoise also has access to

shade and is supervised constantly.

Bathing

Tortoises need regular baths, 2-3 times a week for 10 minutes.

The water must be warm (32-34⁰C) and shallow so their head is not

submerged.

You can encourage drinking by slowly trickling water over their head.

This can help hydrate your pet and encourage them to defecate.

They must be supervised at all times.

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Hibernation

Some pets will become less interested

in food over winter.

In the wild, in the winter when temperatures drop, days become shorter and food

becomes scarce, reptiles will go into ‘energy saving mode’ (hibernation).

Many pets will not do this due to artificial lighting and constant temperatures

throughout the year in captivity. However, you may notice your pet eats less

and sleeps more over winter, they should not lose weight though, so it is

important to weigh them regularly.

Some owners prefer to let their tortoises hibernate. If you plan on doing this

we recommend a pre-hibernation vet check to ensure your tortoise is well

enough to hibernate. If they are well then some basic tips for hibernation are:

Not recommended for hatchlings

Encourage hibernation by feeding slightly less leading up to hibernation

then implement a 4 week starvation period before hibernation.

Start to reduce daylight hours and temperatures from October for 4

weeks 12 hours week 1, 8 hours week 2 etc then turn off heating

for week 4.

Weigh at the start of hibernation.

Having a safe secure place for hibernation – ideally a fridge so the

temperature remains constant (4-7⁰C) they must be checked daily.

Bathe daily for week 1 and 2 then every other day for week 3 prior to

hibernation to boost hydration

Total hibernation period should not exceed 20 weeks/3 months – ideally 2

months

Weigh and check them twice a week to check for signs of distress- if they

lose more than 10% of their bodyweight overall or 2% in a month

they must be woken up early

If they defecate or pass urates during hibernation then

allow them to wake up

If they wake up early, allow this, do not force back

into hibernation.

Consult your vet for more in-depth advise around

hibernation.

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MBD

Metabolic Bone Disease can be very

common in incorrectly housed pets.

One of the most common problems for captive reptiles is metabolic bone

disease, ‘MBD’, a term used to describe a range of nutritional diseases.

However, it is most often due to a lack of UVB lighting, resulting in

vitamin D3 deficiency. This prevents your pet absorbing calcium from

food, causing muscle weakness and softening of the bones.

Symptoms include muscle twitching, swollen legs, fragile bones and

eventually, permanently deformed limbs, jaws, shells, the spine or tail. This

is why it is so important to ensure your pet’s home and diet are

perfect.

Mildly affected reptiles can be treated successfully with improvements to

their diet including providing calcium and vitamin D supplements, and

proper access to the correct amounts of UVA/UVB.

For more advanced cases of MDB, treatment is far more invasive and

can include fluid therapy, bone splits, and multiple injections of

hormones, calcium and vitamin D.

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Female Tortoises

Infertile eggs can still be produced

even without a male present.

Female tortoises reaching adulthood may produce infertile eggs, even

without a male present. In the wild egg laying would be around the

spring and summer months.

If this happens, you may see nesting behaviour such as

kicking/digging with her back legs.

It is very important she is given a nest box of moist soil or a sand/soil

mixture to lay the eggs in, or she may become egg-bound. Try not to

disturb your tortoise during this time.

Horsfield tortoises are capable of producing 2-5 eggs a time so it is

important to monitor the number infertile eggs produced.

Please contact us if you are worried about your pet in this way.

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Health Checks

It is important to check your pet daily

for signs of illness, common things to

check are:

Skin

Ensure skin is not cracked and too dry no wounds or damaged areas.

Shell

Ensure no cracks or crumbly areas on the shell and scoots.

Vent/Cloaca

Check the vent is clean and dry and there is nothing abnormal protruding

from it. A tortoises’ droppings should be quite dry and will be made up from

faecal waste (the dark part) and urates, (the white part). They also can

urinate which is a clear liquid. It is a good idea to have regular faecal

samples tested to assess for parasite burden

Eyes

Ensure are clean and bright and open with no discharge

Mouth

No signs of sores, scabs or discharge. Beak not to overgrown and able to

eat normally.

Strength

Check your pet is able to support themselves and their limbs and spine are

nice and straight. They should be active and the belly should not

touch the floor, apart from when resting.

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Further Infomation

Always ensure you buy your pet from a

reputable breeder.

Sources

2021. Taking Care of Pet Tortoises. [ebook] The Tortoise Trust, pp.1-12.

Available at

> [Accessed 6 May 2021].

Girling, S. and Raiti, P., 2004. BSAVA manual of reptiles. 2nd ed. British

Small Animal Veterinary Association.

2014. HORSFIELD TORTOISE – CARESHEET BEGINNERS GUIDE.

[ebook] Norfolk Tortoise Club. Available at:

8a02c040f62cf1304960/11/HORSFIELD_BEGINNERS_GUI

> [Accessed 6 May 2021].

If you have any concerns do not

hesitate to contact your vet.

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