Common Pet Tortoises

Tortoises are very popular and Common pet tortoises are very interesting to watch. They are very distinctive from traditional pets like dogs or cats. When you decide to have a tortoise as a pet, you need to consider a lot of things beforehand.

See to it that your pet tortoise is captive bred and not from the wild. You may need to narrow down your options before you buy or adopt your pet tortoise. Check the various tortoises that are kept as common pet tortoises.

1. Leopard tortoise Common name: Leopard tortoise Scientific name: Geochelone pardalis pardalis, Geochelone pardalis babcocki Size and weight:- Leopard tortoises are one of the largest tortoises in the world They can reach a size of over 2 feet and can weigh over 100 pounds Some reach the size of 15-18 inches and weight of about 30-50 pounds Male Leopard tortoise is generally than his female counterpart You should always keep their gigantic size as adults when you plan to get a hatchling or baby tortoise. Size is the most common reason they are put up for adoption later Life span:- Like all other large tortoises, Leopard tortoise can live up to 100 years if cared for properly
2. Russian tortoise

   Russian tortoise is a good choice as a pet tortoise. It is one of the smallest tortoises and is available legally. The space and food requirements of Russian tortoise are related t it’s small size which is beneficial to the owner.

   Common names:
   1. Russian tortoise
   2. Afghanistan tortoise
   3. Steppe tortoise
   4. Central Asian tortoise
   5. Four toed tortoise
   6. Horsefield’s tortoise
   Scientific name: Agrionemys horsfieldii, testudo horsfieldii Life span: Around 50 years in captivity. It can live up to 100 years in the wild. Size and weight: The size of Russian tortoise is 4-8 inches on an average. Some can grow 8- 10 inches. An adult Russian tortoise can weigh up to 10 kilograms
3. Egyptian tortoise Other common names:
   1. Egyptian tortoise
   2. Neck hiding tortoise
   3. Negev tortoise
   Scientific name: Kleinmann’s tortoise Size: Egyptian tortoise is one of the smallest tortoises approximately 6 inches. Female tortoises are larger than their male counter part Life span: Egyptian tortoise may live up to 50 years or more
4. Desert tortoise or African spurred tortoise It is also called as African spur thigh tortoise, African tortoise, sulcata tortoise, desert tortoise and is found in southern edge of Sahara desert in North Africa. Its generic name is Geochelone sulcata.
   1. Geo means earth or land
   2. Chelone means tortoise
   3. Sulcata is from Latin meaning furrow and refer to the furrows on its scales
   Size and weight: Spurred tortoises are the largest of all mainland tortoises and may weigh 200 pounds. This could be because of the harsh natural habitat, Sahara that equips the spurred tortoise with the ability to grow rapidly. The hatchling is 6-10 inches and grows quickly in the first few years of their lives. The tortoise of 24-36 inches can weigh about 150 pounds Life span: Spurs can live up to about 80 years. The oldest known of this species was known to live 56 years