Egyptian tortoise care
The Egyptian tortoise is quite famous as pets because of its beautiful looks. It is known as golden beauties having desert life. It is also called as neck hiding tortoise and Negev tortoise. It is one of the endangered species of tortoises. If you are thinking of keeping them as pet then you should get only captive hatchlings. Egyptian tortoise can be stressed due to shipping, exposure to foreign pathogen and may die even after a lot of medical care. They are one of the smallest tortoises that can grow up to approx. 6 inches. Female Egyptian tortoises are larger than the male one. They can live up to 50 years or more. They are the native of Egypt as the name hints and are mostly found in Israel and Libya. It is important for owner to provide basic care to his pet Egyptian tortoise in order to make them feel comfortable. Some of the basic Egyptian tortoise care tips are mentioned below that will help you in keeping Egyptian tortoise as pet.
Egyptian tortoise care tips:
1. Egyptian tortoise food: the food of this tortoise should be high in fibers, low in proteins and rich in calcium. Healthy food should be served to Egyptian tortoise as that will ensure good growth with smooth functioning of the digestive tract. The Egyptian tortoise food should not contain any fruits as the sugar is harmful for them. Additional calcium supplements can be served along with D3 if they are being kept indoors.
2. Egyptian tortoise enclosure: these tortoises are well adapted to live in extreme conditions and they find it complex to live in the human world. The enclosure of Egyptian tortoise should be spacious enough so that they can feel comfortable in it. The size of the enclosure should be at least 3 feet by 2 feet for housing a single Egyptian tortoise. A larger enclosure will make your Egyptian tortoise pet happier and you can provide him with more hiding places. Proper housing that resembles the natural habitat should be provided to pet Egyptian tortoise. While purchasing enclosure for Egyptian tortoise, it is important for owner to keep the special needs of the tortoise in his mind as its life and health in captivity depends on the housing you provide. Avoid clear or opaque walls in the enclosure as it may give a hint of a world beyond the housing. Humidity level of 20-30 % should be kept in the enclosure as it works well and mimics its natural environment.
You should be very careful while dealing with Egyptian tortoise as they are endangered. You should not let them mix with other species as they tend to be very sensitive to diseases carried by other species.