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Tortoise: lifespan, size, diet and care

Lives50–100 years
Lives bestoutdoors in the warm months, safely fenced
Spaceabout 10 m² (108 sq ft) outdoors per tortoise, with shade and shelter
Foodwild weeds, flowers and grass; little supermarket produce
What few people know

It can outlive you: 50 to 100 years. Indoors it needs a UVB lamp every day, because glass blocks UVB.

What the law says

In the EU the three European tortoises (Testudo hermanni, graeca and marginata) are in Annex A of the wildlife trade rules: in Italy, buying or selling one, even as a swap, needs a certificate from the Carabinieri CITES units, plus a microchip and a declaration of possession.

Take the quiz: is it right for you?

How big it is

An adult has a shell up to 23 cm (9 in) long.

Zoomed ×8: here you see the man up to 23.8 cm (9 in) off the ground

Manup to 23.8 cm (9 in) off the ground
Red-eared slidershell 29 cm (11 in)Hamsterlong (head and body) 18 cm (7 in)Tortoiseshell 23 cm (9 in)Leopard geckolong 25 cm (10 in)Tarantulalegs spread 15 cm (6 in)
  1. Red-eared slidershell 29 cm (11 in)
  2. Hamsterlong (head and body) 18 cm (7 in)
  3. Tortoiseshell 23 cm (9 in)
  4. Leopard geckolong 25 cm (10 in)
  5. Tarantulalegs spread 15 cm (6 in)

All the pets next to a person

Before it arrives

  • An outdoor pen of at least 10 m² (108 sq ft) per tortoise, with a wall at least 45–50 cm (18–20 in) high and buried 10–15 cm (4–6 in), shade and a waterproof shelter in the sun
  • An indoor enclosure of at least 180 × 120 cm (6 × 4 ft) for one tortoise, with soil and soft sand at least 5 cm (2 in) deep
  • A basking lamp for a 35 °C (95 °F) spot and a UVB lamp less than 30 cm (12 in) away; the rest at 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) by day and 15 °C (59 °F) at night
  • A timer: 12 hours of light in winter, 13 in spring and fall, 14 in summer
  • A shallow water dish to drink and bathe in
  • Pesticide-free wild weeds (dandelion, clover, plantain) and cuttlebone
  • No gravel, wood shavings, alfalfa pellets, calcium sand or cat litter
  • A reptile vet, who will also check it before brumation

Its home: temperature and light

Basking spot
35 °C (95 °F)
Cool side
20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
At night
15–22 °C (59–72 °F)
Humidity
30–50%
Light
12–14 hours a day
UVB lamp
needed

What it eats and how often

wild weeds, flowers and grass; little supermarket produce

  • Juveniles: every day
  • Adults: every 2 days

Mostly pesticide-free wild weeds and flowers: dandelion, clover, plantain, chickweed, sow thistle, white dead-nettle. Very little fruit; no peas or green beans (too much protein), no cabbage, broccoli or spinach; no lettuce. Calcium: cuttlebone grated over the food; vitamin and mineral powder on the food 2–3 times a week (the RSPCA says a light sprinkle every day). Clean water at all times, in a shallow dish.

Vaccines and checkups

None: reptiles don't need vaccines.

A checkup at the vet every year. With a reptile vet.

The care calendar

What to do, from the most frequent to the least.

  • every dayFresh waterClean water at all times, in a shallow dish it can also bathe in.
  • every 2 daysGreens and weedsSuch as dandelion, clover and plantain. Young tortoises every day.
  • every 3 daysCalcium and vitaminsAs a powder, on the food, 2–3 times a week; cuttlebone or calcium always available.
  • every 2 weeksWeigh-inDuring brumation weigh it every 1 to 2 weeks: it should lose at most 1% of its weight a month. The rest of the year, keep a weight record.
  • every 6 monthsUVB lampOn every day like natural daylight, less than 30 cm (12 in) from the tortoise: replace it when the brand says.
  • every yearYearly check-upWith a reptile vet.

Call the vet right away if…

If you see one of these signs, call your vet now: don’t wait for it to pass.

  • Bubbles or discharge from the nose, wheezing, or mucus around the mouth
  • Hasn't eaten for a week while active (apart from the month before brumation)
  • After brumation it doesn't start eating, seems not to see, or walks in circles
  • During brumation it loses clearly more than 1% of its weight in a month, or passes urine
  • Soft or misshapen shell, or blood in the droppings

Ate something dangerous? What to do now

Frequently asked questions

How long does a tortoise live?

Usually 50–100 years.

How big is a tortoise?

An adult has a shell up to 23 cm (9 in) long.

How much does a tortoise weigh?

We have no adult weight for this pet from a vet source: what matters is that its weight stays steady.

What does a tortoise eat, and how often?

Wild weeds, flowers and grass; little supermarket produce. Mostly pesticide-free wild weeds and flowers: dandelion, clover, plantain, chickweed, sow thistle, white dead-nettle. Very little fruit; no peas or green beans (too much protein), no cabbage, broccoli or spinach; no lettuce. Calcium: cuttlebone grated over the food; vitamin and mineral powder on the food 2–3 times a week (the RSPCA says a light sprinkle every day). Clean water at all times, in a shallow dish. Juveniles: every day; adults: every 2 days.

Does a tortoise need vaccines?

None: reptiles don't need vaccines.

When should a tortoise see a vet right away?

Right away if you see one of these signs: bubbles or discharge from the nose, wheezing, or mucus around the mouth; hasn't eaten for a week while active (apart from the month before brumation); after brumation it doesn't start eating, seems not to see, or walks in circles. The others are above, in “Call the vet right away if…”.

How old is a tortoise in human years?

There’s no serious human-years chart for a tortoise: the ones online don’t cite sources. What counts is where it is in its life: its senior years start at about 37.5 to 75 years old.

Tools for your tortoise

Age and life stageWhat and how much it eatsWhat it can eatVaccines and checkupsWhen to call the vetHow big it is, next to a person

Always ask your vet: this site helps you understand, it doesn’t replace a checkup.

Sources