What you need to know about your pet tortoise.

What you should know about your pet Tortoise!
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TortoisesPrimary EducationAge 8-10

This lesson contains 16 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

Items in this lesson

What you should know about your pet Tortoise!

Slide 1 - Slide

Parts of a Tortoise

Slide 2 - Slide

The Tortoise
  • Land-dweller (terrestrial)
  • Chunky feet
  • Heavy and thick carapace 
  • Dome-shaped pattern
  • Herbivore
  • No shedding from scutes
  • Longer life span
  • Can hide inside their carapace

Slide 3 - Slide

Types of tortoises
  • There are about 49 types of tortoises. 
  • The most common tortoises on Aruba are.....



Slide 4 - Slide

Which type of tortoise are Minty & Plat??
A
Galapagos tortoise
B
Desert tortoise
C
Red-footed tortoise
D
Texas tortoise

Slide 5 - Quiz

The Red-footed Tortoise

Slide 6 - Slide

What you should know about Minty and Plat!!
  • They're originally from South America.
  • They favor a heavy forested and humid habitat.
  • They are primarily herbivores, but sometimes eat small animal matter.
  • A healthy tortoise can live up to 80 years.
  • A male tortoise has an inward curving on its plastron.

Slide 7 - Slide

Caring for Minty and Plat
  • They prefer NOT to be handled regularly because they are easily stressed which can lead to a decline in activity and their health.
  • They do not have any teeth but can still bite.
  • Tortoises can spread a bacteria called Salmonella, so you must always wash your hands after handling Minty & Plat.
  • Keep them away from surfaces where food is prepared or eaten!

Slide 8 - Slide

Daily caring:

  • Disinfect and rinse their feeding dishes properly.
  • Give fresh drinking water.
  • Water to walk into should always be available.
  • Feed at the same time in the morning.
  • Clean up their fecal waste.
  • Moisten their habitat.

Once a week:

  • Soak in shallow water for 20 minutes. Their head MUST remain above water to avoid drowning.
  • Scrub their carapace with a soft toothbrush.
  • Give extra nutrition: Mazuri pellets.
  • Clean their habitat.
  • Check their health status.

Slide 9 - Slide

Fresh leavy greens:

  • Iceberg lettuce
  • Rucola
  • Endive
  • Romaine lettuce
              
             Never feed spinach,
         broccoli, or cauliflower!  
Fresh vegetables & fruit:

  • Carrots
  • Sweet potato
  • Papaya
  • Figs
                Only 1x per week!!! 

Slide 10 - Slide

Can a tortoise drown?
A
Yes
B
No

Slide 11 - Quiz

What is a tortoise's favorite snack?
A
Carrots
B
Grass
C
Lettuce
D
Hibiscus flowers

Slide 12 - Quiz

Extra nutrition
A tortoise in captivity should be given extra nutrition once a week. 

Slide 13 - Slide

Check your pet tortoise's health
A healthy tortoise will have:
  • Clear eyes
  • No discharge from eyes, nose or mouth
  • Clean fecal vent
  • No pyramiding carapace (MBD)

Slide 14 - Slide

What must ALWAYS be available for Minty & Plat?
A
Mazuri
B
Water
C
Fruit
D
Grass

Slide 15 - Quiz

See ya later!!

Let's keep Minty and Plat healthy and happy!

Slide 16 - Slide