What you need to know about your pet tortoise.

• Tortoises
• Primary Education
• Age 8-10

What you should know about your pet Tortoise!

Parts of a Tortoise

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

Types of tortoises

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

Which type of tortoise are Minty & Plat??

1. Galapagos tortoise
2. Desert tortoise
3. Red-footed tortoise
4. Texas tortoise

The Red-footed Tortoise

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.

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!

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.

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!!! 

Can a tortoise drown?

1. Yes
2. No

What is a tortoise's favorite snack?

1. Carrots
2. Grass
3. Lettuce
4. Hibiscus flowers

Extra nutrition

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

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)

What must ALWAYS be available for Minty & Plat?

1. Mazuri
2. Water
3. Fruit
4. Grass

See ya later!!

Let's keep Minty and Plat healthy and happy!