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Male Horsefield Tortoise CB22

Horsefield tortoises come from Central Asia and around mountain areas on the edge of Russia. In the wild they bask in the sun hot temperatures with high UVB. They require both Heat and UVB in captivity which takes the form of a basking lamp and UVB tube, or a dual Heat & UVB bulb along with a Calcium +D3 supplement powder

Horsefield tortoises require a diet of dark leafy greens with the occasional tomato treat once every week or so. It is important that they are not fed watery veg like cucumber, peppers and tomato’s often as they disrupt the bowels. This can cause watery stool, as well as not providing the essential vitamins your tortoise needs

You may enjoy taking your tortoise out during the peak summer heat, we recommend minimising this time to 15-30 minutes so that your tortoise doesn’t get cold. Be ware of wild plants which may be poisonous to your pet.

Caring for your Tortoise

There are a few different types of tortoise enclosure available which are based around a table or a vivarium style. Depending on the size of your tortoise when you buy it, you may wish to choose a vivarium set up to ensure that the small tortoise received the heat it needs. Placing small tortoises in a table set up can make it difficult to provide the heat that they require due to the lack of control of the air temperature. If you have other pets, you may decide a vivarium is more suitable so that your tortoise is not distrubed.

Table options are nice as they allow you to interact with the tortoise. You should ensure to measure your temperatures regularly and when weather changes affecting the ambient temperature in order for the tortoise to get all the heat it needs. Horsefield tortoises also need UVB which can be in the form of a tube for vivarium set ups or a dual D3/heat bulb for table set ups. You can use a thermostat for heat mats, bulbs and ceramics. You cannot use a thermostat on a mercury vapour bulb.

There are a range of substrates available for your tortoise which are an option of absorbent lignocel and aspen beddings. There is also a choice of tortoise life bio substrate which is highly absorbent and completely natural.  Provide fairly shallow water and food bowls to allow your tortoise to access the contents. Provide a hiding space for your tortoise and plenty of substrate for it to dig and bury at night. You may need to provie a heat mat in winter to offer additional heat. You can also use a larger heat lamp or rock can be provided in a vivarium set up.

For more information about our tortoises for sale or for any other questions about our livestock, please contact us.