Mediterranean Tortoises:

In the UK the weather is wetter and cooler than that of the Mediterranean. Tortoises need many hours of sunshine in order to function, so you will need a heated tortoise table or outdoor enclosure for use on cold days when it’s inappropriate for your tortoise to be outside.

Want to build your own outdoor tortoise enclosure, but not quite sure where to start?

If so, click on the link to the right of the page to see a detailed step by step guide including photos of how we built our outdoor tortoise accommodation. Please feel free to email us if you have any questions about this.

Indoors

Tortoise tables are much more effective than Vivariums because they allow correct airflow and do not allow too much humidity to build up. Mediterranean species do not do well when housed in vivarium type setups and are therefore not recommended. Vivariums produce very poor ventilation and humidity combined with constant high temperatures which can contribute to a number of illnesses, the main one being RNS (Runny Nose Syndrome). Tortoises roam vast distances so allow them to have as much space as possible. Use rocks and logs as obstacles as it provides a good way to help keep your tortoises active in body and in mind. You can also incorporate plants into your tortoise table for your tortoises to graze on. Your aim is to try and mimic their habitat as they would come across it in the wild. Tortoises are strong and determined escapees, so make sure the enclosure will not allow them to venture out. Tortoise tables are fairly simple to construct, or you can buy readily made ones on the internet. A lot of people choose to construct their own from timber as this allows them to customize it to their own tortoises needs. Below is a picture of a tortoise table that we bought from the internet. It is ideal as you can hang your UVB bulb and ceramic heater from the overhead bars. It also has the flexibility where you can take it outdoors and use the two tier system.

We have an indoor tortoise table setup which consists of a Powersun UVB source at one end of the table and also a ceramic heater to supply additional heat on those colder nights. The ceramic heater is controlled via a thermostat where the lower temperature set points are different for the daytime as to what they are for the night. The UVB bulb is also controlled via a timer which is programmed to be on between 10-12 hours a day. We've placed two min/max thermometers in the tortoise table, one at the cool end and one at the hot end of the table to enable accurate temperature monitoring. One of the first things we did was to make our own tortoise hut to fit the width of the table where our torts could go to cool down and sleep. The hut also benefits from a lift off lid so that you can get easy access to your torts should you need to. Below is an outline drawing of the hut we designed. We were originally going to build this from Perspex but decided to go with conti-board in the end.

Keep your tortoises outdoors as much as possible. Unfortunately due to our variable weather and low UV levels here in the UK, we do have to rely on artificial basking and UVB sources. UV lighting is very important for the healthy development of hatchling tortoises and careful consideration should be taken into the way in which you provide it. We personally opted for a UV/heat combined mercury vapour lamp. The two types of UV bulbs we find very effective are the ‘Powersun 100W’ and the ‘Megaray 100W’ mercury vapour bulbs. These are far superior to any other form of UV light currently on the market as they emit ideal amounts of heat and light which is essential for tortoises.

Outdoors

Hatchlings:

Hatchlings are very small and run the risk of getting lost in your garden. Until they grow a bit bigger, you can construct an outdoor pen which can put outside when the weather is nice. This way they aren't hemmed inside all the time and they will still get to endure the natural elements of outside. Below is a picture of an outdoor pen which we made. Because the hatchlings are so small and vulnerable, we have made the pen so that it's predator and weatherproof.

Adults:

Your aim should be to provide accommodation where your tortoise can come and go when it likes. Due to our unpredictable British weather, it is advisable to construct an out building or greenhouse where there is a hatch to allow your tortoise access to a heated area when the weather is bad. Again, controlled use of UV lamps and heaters are required with which ever method of outdoor accommodation you choose. It must remain water tight and the temperatures must be monitored regularly. Most people who opt for an outbuilding / shed accommodation tend to fully insulate the walls and floor as this helps to prevent heat loss and dampness. Ideally, your tortoise needs to have access to an area of lawn, soil and paved area so they can bask in the summer. They also love hiding places, i.e. plant pots and shrubs.

At the same time it is also important to think about the security factors when housing your tortoises outdoors. The main risk area to consider is attack from predators. Ensure you have taken all precautions to seal off the grounds where your tortoises are going to reside. Secondly, theft is another risk which is increasingly becoming a problem. We suggest everyone takes appropriate measures to secure your garden / grounds and don’t advertise to everyone that you have tortoises.

Substrate

We use a substrate mix of 40% sand and 60% soil as it is more closely matched to their natural habitat. Another good alternative to soil is Irish Moss Peat, but is becoming harder to find in your local garden centres now. Always make sure that you give at least a good two inches in depth so that your tortoises can bury. Hemp used to be a popular substrate amongst tortoise keepers until it was recently reported that it can be harmful and dangerous. The hemp has sharp splinters which can embed into your tortoises eye’s or can even get digested causing deep penetrative injuries. Because of this, we recommend that you do not use hemp as a substrate. Also avoid substrates such as alfalfa pellets which are high in protein and not good for tortoises if ingested. Equally, do not use newspaper as this does not allow the tortoise to dig.