Welcome to Tiny Tortoises - Tortoise Sanitary

It is important that everyone washes their hands in soap and water, then immediately followed with an Anti-bacterial hand gel (benzalkonium chloride based product preferably) before and after handling a tortoise.

When cleaning out your tortoise table, always use an appropriate sterilising solution that is safe for your tortoises. Always sterilise your tortoises food slate and water dish as this will minimise any risk of infections. Never re-use or put down old food to your tortoises, especially if you keep other species.

Always try and keep on top of your tortoises faeces by removing them on a regular basis between substrate changes.

HOW TO QUARANTINE YOUR SICK TORTOISE!

This is for anyone who is not quite sure on each step you will need to take when your tortoise needs to be in quarantine! i.e. If they have Runny Nose Syndrome.

1) Take your tortoise away from any other torts and keep in a table on its own. If in the house I would also say to keep in a different room to the other torts as well so they are not sharing the same air supply.

2) Outdoor enclosures, when stepping into a one that has a contagious tortoise, clean your shoes with disinfectant

3) Always wash hands with anti-bacterial soap (again benzalkonium chloride based preferably) or sanitizer EVERY time!! you handle the tort! or you could use disposable gloves.

4) If you think any bodily fluids of any kind has got on your cloths , change them before going near any other tort or pet!

5) Sterilise there water pot every day and slate that you feed them on, using boiling water or a tortoise safe disinfectant!

6) When your tortoise is better, thoroughly sterilise there indoor and outdoor enclosure and put fresh substrate in and fresh bedding, you wouldn’t want to re-catch the illness through a dirty home.