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After all, they are fairly low maintenance and there are about 250 different types to select from.
Before you decide to bring a tortoise home as a pet, however, it is important to know what to expect from your pet and how to properly take care of it.
Setting up a Home One of the first things you need to do before bringing home a pet tortoise is to set up a home for your new pet.
First, it is important to remember that tortoises breathe air through lungs, just like humans.
Although some may spend a great deal of time in the water, they still need to be able to come to surface in order to breathe are.
In addition, they need to be able to come out and soak up some sun.
Therefore, if you are keeping your tortoise indoors, you will need to set up an aquarium that offers a place for your pet to take a dip while also providing an area where it can climb and dry out.
Many pet shops sell special tortoise aquariums that contain a cross piece of glass that makes it possible to create a dry land area for your pet.
Feeding Your Pet Feeding a tortoise is actually easier than feeding most other pets, as they can generally go for quite some time without eating.
In fact, during the warmer months, a tortoise only needs to be fed about once or twice per week.
When it is time to feed your tortoise, however, you should feed finely cut fresh meat in the water rather than on dry land.
You should never feed cooked meat to your tortoise and you should remove any uneaten food in order to prevent spoiling.
Hibernating One special characteristic of tortoises is the fact that they go through a hibernation period that is an important part of their life cycle.
During this period of time, their heartbeats slow and their temperature is lowered.
While many hibernate in the water and bury themselves in the muddy bottom, others prefer to hide under leaves, bush or sand on the land.
Therefore, you need to be certain to provide your tortoise with a place to hibernate within your aquarium.
You will need to learn more about the tortoise you have selected in order to determine what type of hibernation area is necessary for your pet.
Handling Your Tortoise It is important to always handle your tortoise with care.
Unfortunately, tortoises are often handled roughly because they do not have an effective method for communicating pain or discomfort.
Unlike dogs and cats who can meow, whimper or even bite and claw, the tortoise does not have an effective means of communicating with its owner.
Therefore, be certain to always handle your tortoise with care and respect.
By taking the time to properly research your pet before you make a purchase, you will be able to set up a habitat for your tortoise that will allow you to both share a long and enjoyable life together.
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