That makes them hefty and fun to care for without being too big for most adults to handle. Tortoises naturally roam and forage long distances throughout their day, so it is essential that your enclosure is large enoughto suit their size and activity needs. An adult needs a minimum of 1 square meter (10.7 square feet) of housing. Definitely not something you should purchase if you can’t house a large tortoise, so make sure you do your research on housing needs for something this large. A well balanced diet can ensure proper shell growth in a tortoise. Provide an enclosure at least 2 feet by 4 feet, with sand/soil as a substrate, ideally deep enough to allow burrowing. Definitely one of the more interesting-looking tortoises, the pancake tortoise sports a crazy flat body and shell that is flexible instead of strong and stiff. The sulcata tortoise can reach two and a half feet in length and eighty to a hundred and ten pounds. Some tortoises just grow faster than others, and torts are just slowpokes in the growth department. What is the Best Type of Tortoise to Get for a Pet? I have a lot of experience with torts however i have never dealt with rescue or mistreated torts. 100% FREE easy care guide, works for any Horsefield Tortoise. The two major tortoises are the Sri Lankan and Indian stars; however, the only real difference is in their size. You would need to get a license from your government allowing you to purchase and keep such an animal. Yellow-footed tortoises will be similar in size and build. The fourth largest tortoise in the world, the Burmese mountain tortoise has a lot of other common names. For the details, read on below the table! While certainly not the smallest tortoise out there, this tortoise is one of the smallest that you can get as a pet. The Indian star tortoise averages at about 4.9 pounds when fully grown, which is a fairly robust tort. Others will need more effort on your part and much, much more space. What’s important is that you know what size you might expect from any tortoise. After one year, the smaller was 78 grams, or 2.7 ounces, and 82.56mm (3.22 inches), with the twin reaching 82.04mm (3.25 inches). Hold a tape measure level above your tortoise’s shell—don’t follow the curve of the shell—and “eyeball” the length in either inches or centimeters. Hatching at 2.4 inches and weighing in at eighty grams, these cute little babies will grow up into a truly massive tortoise. The largest recorded star tortoise was about fifteen inches long, though a size that large does not seem to be very common, depending on the variant you have. They can have a life span of 75 years, or even more if properly cared for. That’s a lot of tort! Their fast growth and maturation is one of the selling points for this breed, as people can be a bit impatient for the slow-growing breeds to reach full maturity. This tortoise is stunning in every sense of the word. The world’s third largest tortoise and possibly one of the most popular large tortoises you can get as a pet, the sulcata tortoise is an absolute darling. Oftentimes, people will buy one of the one and a half to two-inch long babies not realizing that it is a sulcata. They go by the Asian brown tortoise, Asian forest tortoise, Burmese black tortoise, and the Burmese brown tortoise. The females are a bit wider and more round-looking than the males, which helps set them apart. This is why this breed enjoys a dry environment with temperatures of 75*F to 85*F (24*C -29*C) and a basking area in the low 90s (32*C). The elongated tortoise is a fantastic species for many people, especially those in colder climates and can house an adult around a foot long. 4 Females grow slightly larger than the males and males have a slightly longer tail that is tucked to the side. There are minor differences between them but to the trained eye you should be able to tell. No bigger than a baseball after hatching, this tortoise can grow to be a hundred pounds and two feet long. On the other hand, male horsefield tortoises are approximately 15-20 centimeters long. A baby will require a 1m long enclosure to live in. This video will show you the ideal tortoise table setup and also explain some basic care for the horsfield/russian tortoise When they first hatched, one was a mere 4 grams in weight, or 0.14 ounces, with its larger twin residing at 11 grams, or 0.38 ounces. In this article, we will cover the size details of as many tortoise breeds as possible. Small tortoises for sale. One of the best aspects of the Russian tort is their relaxed and friendly temperament. Sorry, newbies. Yet, the babies are out there and available as captive-bred if you’re up for the challenge. The Horsefield tortoise is a small tortoise, ranging from about 15 to 25 cm in size. Hiding spot: A hiding spot can be made out of anything like a container turned upside down with cut out entrance or a small dog house. They are considered excellent pets for their interest in humans, and are known to react to them favorably. They may quickly grow to full adult size, or near-adult size, within months to a year, provided the proper care is given. At minimum this container should be 50-gallon (189-L) for one tortoise, however an enclosure measuring at least 1.2 m (4 ft) by 0.6 m (2 ft) and 30-36 cm (12-14 in) high is preferable. Unfortunately, this tiny tortoise is endangered and not available as a pet. They can get about eleven pounds at maturity, and the males are a little smaller by one or two inches typically. These popular torts can weigh between two to three pounds. Hatching at roughly a few centimeters in size, they are about the size of a quarter. The smallest tortoise we have found is the speckled padloper, for example. You will likely need to purchase a license, and as always, be sure you’re buying from a reputable reptile breeder. The hatchlings are roughly one to two inches in size and can grow to be fourteen inches in length. Tortoise size chart. He advised me to take them to the vet if they didn't put weight on etc and that they wouldn't grow if the environment was poor and their diet etc. There are three known geographical variations of the star tortoise, with the northern India and Pakistan variants being larger and darker than the others. © 2017 Horsefield Tortoise. These tortoises are roughly one to two inches in length upon hatching. On the other hand, the Indian star tortoise will be around two inches shorter. The female Egyptian tortoise will get around five inches in length and 400 grams. Once the tortoise is in place, facing the wall, touch the nose so that the head retracts. These little fellas grow to be 2.4 inches to 3.1 inches in size for the males and 3.9 inches for the females. The good news is that you can work your way up to this level and treat yourself to a pet Egyptian tortoise when you’ve mastered their care! The adults do well in slightly cooler environments as they originate in heavily wooded areas. Generally, the Sri Lankan star tortoise will reach ten inches for the females and seven inches for males. Females average at eight inches and males at five inches. Small tortoises like Horsefield/Russians do well with either just coco coir or a mix of coco coir and orchid/fir bark. Ten to eighteen inches seems to be a fairly standard size, but the Stigmachelys Paradalis Paradalis may reach twenty-four inches in size. This species is native to Madagascar and one of four of the smaller species that inhabits that area. Testudo marginata - Similar growth rates to T.h.b from birth, but accelerating at a faster rate as the months go on to obtain their larger adult size. The Russian tortoise is a wonderful and easy to find tortoise in the pet trade. Mature size and weight are important, but since tortoises grow slow, you can usually get away with a smaller enclosure for the first few years of life. The major differences of these torts are their localities and slight color and scale variation. Within five to ten years they have a huge tortoise tank ripping up their house and yard. Most of the female tortoise reach a maximum length of approximately 20 centimeters. That said, it is recommended that you do not power feed your tortoise to get it growing faster. Sandy oil and oyster shell is the ideal. Care Cheat Sheet. These little sweethearts are a fantastic addition to many tortoise collections, and they boast a rather great personality to go with those looks too. Adults need a large room size enclosure. Everyone knows that cats have varying sizes, and birds, too, but what of reptiles? That means if you don’t have the space, time, or knowledge to take care of a huge shell puppy for the rest of your life, you should probably skip this breed. Females Horsefield tortoise is only a bit larger in size. This tortoise is pretty active, which makes it truly fun to watch. The gender is a factor as well, since the females are the larger of the species. Sometimes it’s health and environment that can affect the size, and sometimes it’s purely the breed dictating it. For example, female desert tortoises (native to the southwestern U.S.) grow to an average length of 7–8 in (18–20 cm). Due to this tortoise’s active nature and knack for climbing their enclosure walls and furnishings, creating a safe habitat may be a bit pricier. These little fellas grow to be 2.4 inches to 3.1 inches in size for the males and 3.9 inches for the females. Video courtesy of the Auckland Zoo. Many Russian tortoises weigh in around three pounds at full adult size. Separate enclosures may be required for each sex. There are many different types of tortoises suited to life as domestic pets. The first 10 years of your pets life is when most of their growth will occur but although this sounds like a long time period, preparation is key in keeping these species suitably. The Hermann’s tortoise is a common and well-loved species for newer tortoise owners. Both male and females grow to be six to seven inches long and one and a half inches thick. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Horsefield Tortoise Setup & Enclosure . Hi i’m the proud moma of 2 Horsefield torts who are 7 and 12 and a Hermann tort who is 5. The Egyptian tortoise male can get to be four inches long and 105 grams. Females of the Hermann’s tortoise species can be about twelve percent bigger than the males. Not only are they tough to get legally, they are quite expensive to purchase. A Habitat for the Horsfield's or Russian Tortoise. This is one tortoise type that has sub-species with varying sizes, so make sure you know which one you’re getting. This, of course, varies on the species of tortoise that you get, where it came from in the world, and its health as it grows. They can be seven pounds in weight. As with most, they are herbivores and enjoy grasses and other sources of vegetation. The upside to the pancake tortoise is that it’s great for many people interested in reptiles that are just as unique as them. Power feeding will cut down the life expectancy of the tortoise, regardless of species. Hatchlings are around one inch in length. There are many factors that contribute to the final size of a Horsefield tortoise. Males will be on the smaller side, a difference of one to two and a half inches, and females on the larger side. The The British Chelonia Group provide care sheets which details the sizes that various tortoise species can grow to. That’s a bit bigger than some of the torts we’ve mentioned already, but their weight shouldn’t be a deterrent. Weigh the tortoise in grammes.Measure the straight carapace length (SCL) in centimetres (for information on how to weigh and measure your tortoise correctly CLICK HERE). Don’t let the small size fool you. When you know the expected size at adulthood, you can plan accordingly to make sure your tortoise has enough room for healthy growth and a long life. Don’t panic though; they don’t actually have two extra legs to worry about. Bigger still is the giants of Ethiopia and Somalia, reaching thirty inches. This tortoise has attractive markings and colors, making it a rather popular choice of medium to large tortoises in the pet trade. The Russian tortoise, also know as the Horsefield tortoise, is small in size and ranges from 13 to 25 cm in length which is equal to around 5 to 10 inches. Over the course of two years, their owner continued to make a note of their lengths and weights. They can grow six to seven inches, however. The care of Tortoises — Horsfields, Hermanns, Spur-thighed & Red Foot Housing Glass, Wood or Plastic vivaria or tortoise table. Otherwise, their growth and needs are very similar; they are technically the same species after all. Depending on how much and how frequently you feed your tortoise, its growth rate will vary. Many can easily fit in the palm of your hand. This species of tortoise is very sociable with humans and make wonderful pets. Tortoises are measured by straight-line carapace (shell) length. Poor husbandry and diet can also permanently stunt your tortoise’s growth or cause major health problems. Tortoise size chart. This adaptation evolved to help escape predators in the wild. The Horsefield tortoise is a smaller species of tortoise. There is some variation here, of course, but these sizes should give you a pretty good idea how small these little guys are. However, it generally takes five to ten years for them to become fully grown, or at least pretty close to it. Our goal is to give you a better idea of how big that baby tortoise will be before you bring him home! These tortoises have four toes and have a life span of about 75 years. This is especially important when considering whether or not to hibernate the tortoise. The western species of the Hermann’s tortoise can reach up to 6 inches at full size, though many people have reported their eastern Hermann’s torts reaching larger sizes around eleven inches.