General Tortoise Facts ~ Tortoise Types

Getting to know quite a lot of information about animal life seems very interesting and therefore it is amazing to explore the world of tortoise facts. Tortoises and turtles are the most primitive among reptiles and are marked as symbols of longevity. Most of them are known to live for over a hundred years, especially the American box turtles. It has been proved that the organs of the turtles that have lived for many years are not less efficient than those who are quite younger. It is believed that there are about 250 different species of turtles with 40 different types. The most popular among them are Galapagos tortoises, the Mediterranean tortoises, the Aldabran tortoises, the red foot tortoises, the yellow foot tortoises, the Russian tortoises, the desert tortoises, the hinge back tortoises and a lot more. Tortoises have different sizes. The largest among them is the leatherback turtle which can grow up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall and weighs about 1800 pounds (817 kilograms). Thus, it is not only the tallest but also the heaviest. However, the smallest tortoise is the bog turtle that is only around 4 inches (10 centimeters) tall. Nevertheless, in contrast to the leatherback turtle, the lightest one is the speckled cape tortoise which weighs only 5 ounces (142 grams).

Tortoise shells are not only meant to cover the body of the reptile but also serve the function of protecting their soft bodies from various dangerous predators and their snapping jaws. They also act as some sort of shelters in which they can withdraw themselves and sleep during the night. The top, hard part of their shells is called the carapace, while the underside is referred to as the plastron. These two parts are connected by a bridge. The number of bones that incorporate their shell is 60. These shells are supposedly attached to their spinal cords. Most tortoises have high, dome-shaped carapaces. However, one exception to these kinds of shells is that of the pancake tortoise of East Africa. This tortoise is known to inflate air and extract it as per situations. It is a belief that it is because of the uniqueness of their shells that tortoises are able to survive for long.

Thus, these tortoises prove to be great terrestrial animals. There is more to tortoises than just this. There are a lot more informative and interesting tortoise facts to be explored.

Getting information on Tortoise facts is gaining popularity with most of the people these days because a lot of them now prefer to have tortoises as pets. Tortoises, turtles and terrapins are the members of the chelonian family. This family belongs to the class of reptiles. All of them are cold-blooded. Hence, they draw the heat from the atmosphere and the environment to warm themselves up. Probably this is the reason why they are not prone to living in extremely cold atmospheres. They have the ability to deal with the harsh rays of the sun and the humid desert climate. The desert tortoise is said to have survived in extremely hot conditions that exceed 1000 degrees Celsius or 2120 Fahrenheit. This is why tortoises are found in almost every continent of the world except Antarctica. Tortoises are also known to survive in other types of environments such as the semi-arid areas, the tropical forests and some wet areas. Some of them live in fresh water and are thus, found in lakes, swamps and lagoons.

Tortoises are said to be the most ancient reptiles which evolved before many other mammals, birds and other reptiles such as the snakes, the lizards and the crocodiles. They are said to outlive almost all others. Tortoises live mostly on land while turtles spend most of their lives in water. A greatly noticeable difference between the two is that turtles have webbed feet but tortoises don’t. The other member of the chelonian family, the terrapin is said to live in a mixture of fresh and salty water. All these three are known to lay their eggs on land irrespective of the time they spend in water. Ancient tortoises and turtles did not have the ability to retract their heads and had teeth. The modern-day tortoises and turtles forms have no teeth and hence use their jaws to bite and chew their food while using their tongue to swallow it. However, they do not have the ability to stick their tongue out to catch their prey. Though most of them are herbivorous, some of them also hunt insects to survive. They have a wonderful sense of smell and bright eyesight. Their other senses such as the sense of touch and the sense to hear are also good and contain nerve ends.

Tortoises also have strong and horny beaks and mouths. They can prove to be good companions for you. Thus, considering the popularity most of the tortoises are gaining nowadays as pets, it becomes all the more important for people to know more and more tortoise facts.

Tortoise facts are very interesting and informative as compared to any other facts. Nowadays, tortoises are quite popular as pets. The tortoise is a terrestrial reptile closely related to the tortoise’s marine cousin, the sea turtle. The tortoise is found in many countries around the world, but particularly in the southern hemisphere where the weather is warm for most of the year. This article includes some interesting tortoise facts that can amaze you. Some of the interesting facts about tortoise are mentioned below.

Interesting Facts about Tortoises:

Tortoises have good eyesight and an excellent sense of smell.
Female tortoise lay from 2-12 eggs in deep holes and leave. The eggs take 90-120 days to incubate.
One can determine the sex of tortoise by their tail. Male tortoises have long tails, whereas females have short tail
The desert tortoise can survive in harsh temperature conditions of more than 2120 F (1000 C).
Healthy tortoises can survive up to a year without water.
Today, a number of tortoise species, mainly the smaller species of tortoise, are kept as household pets.
Tortoises evolved before mammals, birds, crocodiles, snakes and lizards. They are one of the oldest creatures on the earth.
The shell of tortoise is composed of 60 different bones, and all are centrally connected to each other.
Mostly tortoise species can live more than hundred years.
Tortoise can live on every continent except Antarctica.
Tortoises do not have teeth.
Tortoises store their sperm, and produce fertile eggs up to three years after the last mating.
The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge.
Tortoises can vary in size from a few centimeters to two meters.
North America includes a large variety of tortoise species, but Europe has only three species of tortoises.
The bony portion of the shell is covered with plates, which helps in shielding tortoise from various injuries.
The Galapagos Tortoise is the largest living reptile species. The weight of this tortoise is usually around 570 pounds. Their strong body helps them to survive for long periods of time.
They are unable to swim or float in water.
Their growth depends on the availability of food and water.
Most of them are herbivorous. They eat grasses, weeds, leafy greens, flowers, certain fruits, and some eat insects.
Pet tortoises typically require a diet based on wild grasses, weeds and certain flowers.
Tortoises must have an empty stomach before they hibernate, and therefore tend to go through a period of starvation beforehand.
Tortoises come out of hibernation when the weather begins to get warmer again.
The tortoise goes to his sleeping shelter in a particular sequence, occasionally shifting within his area but never changing to a different place.
The tortoise is susceptible to parasites and pneumonia.
Pet tortoises kept outdoors need some sort of structure in which to hide or spend the night.
There are about 40 different types of tortoise.
Tortoises do not have webbed feet. They are round and stumpy for walking on land.
The tortoise generally has a lifespan comparable to a human.
Female tortoises dig nesting burrows, in which they lay from 1 – 30 eggs.
Giant tortoises can weigh as much as 660 lbs (300 kg) and can grow to be 4 ft (1.3 m) long.
The tortoise is vulnerable to parasites and pneumonia.
When holding a pet tortoise, hold up it with both hands as the majority of tortoises become tensed when they sense air under them.
Most male tortoises have tails that are longer than those of the female tortoise.
Some tortoises are herbivores, and eat only plants.
Some are omnivores and will eat anything available including plants, fruit, live prey and carrion.
Tortoises need calcium to build their bones in the same way that humans do.
Tortoises are at risk because of their natural declining numbers, and are facing high-risk in their natural surroundings.
The fastest turtle is the leatherback, which can swim up to 22 mph (35 km/hr).
Tortoise can live on every continent, except Antarctica.
Tortoises have good eyesight and an excellent sense of smell.
Many tortoise species can live more than hundred years.
Today, a number of tortoise species (mainly the smaller species of tortoise) are kept as household pets.
Most species of tortoise, but not all, hibernate during the colder winter months, particularly those species of tortoise in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tortoises must have an empty stomach before they hibernate, and therefore go through a period of starvation beforehand.
Tortoises come out of hibernation when the weather begins to get warmer again.

Tortoise facts are very interesting information that any animal lover must have. Tortoises are a family of terrestrial reptiles. Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are safeguarded from predators by a hard shell. They are extremely cute and they are very popular among children. People are very astonished to see an animal of this kind. The giant dome-shaped tortoise has the longest lifespan of all vertebrates. Their sleeping, feeding, and nesting behaviors are very habitual. The tortoise goes to his sleeping shelter in a particular sequence, occasionally shifting within his area but never changing to a different place.

The most unusual and interesting facts about the tortoise, together with some useful information about animals, intrigues everyone from kids and children to adults. Interesting facts about the tortoise are found in the following paragraphs.

Habitat

Most species of tortoise live on land, but some live in fresh water. They live in many different types of environments, from deserts and semi-arid areas to lakes, lagoons and swamps, and tropical forests.

Tortoises are also kept as pets in many countries. In Australia, the Macquarie, Murray River, short-neck, and common long-neck are popular species.

Diet

Most tortoises look around for food, moving around a large area, eating little quantities of food as they go. Some tortoises are herbivores, and eat only plants. Others are omnivores, meaning they will eat anything available including plants, fruit, prey, and carrion.

As humans need calcium to develop their bones, tortoises also need a good amount of calcium to grow its hard shell. Those that live in warmer climates bask in the sun. The rays produce vitamins in the tortoise’s body, which work with the plants they eat to produce calcium. Colder climate tortoises get less sunshine, so in order to fulfill their deficiency they eat more protein and foods that contain calcium.

Size and Life Expectancy

The tortoises are irregular in sizes and have a long life as compared to other animals of its class.

Its typical sizes and life spans are given below:

Height: 8-10 inches
Length: 15-30 inches (may be a meter or more in some cases)
Weight: 50-200 kg (110-240 lbs)
Lifespan: 50-100 years.

Predators and Threats

Wild dogs, cats, rats, and pigs attack the eggs and young tortoises. Predators of adult tortoises are humans.

Reproduction

Female tortoises dig burrows, known as nesting burrows, in which the female tortoise lays her eggs. The female tortoise can lay from 1 to 30 eggs at a time, but the number is generally around 10. Only a handful of the babies tend to survive, as tortoise babies are very vulnerable to attack by all kinds of predators.

Once the female tortoise has laid her eggs she leaves the nesting burrow. The eggs hatch between 2 and 4 months later, and the baby tortoises are able to start out in search of food when they are about a week old. The size of the baby tortoise and the eggs depends on the size of the mother tortoise.

Habits and Basics

Tortoise legs are short and stumpy, and their feet have claws for digging and moving around on the ground. Sea turtles have longer legs with flippers, and fresh water turtles, or terrapins, have claws and webbed toes, for digging and swimming.

Their most active time is in the spring, when they will forage for food. During the hottest, driest periods of the year, the tortoise conserves water already stored in its body. This is especially important in the hot, dry Mojave Desert summers. Winter hibernation aids in minimizing water loss.

To maximize the utilization of infrequent rainfall, tortoises dig catchment basins in the soil. Water that reaches the bladder is not lost to the system, but can be drawn upon as needed.

As it is obvious from our above discussion, the tortoise is lovely pet to be kept, especially for our children. This article will have given you enough information on tortoise facts.

So readers, I hope you this article has helped you to gain interesting knowledge about tortoise facts.