Care sheets
Click on any link to download these unique and detailed PDF turtle and tortoise care sheets authored or edited by experienced SDTTS Care Coordinators. File will be saved to your device's "Downloads" folder.
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These care sheets are very detailed and contain practical advice from our experienced Care Coordinators. Take the time read through them and you will find many useful answers - maybe even some answers to questions you did not know you had!
Box Turtles and
Water Turtles
Land turtles include "box" turtles, so named because their shells are higher than other turtles, with a profile looking more like a WWII infantry helmet. This is typical of many land turtles. They have back feet that may be only slightly webbed, but not flat bottomed feet as a tortoise or broad "paddle" feet like a water turtle. Land turtles do not have to live in ponds to survive, but should always have a shallow dish of water available to soak in.
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Water turtles have large webbed feet and live in water most of the time, coming out occasionally to bask in sunlight. Captive care of water turtles is typically in ponds or large aquariums.
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Care Sheet: Water Turtles in Outdoor Ponds
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African "Sulcata" desert tortoises
Sulcata Tortoises are the gentle giants you often see on display. Only the giant tortoises of the Galapagos and Aldabra Islands exceed the Sulcata in size. The adorable little hatchling that fits in the palm of your hand at the pet store, can in five short years weigh more than 50 pounds and when fully grown can weigh from 140 to 200 pounds. But these tortoises, when well cared for, can live for over 100 years.
Care Sheet: African Desert Tortoise (Sulcata)
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Housing: Large Tortoise House Plans
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Heating: Solar Panels for your Tortoise House!
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Small tortoises
Tortoises are more land based than other turtles. Adult tortoises are usually larger than turtles (but not so for juveniles.) But there are some smaller varieties of tortoises. Identify tortoises by their thick, stalky back legs that are shaped similar to an elephant's. Many tortoises have spiny scales on their front legs to help them burrow in the earth. Common smaller tortoises include:
Care Sheet: Red Footed/Yellow Footed Tortoise Care Sheet
Care Sheet: Hermanns Tortoise Care Sheet
Care Sheet: Russian Tortoise Care Sheet
Care Sheet: Leopard Tortoise Care Sheet
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North American desert tortoises
Desert Tortoises of the North American southwest are medium size tortoises and they have adapted to living in dry, arid climates. Endangered, and protected by law, these interesting creatures should not be handled or disturbed in the wild. But numerous ones have reached civilization and you can get California permits to legally care for those.
Care Sheet: The Mohave Desert Tortoise
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Care Sheet: Special Instructions for keeping a Desert Tortoise in San Diego temperatures and humidy
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Care Sheet: Desert Tortoise Diet
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Housing: Building a Burrow for your Desert Tortoise
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Housing: Medium Tortoise House Plans
