Can You Keep a Giant Tortoise as a Pet? Full Guide

Keeping a giant tortoise as a pet is a unique experience that requires significant commitment, knowledge, and responsibility. These majestic reptiles can live for decades and require specialized care. If you’ve ever wondered “Is it cruel to keep a tortoise as a pet?” or “Can you have a giant tortoise as a pet?”, this guide will provide comprehensive answers.

In this article, we will explore the lifespan, housing, legal considerations, and types of pet tortoises while incorporating key information from expert sources.

Is It Cruel to Keep a Tortoise as a Pet?

Many animal welfare experts debate whether keeping a giant tortoise as a pet is ethical. While tortoises can live fulfilling lives in captivity, improper care can lead to malnutrition, poor health, and a shortened lifespan.

One of the most debated questions is “Is it cruel to keep a tortoise as a pet?” The answer depends on the owner’s ability to provide a suitable environment. Unlike cats and dogs, tortoises are not naturally social animals. However, when kept in a well-maintained habitat with proper care, they can thrive in captivity. Responsible pet ownership includes providing adequate space, a proper diet, and enrichment to prevent boredom.

If you love long-living pets, you may also be interested in Keeping a Seal as a Pet

How to Ensure Ethical Tortoise Care

• Provide a spacious enclosure (preferably an outdoor habitat with room to roam).
• Mimic their natural diet with fresh greens, vegetables, and calcium supplements.
• Ensure proper heating and lighting, including UVB lamps for healthy shell development.
• Adopt from reputable breeders instead of illegal wildlife trade.

When given proper care, space, and diet, tortoises can thrive in captivity. However, they are not low-maintenance pets and require long-term commitment.

Giant Tortoise Pet Price & Care Costs

Owning a giant tortoise comes with significant expenses, both in the initial purchase price and long-term care costs.

How Much Does a Giant Tortoise Cost?

• Sulcata Tortoise: $50 – $300 for hatchlings, $500 – $2,000 for adults.
• Aldabra Tortoise: $1,000 – $20,000 depending on size and breeder.
• Galápagos Tortoise: Rarely available; prices can exceed $30,000 due to legal restrictions.

Ongoing Care Costs

• Housing & Enclosure: A large outdoor setup can cost $500 – $5,000, depending on materials.
• Heating & UVB Lighting: Expect to spend $200 – $500 per year for proper heating and lighting.
• Food Costs: Fresh vegetables, hay, and supplements cost approximately $50 – $150 per month.
• Veterinary Care: Routine checkups and emergency care can range from $100 – $500 annually.

Caring for a giant tortoise pet is a long-term financial and time commitment, but with proper planning, they can be rewarding lifelong companions.

Giant Tortoise Pet for Sale: Where to Buy

If you’re looking for a pet tortoise for sale, it’s crucial to purchase from ethical breeders or reptile rescues. Avoid buying from illegal sources, as many tortoises are still poached from the wild.

Common Pet Tortoise Breeders & Sellers

• Reputable reptile breeders specializing in giant tortoises
• Exotic pet stores with proper permits
• Reptile rescues and adoption programs

Popular species like the Sulcata tortoise for sale are more widely available, whereas Galápagos tortoises are extremely rare and require special permits to own.

Types of Tortoise Pets

If you’re interested in owning a large tortoise pet, there are several species to consider:

1. Sulcata Tortoise (African Spurred Tortoise)

• One of the most common giant African tortoise species in captivity.
• Can grow up to 30 inches long and weigh over 100 pounds.
• Requires a large outdoor space and a heated indoor area for cold climates.

2. Aldabra Tortoise

• One of the biggest tortoises you can own legally.
• Can weigh over 500 pounds and live for 150+ years.
• Needs a large outdoor tortoise enclosure with plenty of space.

3. Galápagos Tortoise

• Rarely available for private ownership due to conservation laws.
• The largest tortoise species, weighing up to 900 pounds.
• Requires special permits and expert-level care.

Choosing a giant tortoise as a pet means understanding their lifelong needs and providing them with the correct habitat and diet.

Housing: Large Tortoise Cage & Enclosure Needs

Despite their resilience, giant tortoises have specific dietary and environmental needs. This makes them similar in care complexity to the zebra pet, which also thrives in open, natural spaces.

Indoor Large Tortoise Enclosure

• Minimum 8ft x 8ft for juveniles.
• Must include UVB lighting, a heat lamp, and humidity control.
• Substrate should be soil or sand to mimic natural terrain.

Outdoor Large Tortoise Pets Housing

• Fenced-off yard or a custom-built tortoise enclosure.
• Temperature regulation to ensure warmth in cooler months.
• Access to shade, water, and natural grazing areas.

A well-constructed large tortoise cage or enclosure ensures healthy growth and movement.

Common Health Problems

Like most reptiles, tortoises are prone to respiratory infections. Pet tortoises that were raised in the wild are more likely to suffer from respiratory infections, which result from unsanitary conditions.

Much like aquatic turtles, a tortoise with a respiratory infection will appear lethargic, lose weight, and may show excess mucus around its mouth and nasal passages.2 Early signs of a respiratory infection include wheezing and a tortoise refusing food.

Respiratory infections are usually treated with antibiotics via injection and require a diagnosis from a qualified reptile veterinarian. While your tortoise is undergoing treatment for a respiratory infection, it should be kept warm.

Tortoises also are susceptible to metabolic bone disease (MBD), which is the result of a diet that doesn’t have enough calcium.3 Like many reptiles, tortoises need to be exposed to ultraviolet radiation A and B (UVA/B) to absorb calcium. Tortoises in the wild typically bask in the sun for most of their waking hours to get this level of UVA/B exposure.

If a tortoise doesn’t get enough calcium, its shell will show the signs first. If it’s a young tortoise, the shell may not grow at a rapid enough rate. Older tortoises may develop weak bones in their legs, have difficulty walking, or even suffer bone fractures.

MBD is treatable, but the longer it persists, the less chance of recovery the tortoise has. Consult a qualified veterinarian, who may advise a calcium-heavy diet and more exposure to sunlight or UVA/B rays.

Pet Tortoise Lifespan & Long-Term Commitment

One of the biggest considerations before getting a giant tortoise as a pet is its lifespan. Most large tortoises live between 50 to 150 years, meaning they may outlive their owners.

How to Plan for a Long-Living Tortoise:

• Make arrangements for long-term care (family members or reptile sanctuaries).
• Maintain consistent vet check-ups to monitor health.
• Consider legal aspects of ownership, especially for endangered species.

Owning a huge pet tortoise is a multi-generational responsibility and should be carefully considered.

Is It Legal to Have a Tortoise as a Pet?

The legality of owning a giant tortoise as a pet depends on your country or state. While species like Sulcata tortoises are widely available, owning Galápagos tortoises is highly restricted.

Legal Considerations

• Permits required for endangered species.
• Import/export restrictions for non-native tortoises.
• Local zoning laws that regulate exotic pet ownership.

Before purchasing a large tortoise pet, check local wildlife laws to ensure compliance.

Pros and Cons of Owning a Giant Tortoise

Pros:

• Long lifespan
• Unique and fascinating pets
• Generally low maintenance once the habitat is set up
• Herbivorous diet is simple to manage

Cons:

• Require large outdoor spaces
• Can live over 100 years, requiring long-term planning
• Not very interactive or affectionate
• Some species require permits

Giant tortoises have long lifespans and require significant space to roam. In many ways, their slow-moving and hardy nature contrasts with the hyena, a highly energetic and social carnivore that requires constant mental stimulation.

FAQ

What is the best tortoise to have as a pet?

Greek tortoises are super easy to care for and grow to be 5 to 8 inches long. Egyptian tortoises are fun because they are small enough for apartment dwellers. Pancake tortoises are flat-shaped and move quickly, perfect for playing with. Leopard tortoises have gorgeous shells, and grow to be 10 to 18 inches long.

How do you pet a tortoise?

It’s best to approach your tortoise so it can see you, head-on. Make sure it’s on a flat surface, with no way of falling off (its cage or the floor is best). Pet its head, avoiding its eyes. If it lets you do this, try rubbing its cheeks and under its chin.

What do you feed a pet tortoise?

Approximately 80 percent of your pet tortoise’s food should be fresh veggies: sweet peppers, kale, collard greens, cauliflower, or dandelions, Every few feedings, about 5 to 10 percent of its diet, you can offer fresh fruit—melon, berries, or oranges. The rest of its diet should be alfalfa hay and commercial tortoise food.

Conclusion: Should You Get a Giant Tortoise as a Pet?

A giant tortoise can be a rewarding but challenging pet. They require: ✔️ Large outdoor spaces ✔️ Decades of care ✔️ Specialized diets ✔️ Legal research before ownership

If you have the resources and commitment, a giant tortoise can be a fascinating lifelong companion.