How to Breed Tortoises

Keeping reptiles such as lizards, turtles and tortoises provides a distinct experience from the more common dog or cat pet ownership. Declining natural habitat and increased demand for these animals mean it's not as easy to find them in the wild as it once was. Despite the loss of habitat for wild tortoises, professional and hobbyist breeders help to ensure the reptiles remain readily available for prospective pet owners.

Things You'll Need

  • Substrate
  • Incubator
  • Cage or outdoor environment for hatchlings
  • Overhead heat light
  • Food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure tortoises are mature enough to mate. Tortoises generally mate at around 4-to-6-years old.

    • 2

      Plan for mating only during the spring or summer as this is when wild tortoises generally mate. A female may lay multiple clutches of eggs from a single fertilization, however.

    • 3

      Provide a nest where the female can comfortably lay her eggs. This is never in water, however the specifics of nests used in the wild will vary. Depending on the tortoises' natural habitat, the appropriate nest items could include sticks, sand, rocks, or you have the option to buy commercially-made substrate, a type of manufactured bedding. The key is to mimic the materials you would find in their habitat.

    • 4

      Incubate the eggs at the proper temperature -- somewhere between 78 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. If your outside temperatures aren't consistently between 78 and 86 degrees, you'll need to put the eggs in an incubator, close the lid and set the temperature to somewhere between 78 and 86 degrees. Prepare for the expected incubation time which can vary from 45 days to 1 year, depending upon species.

    • 5

      Create a safe environment for the hatchlings. A safe environment is free from natural predators and offers a temperature which doesn't dip below 50 degrees at night. The hatchlings should have an area to bask in the sun as well as an area with shade so that they can regulate their body temperatures. If you are raising the tortoise hatchlings in a cage, an overhead light works for keeping the cage at the appropriate temperature.

    • 6

      Provide plenty of vegetables and leafy greens for the hatchlings. The hatchlings will eat at various times over the course of the day, so be sure there is always food available. Some favorites are escarole, grape leaves, zucchini, chopped carrots, kale, alfalfa, and dandelions. Commercially packaged turtle food is also an option.