Pancake tortoise care sheet

Housing An adult pair of pancake tortoises can be housed in an enclosure approximately 2 feet wide by 3 feet long and 1.5 feet high. We built our enclosures out of melamine. We recommend smaller enclosures for babies and juveniles. A Rubbermaid bin about 1 foot wide by 2 feet long and 6 inches high works well for them. Just be sure they can't climb atop each other and escape because pancake tortoises are good climbers.

Substrate We use coarse coco coir or cypress mulch as substrate. It holds humidity well and is easy for them to burrow into. We provide a layer about 6 inches deep.

Lighting and heating We recommend mercury vapour bulbs for all species of tortoises. They emit uvb and heat which are both important to keep your tortoise healthy. The hot spot under the bulb is approximately 100F and the cooler end of the enclosure is roughly 85F. The bulb is left on 12 hours a day.

Humidity We strongly believe humidity is important to prevent pyramiding of the shell, especially in babies and juveniles. We mist the substrate every morning and allow it to dry throughout the day. The humidity in the enclosure is usually between 60-75%. Pancake tortoises like to bury into the substrate and often sleep under it.

Hide box In our experience, pancake tortoises prefer to bury under their substrate instead of using a hide box.

Water Keeping all species of tortoises well hydrated is very important to their overall health.

We provide fresh water every day in a dish about a foot in diameter and an inch deep.

Occasionally the tortoises will soak themselves in the dish. They are also placed in Rubbermaid bins a couple times a week with warm, shallow water. They will drink at this time and will usually defecate shorty after. This helps to keep their enclosure cleaner too.

Cleaning We spot clean all our tortoise enclosures daily and remove any soiled substrate. We do complete substrate changes every 3 months.

Feeding Our pancake tortoises are fed every day. Their diet mainly consists of dark leafy greens such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, arugula, hibiscus leaves and flowers, cactus pads and grasses. They also get yams, pumpkin, squash and zucchini as treats once or twice a week. We supplement with calcium containing vitamin D3 twice a week.

Handling Pancake tortoises are a fairly outgoing species that don't seem to mind human interaction. Our pancakes never try to hide in their shells when they are picked up.

However, children should be supervised when handling any tortoise to ensure they do not accidentally drop them. Unlike other species of tortoises, pancake tortoises have an almost leathery type of shell and can be injured easily if dropped.

Potential health problems Pancake tortoises are prone to getting worms and other internal parasites. This can be avoided if their enclosures are kept clean and proper husbandry is provided to reduce stress. Most often, tortoises will fight off any worms or parasites on their own if cared for properly. If you suspect your tortoise has a heavy infestation, a fecal exam should be done and a vet can prescribe medication to eliminate them.