Tortoises are unique and fascinating creatures and many people will like to have them as pets. When you provide what is appropriate for them, the experience for rearing tortoises is very rewarding, but otherwise, it may turn out to be a nightmare both for you, your vet and your pet tortoise!
Points to consider

1. The source of your tortoises - are they captive-bred or caught from the wild? It is best to buy tortoises that are captive-bred. Those caught from the wild are usually parasite-ridden, but the main reason for buying captive-bred tortoises is that trapping wild tortoises to be sold as pets is ecologically harmful and depletes the environment of the natural stock of tortoises. So ask the pet shop where the tortoises are from.
2. Expense and effort - Tortoises are not recommended for children, or for those who think just simply providing a tank and throwing in some lettuce will do the job. It requires a lot of investment and intellectual effort. Also be prepared that some of the species grow to be very large and live very long lives.
3. Self-educate - learn as much as you can about your tortoises before you buy them. Books, websites and friends who have successfully own tortoises may help you out.

Species

African spur-thigh tortoises (Geochelone sulcate), Leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis) and the Star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) are the most commonly seen here. Knowing the species of your tortoise is important as each species has different environmental and dietary requirements.
Environment - important concepts

The habitat your tortoise lives in should imitate its environment in the wild. Most of the land tortoises available here are from very dry and hot climate - they live in dry grasslands even bordering desert condition.

1. Temperature

Temperature should be maintained between 26-33 deg Celcius (don't go above 33) There should be a temperature "gradient" provided for the tortoise to regulate its own temperature. Tortoises, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded and need an external heat source in order to function normally. This heat source should be provided by special heat lamp or ceramic heaters available from reptile pet shops. You can control the temperature by varying the position of the heat lamp/heater or the number of heat lamps/heaters used. We do not recommend using hot rock or hot plate. Being kept in a too cold or too hot environment will lead to disease and eventual death. To ensure you provide the proper temperature range, you need to get at least 2 thermometers, one measuring the "hot" area and one, the "cold" area, and place them at the level of the tortoise (near the bottom of the cage).

2. Lighting

The best light available is from the sun. The sun provides UVB which is very important in vitamin D and calcium balance in your tortoise. However, as most of the tortoises will be kept indoors in Hong Kong, your tortoise can't get the sunlight it needs and you will have to provide a UVB lamp for your tortoise. This UVB lamp is available in most pet shops and you need to change this lamp every 3 months to ensure effectiveness. This lamp should be switched on for 12 hours each day, mimicking the natural day length.

3. Humidity

Keep the humidity between 40-50% for desert tortoises. Humidity may not be easy to control but could be done by frequent spraying of water in the enclosure or placing a dish of shallow water to increase humidity or providing a dehumidifier/ensuring a larger open top of the enclosure to decrease humidity. You will need special equipment called the hygrometer to measure the humidity. Abnormal humidity could lead to respiratory and shell diseases.

4. Substrate and enclosure

Substrate is the layer you provide at the bottom of the enclosure for the purpose of absorbing the faeces and urine of your tortoise. This should be convenient to change, non-toxic, and if ingested by your tortoise, must be harmless. Best substrates are - newspaper (not so pretty), shredded kitchen paper towel, rabbit pellets or hay. You can place the rabbit pellet or hay on a thick layer of newspaper. Do not use sand or pebbles (gut impaction when eaten) or pine shavings (toxic fumes). Wood shaving is ok.

Most tortoises are kept in wooden crates, plastic tubs or glass tanks. Ensure there is good ventilation when glass tanks are used (top left open or wire-mesh cover). Whatever you use, ensure the material is not toxic, is escape proof and easy to clean.

Diet and Water

What you feed your tortoise should follow as closely as possible to what it will get in the wild. Land tortoises are herbivorous, and in the wild, they feed on low calorie, high fibre, coarse vegetation (grass), with the occasional succulent cacti and faeces of carnivorous animals. Therefore, you should feed your tortoises mainly timothy hay and green leafy vegetables (avoid cabbage and spinach) of various kinds. Foods high in sugars and protein such as fruits and tortoise pellets should not be given routinely but make up may be less than 5% of the diet. Beans should be avoided as far as possible. Healthy land tortoises eat continuously --- you may wonder if you may overfeed them! It is possible to overfeed them - leading to obesity and accelerated rate of growth - this is not good. It is better to slightly underfeed than overfeed. Let them grow slowly and steadily to avoid shell and health problems.

Water should be provided at all times in a shallow dish - ensure they won't tip over and drown! They should be soaked 3-5 times a week in lukewarm water for 15 minutes. This will help maintain hydration and encourage passing of wastes.
home.earthlink.net/~rednine/sulcatacare.html

Exercise

The ideal situation is to have an outdoor garden and fence in an area for your tortoise to roam about, grazing on the grass and plants in your garden, and enjoying the important sunshine. Otherwise, you should routinely let your tortoise move about to ensure adequate exercise and normal wearing of the claws. Obesity with weak limb muscles are frequently seen - these tortoises could hardly walk normally! A normal healthy land tortoise should be "quick" and "active" and be able to lift its whole shell off the ground when walking - not drag its shell on the ground. It should "walk" and not "crawl"!

Predation

Do not leave your tortoise unattended in the garden or in the house where there are dogs or cats. Dogs and cats will treat your tortoise as prey animals and can cause severe or even fatal shell damage with their teeth.

Veterinary assistance - de-worming; general advice

We recommend routine faecal check for your tortoise to ensure they have low parasite burden. Initial de-worming is recommended every two weeks until faecal exams are clear of parasite eggs. After that, we recommend twice yearly de-worming.

Quarantine

Avoid mixing different species of tortoises. New arrivals should never be placed with your own collection - total isolation is advised for at least 3 months. 6 months is even better. This is to prevent introduction of diseases from the new tortoise.

WEBSITES

Some useful websites -

• www.anapsid.org
• www.chelonia.org
• home.earthlink.net/~rednine/sulcatacare.html