Taking Care of Your Tortoise
We all have a duty of care for every animal in our possession.
Section 9 of the UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 places a duty of care on animal owners
to ensure they take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to meet the welfare needs
of animals in their care to the extent required by good practice.
The Act says that every animal in captivity has the:
- need for a suitable environment
- need for a suitable diet
- need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals
- need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
Tortoises are reptiles and it is the duty of every tortoise keeper to ensure that they provide their tortoise/s with the correct environment to allow them to thrive. Tortoises are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and rely totally on the environment being suitable to meet their needs.
In the following articles in this section we hope that we can help you achieve the principles of good care and meet the requirements of the Act by showing you how to:
- provide a suitable environment for your tortoise
- establish good care practices
- understand normal behaviour patterns
