How to look after a tortoise?

I have wanted one for so long and I want to know how you look after them from when they are baby's to adults and what you feed them and can people give me daily routines please note I am not getting one till I am ready and I know what to do

Please buy a book on 'looking after a tortoise'there are many different breeds as they can differ slightly in their needs

There is more then one type of tortoise, which one are you looking into getting?

Firstly. Every pet shop owner will tell you to get a vivarium but that is WRONG vivariums are the wrong homes as they are for reptiles that like humid air, and tortoises hate this and it can kill them or cause defects so you need a tortoise table! You can get these in your pet store or on eBay for £30-£40 (much cheaper) I'd tell you to get a tortoise over the age of 3 because baby's are very hard to raise and most of them die if they're not in 24/7 high care! In your table you need: Heat lampHut/home full of hay (sleep time) flat rocks or tunnels (climbing frame) Food bowlWater bowlTortoise life substrate Heat lamp - this is where they 'bask' they're cold blooded so need heat to move and do their daily things! You'll find them under this for most of the day to get their energy for exploring and eating! Hut/home - they hide here if they feel they're in danger, and they always sleep here, so fill it with hay to keep them warm and they feel safer with hay! At first they may not go in here as they'll be nervous but they will eventually Tunnels/flat rocks - they're very adventurous animals and love climbing and running around! This will help fight off bordem when you cant let them out and the rocks will help file down their nails Food and water bowl - fresh water every day, and get a big enough water bowl so they can bathe in this ... Food (obvious) fresh every daySubstrate - ask your pet supplier for their best tortoise floor filler, what they recommend and is it safe if they eat it (because tortoises will eat some) but it will be some sort of sand/mudFood - www.tortoiselife.com will give you a list of their diet, what they can and can't eat but they love greens from the garden and they need calcium dust From the pet store! They need this for their bones as they don't eat meat or eat anything that provides this! So make sure you get it! But tortoises won't eat anything they know that is bad for them. I must say. Never EVER feed your tortoise ice burg lettuce. It is poisonous to them but they love it, so they won't reject this. Any other lettuce is fine, just iceberg. Tortoises LOVE excersise so make sure you let them roam the garden every day! Whether it be sunny or not! Your tortoise would have got their energy from the heat lamp so are hot enough to roam the garden until their shell is cold! But most still love roaming even if they're cold, so take them in when they tend to burrow themselves in corners! (Their way of saying I've had enough) when it's sunny let them out ALL day (providing food and water) Any threats - hedgehogs/seagulls/rats/untrained dogs/foxsBathing - bathe them every 3 days in lute warm water that comes up to just under their beak, cause they drown!! Bathing is crucial as it helps hydrate them and it helps their digestive system!! They soak it up through their tail and then poop it out! Hibernation - dont worry about hibernation until they're atleast aged 8 onwards... But you don't need to hibernate them. Hibernation is a hard time as they can die through this time Please follow the above and your tortoise will lead a healthy and VERY happy life