Blog: A Walk on the Wild Side

Did you know these charming, shelled wanderers have been strolling through history for over 30 million years? The Mediterranean tortoises species include Greek, Hermanns, Russian, Egyptian, Marginated and several other popular tortoise species.

Fun Facts:

• Their favorite snack? Dandelions, clover, and anything leafy—hold the dressing!

• They’ve been pets since the days of ancient Greece, often symbolizing wisdom and longevity.

• They can live 50–100 years, making them the ultimate long-term roommate.

• They love basking in the sun but burrow down when it gets too hot—tortoise siesta time!

• In the wild Mediterranean species will hibernate, but in captivity pets are not usually prepared for full hibernation. In captivity most species will experience brumation, a seasonal, slow-down of metabolism that is in response to colder temperatures and less daylight.

Whether you’re a fan of their gentle pace or their prehistoric charm, Mediterranean tortoises remind us to slow down, soak up the sun, and savor the greens.

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Tortoises at our rescue are not available for adoption. Many of them have had to go through emergency care for injuries and severe neglect, and our wish is for them to never have to go through anything like that again! Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.

You can sponsor a tortoise by sending $25 (or more) to:

paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife

VENMO: @PTHWild

Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021

Did you know the leopard tortoise is the fourth-largest tortoise species in the world?

Leopard tortoises are large, beautifully patterned tortoises and are native to Africa’s savannas. They are known for their domed shell and surprisingly long lifespan. In the wild, it plays an important role in its native ecosystem. Leopard tortoises found in the pet trade -like the ones at our rescue- are captive bred and cannot be returned to the wild.

Here are some fascinating facts about the leopard tortoise:

Physical Characteristics

• Size & Weight: Adults typically measure 40–70 cm (16–28 inches) in length and weigh 18–54 kg (40–120 lbs)

• Shell Pattern: Their high-domed shell features black blotches, spots, or dashes on a yellow or tan background—patterns that resemble a leopard’s coat and provide camouflage.

• Color Changes: As they age, their vivid markings often fade to a more muted brown or gray.

Habitat & Range

• Native Region: Found across eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to South Africa.

• Preferred Habitat: Thrive in savannas, grasslands, and thorn-scrub areas. They may shelter in abandoned burrows during extreme weather.

Diet & Behavior

• Diet: Strictly herbivorous, feeding on grasses, succulents, and thistles Wikipedia.

• Activity: Diurnal—active during the day and resting at night.

• Social Life: Generally solitary, though they may gather at feeding or nesting sites.

Reproduction & Lifespan

• Reproduction: Oviparous—females lay eggs in shallow nests they dig themselves.

• Clutch Size: Typically lays around 12 eggs per clutch.

• Lifespan: Can live 50 to 100 years in the wild.

Fun & Unique Traits

• Climbers: Despite their bulk, they can climb over rocky terrain and navigate uneven ground.

• Ivory Variant: A rare white-colored morph exists, known as the ivory or snow leopard tortoise.

• Seed Dispersers: They help spread plant seeds through their droppings, aiding in ecosystem health.

Tortoises at our rescue are not available for adoption. Many of them have had to go through emergency care for injuries and severe neglect, and our wish is for them to never have to go through anything like that again! Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.

You can sponsor a tortoise by sending $25 (or more) to:

paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife

VENMO: @PTHWild

Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021

Did you know tortoises have beaks?

It is not uncommon for us to take in tortoises who have overgrown or damaged beaks. We try to allow time and the proper environment for the tortoise to naturally wear down its beak. Unfortunately, some beaks are so bad we have let our vets do their magic. One natural way we keep beaks in shape is feeding on slate or stone instead of using food bowls.

A tortoise’s beak is made of keratin and grows continuously, much like our fingernails. If it becomes overgrown or misaligned, it can interfere with eating and cause discomfort or injury. The best way to avoid beak overgrowth is to encourage natural filing through diet and enrichment:

• Offer tough, fibrous foods like cactus pads, dandelion stems, and hay (especially for grassland species like Sulcatas).

• Provide cuttlebone or mineral blocks safe for tortoises for gnawing.

• Use slate or rough stone feeding surfaces to help wear the beak as they eat.

• Avoid soft, overly processed foods that don’t require chewing or tearing.

Signs the Beak May Need Trimming

Only trim if truly necessary—over-trimming can cause pain or injury. Watch for:

• A beak that hooks downward or extends past the jawline

• Misalignment between upper and lower beak

• Difficulty eating or dropping food

• Unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite

If Trimming Is Needed

• Best practice: Have a reptile-savvy vet do it. Beak trimming is delicate, and mistakes can cause bleeding, pain, or long-term damage.

Tortoises at our rescue are not available for adoption. Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.

If you would like to sponsor a tortoise, send a retirement gift, or contribute to the care of the animals at the rescue, you can do so using

paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife

VENMO: @PTHWild

Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021

What happens if your pet tortoise escapes?
What happens if you find a non-native tortoise?
Both scenarios happen more often than you might think.

We get contacted a few dozen times each year by people who have lost their beloved pet tortoise, and also by folks who find non-native tortoises and are clueless about what to do next.
So, here’s what you should do if your pet tortoise escapes:

1. Start looking for it right away!

2. Let your neighbors, local social media groups, veterinarian offices, DNR, shelters, and rescue organizations know. These are the places where people who find non-native tortoises usually go for advice. Don’t forget to post a photo and a description of your pet.

3. Don’t hold your breath and think your pet will magically return on its own.

4. When you find it make sure it can never escape again.

Now, let’s talk about what to do if you find a non-native tortoise:

1. Take a photo and note down exactly where you found it.

2. If you can, try to keep the tortoise safe until you can find its owner. If you can’t, stay with it while you search for someone who can.

3. Reach out to your neighbors, local social media groups, veterinarian offices, DNR, shelters, and rescue organizations. Ask them if anyone has called looking for an escaped pet. Finding the real owner can be tricky. There are a lot of missing tortoises, and everyone who’s lost a pet will want to know if it’s theirs. Plus, some people can be dishonest and try to claim a tortoise that doesn’t belong to them. Don’t even think about offering to rehome the tortoise or surrender a tortoise to a rescue until you’re sure the owner can’t be found. When our rescue posts about a found tortoise, we usually say something like: Found non-native tortoise in the TookieDoo area of Elgin. Please contact us with proof of ownership.

4. Most owners know within a few hours if their pet is missing and start searching right away.

A few weeks ago, we posted about tortoise enclosures and will put the link in the comments. Remember, owning exotic pets comes with a big responsibility. If you can’t provide the right housing and care, it’s best to avoid bringing a non-native species into your home.

When non-native pets escape or are released into the wild, it can cause serious harm to the environment. And if they’re not found, they often face horrific deaths and/or injuries. It’s not just about the animal; it’s also very time consuming for rescues and agencies to locate owners or provide emergency care for injured animals.

So, let’s be honest: allowing any pet to escape is negligent. And if it happens multiple times, it’s just plain cruel to an animal that won’t be able to survive on its own.

In South Carolina, it’s unlawful to release any exotic species ‘in the wild,’ whether you mean it or not. So, let’s all do our part to keep our pets safe and happy, and to protect the environment.

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Tortoises at our rescue are not available for adoption. Many of them have had to endure emergency care for injuries and severe neglect, and our wish is for them to never have to go through anything like that again! Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.

If you would like to sponsor a tortoise, send a retirement gift, or contribute to the care of the animals at the rescue , you can do so using

paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife

VENMO: @PTHWild

Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021

Let’s talk about tortoise habitats and enclosures.

Tortoises need a lot of space. No matter what kind of tortoise you have, bigger is always better. Outdoor enclosures, when the weather permits, are always the best option.

Sulcatas need 100-300 square feet, while Mediterranean species will only need about 60 square feet. And since you shouldn’t keep dominant tortoises together, you’ll need a lot of space if you have more than one tortoise.

Aquariums aren’t good enclosures for tortoises. A tortoise spends its day roaming. It will keep trying to get through the glass and could not only become stressed, but depressed!

Speaking of getting through. A general rule is that if a tortoise can see through it, it will find a way to get through it. Chain link and other fencing are not recommended. Not only could a tortoise eventually break through, but those types of fences can also cause injuries.

Many tortoise species have mastered the art of climbing, so keep that in mind as well.

Tortoises are burrowers. Many of our larger species have burrows 3-4 feet deep. When we build our enclosures, we dig down a few feet for the smaller species and lay hardware cloth and cover it with substrate to prevent them from digging out. For our larger species, we first dig a trench along the perimeter and drop in rock or landscape timbers several feet underground to prevent anyone from digging out.

It’s a lot of work, but it doesn’t end there.

Once you have an enclosure that’s safe and the right size for your tortoise, you need to think about what’s inside the area.

Tortoises of all species need room to roam, places to hide, safe plants to eat, an area for warmth, space to burrow, AND if you have more than one tortoise in an enclosure, they need plenty of room to get away from each other. In any space with too many living beings, it can be stressful.

While tortoises may not always live together, they’re quite social and need to stay busy.

Check out these pics of one of our Sulcata enclosures! The tortoise barns are insulated, and during winter they’re warmed up to a cozy 80 degrees. The torts can come and go as they please since most of our days in the south, even during winter, are well above freezing. If we have a few weeks of super cold weather or if the forecast says we may get snow or ice, we sometimes bring the torts inside.

The perimeter is made of landscape timbers held in place by rebar drilled into the wood and then several feet into the ground. Our enclosures are inside a fenced area, so if anyone tries to break free, they’d have to get through a second barrier. We also have cameras to keep an eye on the enclosures and make sure everyone goes in for the night.

We take our role as tortoise keepers very seriously.

Tortoises at our rescue aren’t available for adoption. Many of them have had to go through emergency care for injuries and severe neglect, and our wish is for them to never have to go through anything like that again! Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.

If you or someone you know is thinking about bringing a tortoise into your family, please do your research. If you love what we do and would like to help us continue to be able to provide a safe space for tortoises to retire, you can sponsor a tortoise at the rescue. It’s super easy. A sponsorship of ANY amount can be sent using

paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife

VENMO: @PTHWild

Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021