Pick the animal and you get its numbers: enclosure size, the four temperatures, humidity, UVB, food, supplements and the mistakes that put it at the vet, with the name of the body that published each figure. Where the RSPCA, the Merck Veterinary Manual, LafeberVet, the reptile vets' association and the US veterinary schools give different numbers, and they often do, both are shown. Nothing is averaged. Temperatures are in Fahrenheit with the Celsius the British sources printed.
The reason a page like this exists is in the first line of the RSPCA's exotic pets advice: these animals "have the same needs as they would in the wild", and a tank set up from a shop leaflet usually does not meet them. Metabolic bone disease, the disease that bends their bones, is described on the calcium and UVB page; it is the reason the UVB and calcium lines below are as long as they are.
About 18 inches with the tail (RSPCA, around 45 cm); VCA gives 18 to 22 inches, UC Davis and NC State 15 to 20 inches.
10 to 15 years or more (RSPCA); 7 to 12 years (VCA); 7 to 10 years (UC Davis, NC State).
RSPCA: at least 47 by 24 by 24 inches (120 by 60 by 60 cm, about 114 gallons) for one adult. LafeberVet: a 75-gallon tank at minimum, and housing three times the animal's length. UC Davis: 75 or 120 gallons, or a built enclosure 48 by 24 by 18 inches. VCA: 60 to 100 gallons. NC State: four times the length and width of the lizard.
Zone 3 to 4. An open-sun basker: the highest band, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking spot fading to zero in the shade. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | RSPCA: 100 to 108°F (38 to 42°C) UC Davis: 88 to 95°F NC State: 88 to 100°F LafeberVet: 92 to 100°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 104 to 113°F (40 to 45°C) |
| Warm side by day | LafeberVet: 80 to 88°F UC Davis: 80 to 85°F NC State: 75 to 85°F VCA: 90 to 100°F at the warm end |
| Cool side | RSPCA: 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) VCA: 75 to 80°F |
| Night | RSPCA: not below 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) UC Davis and NC State: 70 to 75°F VCA: 65 to 80°F is acceptable |
Two camps. RSPCA says around 30 to 40 percent at the cool end, Merck 20 to 30 percent, NC State 20 to 40 percent, while both UC Davis documents say 40 to 60 percent. Measure it with a hygrometer at the cool end rather than guessing.
Every source requires UVB. RSPCA specifies a high-output 10 to 12 percent tube up to half the length of the enclosure, fixed in the hot end, with the dragon's back no closer than 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) to it, and a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking spot fading to zero in the shade; albino and pale morphs get a maximum of 3.0. UC Davis wants the bulb within 12 inches of the basking site and replaced every three to six months, VCA within 6 to 18 inches and replaced every six months, and a 2024 vet review says annual replacement for good brands. Merck's own line is blunt: bearded dragons "need broad-spectrum lighting, and their insect- and plant-based diet requires regular calcium supplementation".
Young dragons eat mostly insects and adults mostly greens, but the split varies by source: RSPCA gives about 65 percent insects for young dragons and 40 percent for adults over 12 inches; LafeberVet says juveniles need almost all live prey and adults at least a quarter animal protein with dark leafy greens making up half the plate and fruit no more than 5 percent; VCA says half and half; NC State 70 percent salad and 25 percent insects for adults. Babies are fed twice a day, adults once a day or every other day. Never feed insects bigger than the space between the eyes: UC Davis warns that oversized prey causes "partial paralysis, seizures, loss of motor control" and gut blockage. Calcium: every meal for hatchlings and once or twice a week for adults (LafeberVet), daily plain calcium for young dragons and calcium with D3 two or three times a week for adults (VCA), three times a week for juveniles and weekly for adults with a monthly multivitamin (UC Davis). Gut-load the insects for 24 to 48 hours first (RSPCA), or 72 hours on a feed with at least 8 to 10 percent calcium (Merck).
A hide at each end. No loose substrate a young dragon can swallow: VCA and UC Davis rule out sand, gravel, wood shavings, corn cob, walnut shells and the "digestible" calci-sand, and RSPCA calls calci-sand dangerous. RSPCA does allow clean play sand or a sand and soil mix for healthy adults, which UC Davis does not, so if in doubt use tile, paper or reptile carpet. Feed in a dish. No hot rocks. Water bowl in the cool end, changed daily.
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Bearded dragon.
About 10 inches (RSPCA, around 25 cm); LafeberVet gives 6.5 to 8 inches and 60 to 90 grams for a mature male; VCA 5 to 10 inches.
The widest spread on this page: 25 to 30 years (LafeberVet), up to 20 (RSPCA), 10 to 15 (VCA), 6 to 10 (the Doneley veterinary textbook).
RSPCA: at least 24 by 16 by 12 inches (60 by 40 by 30 cm, about 19 gallons) for one adult, "but it should be as large as possible". LafeberVet: a long 10 to 15 gallon tank at minimum for a single male. VCA: 10 gallons.
Zone 1. A crepuscular shade dweller: the lowest band, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 0.7 at the warm end fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Warm end | RSPCA: 82 to 86°F (28 to 30°C) at the basking spot, heat mat thermostat set to 86°F (30°C) LafeberVet: a warm area of 90°F VCA: cage in the mid-80s°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 90°F (32°C) |
| Gradient by day | LafeberVet: 70 to 80°F Merck: 77 to 86°F Doneley: 70 to 90°F |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 75 to 79°F (24 to 26°C) |
| Night | RSPCA: heat off unless the room drops below 64°F (18°C), then a ceramic heater set to 64 to 68°F LafeberVet: the 70s°F VCA: as low as 70°F |
RSPCA says around 30 to 40 percent at the cool end plus a humid hide of damp moss; LafeberVet says 40 to 60 percent with a moist hide and the rest of the tank dry; Merck 20 to 30 percent. All of them agree on the humid hide, which is what stops the toe-tip sheds that cost geckos their toes.
This is the species the authorities disagree on. RSPCA requires it: a 2 to 5 percent tube over a third to a half of the enclosure at the warm end, giving a UV index of 0.7 fading to zero. Merck's table says "no special lighting requirements". VCA: "not required, but is recommended". LafeberVet's sheet says exposure "seems to be helpful", and a 2026 evidence review on the same site says the leopard gecko "uses UVb radiation for vitamin D3 synthesis" despite being active at dusk. The 2016 study that set the zones puts it in zone 1 and says there is no reason to withhold a low-level UVB gradient as long as the animal has a dark retreat to spend the day in.
Live insects no bigger than the gecko's head: crickets, black soldier fly larvae, locusts, small roaches, with mealworms and superworms in the mix. Juveniles daily; adults every other day (RSPCA), once a day in the late afternoon (LafeberVet) or two to three times a week (VCA). Dust the insects lightly with calcium immediately before offering them and keep a small dish of plain calcium in the enclosure at all times (RSPCA); LafeberVet's schedule for a non-breeding adult is calcium once a week and a vitamin supplement once a week. Gut-load the insects for at least 24 hours (VCA) or 24 to 48 hours (RSPCA).
A warm hide, a cool hide and a humid hide. Safe floors are a 50-50 soil and sand mix, clay, flat slate or reptile carpet (RSPCA); never calci-sand, beech chips, coarse sand, corn cob or walnut shell. Heat from a thermostat-controlled mat under one side or a low basking lamp, never a hot rock. An adult female needs a nest box of moist soil even with no male present, or she can become egg-bound.
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Leopard gecko.
Up to about 8 inches with the tail (RSPCA and the BGSU Herpetarium agree).
15 to 20 years (RSPCA, the Doneley textbook); BGSU says more than nine and probably 15 or more.
Tall, because they live in branches. RSPCA: at least 18 inches wide, 24 tall and 18 deep (45 by 60 by 45 cm, about 32 gallons) for an adult. BGSU: a 20-gallon "high" at minimum, taller than it is long.
Zone 1. A shade dweller: the lowest band, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 0.7 at the warm end fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Warm spot | RSPCA: 79 to 82°F (26 to 28°C) BGSU: 78 to 84°F, and never above 85°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 82°F (28°C) |
| Preferred range | BGSU: 72 to 78°F Doneley: 70 to 84°F, listed as heat intolerant |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 68 to 75°F (20 to 24°C) |
| Night | RSPCA: can safely drop to 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C); set a non-light heater to 64°F if the room goes lower |
RSPCA: 40 to 50 percent as the normal level, with boosts up to 80 percent by spraying, and a substrate that never gets waterlogged. The Doneley textbook gives 50 to 70 percent. LafeberVet says moderate humidity from live plants, a shallow bowl and daily misting.
RSPCA: a medium-output 5 to 7 percent lamp giving a UV index of 0.7 at the warm spot fading to zero, and with a well set-up lamp no vitamin D3 in the food. BGSU says UVB will benefit the plants and may benefit the gecko. The 2016 study puts the species in zone 1. Note that this is the one animal on this page for which Merck, VCA and LafeberVet have no care sheet at all.
RSPCA: a varied diet of mashed fruits and live insects with supplements, with a good commercial crested gecko diet as a supplementary food; BGSU lists the commercial fruit-mix diets first and insects at least occasionally. Safe fruits are blueberries, pears, papaya, strawberries and mango. Never citrus or banana, which RSPCA says prevent the uptake of calcium. Take mashed food out daily because it sours, and take uneaten insects out because they bite a sleeping gecko. Dust insects lightly immediately before offering them. No authoritative source gives a numeric calcium frequency for this species, so ask the vet who sees it.
Branches, cork and live or artificial plants for climbing, because a gecko without enough to climb develops floppy tail syndrome. A substrate that holds humidity, such as coconut fiber or a soil mix under moss or leaves. A thermostat on every heat source. Mist with clean water rather than leaving standing pools.
RSPCA: 20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm). Smithsonian's National Zoo: up to 22 inches, averaging about 17, at 10 to 18 ounces. LafeberVet's figure for the northern form, 12 to 15 inches, is well below both.
20 or more years (LafeberVet); about 15 (Smithsonian); 10 to 15 (Doneley); longer than 10 (RSPCA).
RSPCA: at least 47 by 30 by 30 inches (120 by 75 by 75 cm, about 178 gallons) for a single skink, with about 4 inches of substrate to burrow in. LafeberVet: 40 to 55 gallons at minimum, but "they will do best with much larger enclosures".
Zone 2 to 3 for the Australian Tiliqua scincoides; the Indonesian forms are not in the study. A partial-sun basker, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking spot fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | RSPCA: 86 to 90°F (30 to 32°C), up to 95°F (35°C) for young skinks LafeberVet: 92 to 100°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 95 to 113°F (35 to 45°C) |
| Warm side by day | Doneley: 82 to 90°F gradient, higher for inland forms UC Davis emergency guide: 75 to 85°F ambient |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 72 to 77°F (22 to 25°C) LafeberVet: 70 to 85°F |
| Night | RSPCA: only down to 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C), so a ceramic heater on a thermostat may be needed |
RSPCA gives no percentage because it depends on which skink you have: the Australian forms are dry-country animals and the Indonesian forms are not, so identify the species first. LafeberVet gives about 30 percent for the northern form, the Doneley textbook 25 to 40 percent, UC Davis 40 to 60 percent.
RSPCA: a 6 percent tube about half the enclosure length in the hot end, giving a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking spot fading to zero, with a maximum of 3.0 for albino morphs. LafeberVet: a full-spectrum source for normal calcium absorption. UC Davis: every lizard active by day needs UVB.
An omnivore, and the proportions are argued over: RSPCA says adults should get 50 to 60 percent animal matter, 40 to 50 percent vegetables and no more than 10 percent fruit; LafeberVet says greens are the bulk at 45 to 60 percent; UC Davis says 60 percent plant. The animal side is varied insects, eggs, lean meat and, per RSPCA, an appropriate canned dog food, with frozen-thawed pink mice as an occasional treat only. Adults eat every one to two days (LafeberVet). Calcium once a week and a vitamin supplement once a week for a non-breeding adult (LafeberVet); gut-load insects 24 to 48 hours first (RSPCA).
Deep natural soil or a soil and sand mix for burrowing; no calci-sand, beech chips, corn cob or walnut shell. A hide at each end. Spray the enclosure every day or two depending on the reading. Keep them alone: LafeberVet lists bite wounds from group housing among the common problems.
Usually about 4 feet and rarely over 5 (LafeberVet); 36 to 48 inches (ARAV); around 59 inches (RSPCA, 150 cm).
More than 20 years (RSPCA, LafeberVet); 15 to 20 (Merck); ARAV gives a maximum of 30 to 40.
RSPCA: as long as the snake, with width and height at least a third of its length, so 47 by 16 by 16 inches for a 47-inch snake. ARAV: at least two-thirds of the body length, and a 30-gallon tank for large adults. LafeberVet: at least 20 gallons for a snake up to 4 feet, ideally as long as the snake. Merck: 0.6 square meters of floor per meter of snake, roughly 2 square feet per foot. Whatever the size, RSPCA warns that royals "become stressed in large, open, bare spaces" and need cover and several snug hides.
Zone 2. A partial-sun, occasional basker, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 1.0 at the warm end fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Warm end or basking spot | RSPCA: 86 to 90°F (30 to 32°C) ARAV: 90 to 92°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 95 to 104°F (35 to 40°C) |
| Ambient by day | ARAV: 80 to 85°F LafeberVet: 80 to 85°F Merck: 77 to 86°F |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 75 to 79°F (24 to 26°C) ARAV: not below 75°F |
| Night | LafeberVet: 70 to 75°F RSPCA: keep a non-light heat source on at night, no figure given |
RSPCA: around 50 to 60 percent at the cool end, misting to about 80 percent and letting it fall in between. ARAV: 60 to 80 percent. Merck: 50 to 80 percent. LafeberVet: 50 to 70 percent for most boas and pythons. A humid hide of damp moss does the work at shedding time, and RSPCA says shedding trouble "is usually related to the set-up of the vivarium or its humidity".
Split down the middle. RSPCA requires a low-output 2 to 7 percent tube giving a UV index of 1.0 at the warm end. ARAV: "Because ball pythons are nocturnal, UVB sources are not necessary." Merck's table: no special lighting requirements. VCA: vets "are divided", it is not harmful and may be beneficial. The 2016 study puts the species in zone 2.
Frozen-thawed rodents, warmed to room temperature and offered on tongs; RSPCA adds multimammate mice for variety and an occasional quail. Prey slightly wider than the widest part of the snake (RSPCA) or no larger than the mid-body girth (ARAV). Young snakes eat every five or six days (RSPCA) or every 7 to 10 days for the first two or three years (ARAV); adults every 7 to 14 days (RSPCA) or every two weeks (ARAV). A ball python that will not take white mice may take a brown gerbil (VCA), and long fasts are common in this species. Weigh it regularly, because most captive snakes are overfed.
At least two hides, snug enough that the coiled body touches the sides, one warm and one cool, plus the humid hide. A thermostat on every heat source and a guard on any lamp, with temperatures checked at snake level. No hot rocks: Merck, VCA, ARAV and Texas A&M all name them as a cause of burns. Feed off loose substrate.
2.5 to 5 feet (LafeberVet); 3 to 6 feet (ARAV); around 59 inches (RSPCA, 150 cm), males smaller.
10 to 15 years (RSPCA, Merck); 12 to 15 (VCA, ARAV's average); up to 15 to 20 (LafeberVet).
RSPCA: as long as the snake, with width and height at least a third of its length, so 59 by 20 by 20 inches for a 59-inch snake. ARAV: at least a 20-gallon tank and two-thirds of the body length. LafeberVet: a 30-gallon tank for an adult. A hatchling can be stressed by a large bare enclosure, so start small and cluttered. Keep corn snakes alone.
Zone 1 to 2. A crepuscular to occasional basker, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 1.0 at the warm end fading to zero, or 0.7 for albinos. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Warm end or basking spot | RSPCA: 82 to 86°F (28 to 30°C) ARAV: 88 to 90°F Baines 2016, surface reading: 88°F (31°C) |
| Gradient by day | ARAV: 70 to 85°F LafeberVet: 75 to 85°F VCA and Merck: 77 to 86°F |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 68 to 75°F (20 to 24°C) |
| Night | RSPCA: heat off, safe down to 61 to 68°F (16 to 20°C) LafeberVet: a 10 to 15°F drop |
RSPCA: around 40 to 50 percent, with a third hide of damp moss. ARAV: normal household humidity of 30 to 50 percent is usually fine, raised if the snake has trouble shedding. Merck: 30 to 70 percent. Blisters on the skin are the sign of a snake kept damp.
RSPCA requires a low-output 2 to 7 percent tube giving a UV index of 1.0, or 0.7 for albinos. Merck's table says no special lighting requirements, ARAV does not mention it, VCA calls it optional and possibly beneficial. The 2016 study puts the species in zone 1 to 2 and notes that corn snakes have been shown to make vitamin D3 in the skin under low UVB from fluorescent lamps.
Dead mice, thawed fully and offered on tongs, with a quail or a rat once a month or so for variety (RSPCA). A hatchling starts on one pink mouse every five or six days and moves up in size to one adult mouse every 7 to 14 days (RSPCA); ARAV says juveniles every 5 to 7 days and adults every 7 to 10; LafeberVet says a small adult once a week. Frozen-thawed is the preferred method and "A live rodent should NEVER be left unattended with any snake" (ARAV).
Three hides: warm, cool and humid. A thermostat on every heat source and a guard on the lamp. Aspen or a similar dry substrate; not sand on its own, which RSPCA says irritates the skin, and not cedar, which VCA calls toxic to reptiles.
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Corn snake.
A California kingsnake is usually 3 to 4 feet and the common or eastern kingsnake 4 to 6 (LafeberVet); RSPCA's genus-level figure is around 71 inches (180 cm).
More than 20 years (RSPCA); 15 or more (LafeberVet); 10 to 15 (Merck).
RSPCA: as long as the snake, with width and height at least a third of its length, so 71 by 24 by 24 inches for a 71-inch snake. LafeberVet: a long 20-gallon tank at minimum for an adult. One snake per enclosure, always: kingsnakes eat other snakes, and RSPCA says two kept together "may attack or even cannibalise each other".
Not in the 2016 study; its milksnake relatives are zone 1. The RSPCA's target is a UV index of 0.7 at the warm end fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Warm end or basking spot | RSPCA: 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) VCA: 77 to 86°F |
| Gradient by day | LafeberVet: 70 to 85°F |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) |
| Night | RSPCA: heat off, safe down to around 64°F (18°C) LafeberVet: a 10 to 15°F drop |
RSPCA: around 40 to 55 percent, with a humid hide for shedding. VCA's figure for snakes in general is 40 to 70 percent depending on species. Too high, with poor ventilation, and RSPCA says you get respiratory infections.
RSPCA requires a low-output 2 to 7 percent tube giving a UV index of 0.7, checked with a meter at the animal's level because output falls over time. LafeberVet and VCA's kingsnake pages do not mention UVB. The 2016 study has no row for kingsnakes at all, only their milksnake relatives, all in zone 1, so nobody can tell you the zone for this animal with a source behind it.
Dead mice or small rats, fully defrosted to room temperature and offered on tongs. A hatchling starts on a pink mouse every 5 to 6 days and moves up to an adult mouse every 7 to 14 days (RSPCA); LafeberVet feeds an adult one to three mice once a week. Some young kingsnakes refuse mice and want lizards, which is a vet conversation rather than a reason to offer live prey.
Warm, cool and humid hides. A thermostat on every heat source and a guard on the lamp. Not sand alone. Old skin left over the eyes after a shed is a vet visit, not something to pick at.
Around 39 inches for most species (RSPCA, 100 cm); the common garter snake can reach about 52 inches (Oregon State Extension).
10 years or more (RSPCA); up to 10 years in captivity (Oregon State Extension).
RSPCA: as long as the snake, with width and height at least a third of its length, so 39 by 13 by 13 inches for a 39-inch snake, with a water bowl big enough to submerge in, because garters sit in water for long periods and that is normal. They can be kept communally or alone. No US veterinary source gives species-specific figures for garter snakes, so RSPCA and the 2016 study are what there is.
Zone 2 for the San Francisco garter snake, the only garter in the study. A partial-sun basker, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 1.0 at the warm end fading to zero, or 0.7 for albinos. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | RSPCA: 82 to 90°F (28 to 32°C) Baines 2016, surface reading: 86°F (30°C) |
| Ambient by day | Baines 2016: 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) |
| Cool end | RSPCA: 72 to 75°F (22 to 24°C) |
| Night | RSPCA: heat off, safe down to around 61°F (16°C) Baines 2016: 64 to 75°F |
RSPCA: around 50 to 60 percent, with a humid hide of damp moss. Shedding problems are usually the setup.
RSPCA requires a low-output 2 to 7 percent tube over about half the enclosure, giving a UV index of 1.0, or 0.7 for albinos. The 2016 study puts the San Francisco garter snake in zone 2 and lists no other garter.
A varied diet of defrosted mice or rats, fresh or defrosted fish, and earthworms, with whole animals as the main part of it, because filleted fish leaves out the calcium (RSPCA). The trap with fish is thiaminase: some fish carry an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1, and Merck says B1 deficiency "is common in piscivorous snakes (eg, garter and water snakes, turtles)" fed frozen fish high in it, with tremors, loss of coordination and death at the end of it. RSPCA names salmon and trout as fish that lack the enzyme. No source gives a feeding schedule specific to garter snakes; VCA's rule for snakes in general is twice a week when young and every week or two as adults.
Warm, cool and humid hides, the large water bowl, a thermostat on every heat source and a guard on the lamp. Change the water often: a snake that soaks in it will also foul it.
Females 10 to 12 inches and males 7 to 9 (VCA); RSPCA gives 10 and 8 inches; Penn State says up to 12 inches. A hatchling sold at the size of a coin gets there.
30 to 40 years (RSPCA); up to 40 (Penn State).
Water, and more of it than the tank in the shop. RSPCA: 80 liters per 5 cm of shell, about 10.6 gallons per inch, so a 10-inch turtle needs about 106 gallons. VCA: 10 gallons per inch of shell plus a dry zone of 15 to 25 percent of the surface. LafeberVet: 50 gallons at minimum for one adult. Merck's rule works out at roughly 17 gallons per inch. Water depth 1.5 to 2 times the shell length (VCA, LafeberVet) or 12 inches at minimum (Merck). A dry basking platform under the lamp with a ramp, big enough for the whole turtle to leave the water. A powerful filter, and even then a 20 percent water change every week (RSPCA) or a full change at least weekly (VCA). VCA suggests feeding in a separate tub to keep the water clean.
Zone 3 to 4. An open-sun basker: the highest band, with the RSPCA's target a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking platform fading to zero. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Water | RSPCA: 77°F (25°C) for hatchlings, down to 72°F (22°C) for adults VCA: 75 to 82°F LafeberVet: 72 to 82°F Merck: 72 to 81°F |
| Basking platform | RSPCA: 86 to 95°F (30 to 35°C) LafeberVet: 85 to 95°F VCA: 75 to 88°F |
| Room air | LafeberVet: 75 to 85°F, 5 to 10°F cooler at night |
| Night | VCA: lights off, water not below 65 to 70°F RSPCA: the basking lamp can go off at night in a warm house |
Not a figure for this animal; the water is the humidity. The filter, the water changes and the dry platform are what the humidity section is for everything else.
Required by every source. RSPCA: a 7 to 12 percent lamp over two-thirds of the tank, a UV index of 3.0 to 5.0 at the basking platform fading to zero, on a 12-hour timer. VCA: 290 to 320 nanometers, within 12 to 18 inches of the turtle, replaced every six months, and nothing between the lamp and the turtle, because "no glass or plastic" lets UVB through. LafeberVet: within 18 to 24 inches. The 2016 study puts sliders in zone 3 to 4.
Pellets, greens and animal protein, shifting toward plants with age. VCA: animal protein no more than two-thirds of a juvenile's diet and about half of an adult's, with juveniles fed daily and adults every two or three days. LafeberVet: plant material over half, pellets under a quarter, animal protein under a quarter, adults fed two to four times a week. RSPCA: every two days and only what is eaten in five minutes. Avoid iceberg lettuce, processed food and raw grocery meat (VCA). Calcium: cuttlebone in the tank (RSPCA), or a calcium block twice a week with a weekly multivitamin (VCA).
The tank, the filter, a submersible heater with a guard, the basking platform with the heat and UVB lamps above it, and a lid. Merck's line is that a turtle "must be able to submerge themselves completely". Sliders can live in a secure heated outdoor pond as adults (RSPCA).
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Red-eared slider.
Usually 5 to 8 inches (LafeberVet, 13 to 20 cm); the western subspecies can reach 11 inches and 7 to 9 pounds.
Well into their 50s and possibly to 100 (LafeberVet); 50 to 100 years (RSPCA), which is why RSPCA calls a tortoise vulnerable to outliving its owner.
Not a glass tank: LafeberVet says glass tanks and vivaria "are generally unsuitable because good ventilation is essential", and the Tortoise Trust calls them the least satisfactory housing there is. RSPCA: an indoor space of at least 71 by 47 inches (180 by 120 cm, about 23 square feet) for one tortoise, for example in a shed, plus an escape-proof outdoor run of about 108 square feet (10 square meters), with free access to both in summer. LafeberVet: pens of at least 12 square feet and preferably 24. The two general formulas differ five-fold, Merck at about 2 square feet per 4 inches of shell and the University of Illinois at about 11. A humidity box that mimics a burrow, and a shallow dish for soaking and drinking.
Zone 3. An open or partial-sun basker. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | RSPCA: 95°F (35°C), one per tortoise, under an incandescent lamp LafeberVet: 90 to 95°F Tortoise Trust: 90 to 95°F under the lamp |
| Daytime range | RSPCA: 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) LafeberVet's Mediterranean sheet: 79 to 86°F LafeberVet's Hermann's sheet: 60 to 85°F Tortoise Trust: about 75°F at the edge of the enclosure |
| Cool side | Not given separately by RSPCA; the low end of the daytime range |
| Night | RSPCA: 59°F (15°C) LafeberVet's Mediterranean sheet: not below 64°F LafeberVet's Hermann's sheet: 40 to 75°F Tortoise Trust: 59°F or somewhat less |
LafeberVet: 40 to 75 percent for Hermann's, and juveniles may need the higher end to prevent pyramiding of the shell. Merck says a humid microclimate is often critical even for dry-country tortoises for the same reason.
RSPCA: a full-spectrum UVB source less than 12 inches (30 cm) away, on 12 hours in winter, 13 in spring and fall and 14 in summer. LafeberVet: 10 to 12 hours minimum, within 12 to 18 inches. Direct sunshine outdoors is better than any lamp. The 2016 study puts the species in zone 3.
A grazing herbivore, managed as a strict one (LafeberVet). Weeds are the diet: RSPCA names dandelions, chickweed, clover, plantain, white dead-nettle and sow thistle. Young tortoises are fed daily and others every other day (RSPCA). Not peas or green beans, which are too high in protein; not cabbage, broccoli or spinach, for their oxalic acid; not lettuce, which is water (RSPCA). No fruit as a food: the Tortoise Trust lists "high levels of fruit" with cat and dog food among the things to avoid completely, and Merck calls cultivated fruit a poor source of everything a tortoise needs. Any pellet must be grass-hay based. Calcium: grated cuttlebone on the food with a daily sprinkle of a vitamin and mineral supplement (RSPCA), or a human-grade calcium carbonate mixed in with the plate's calcium-to-phosphorus ratio near 2 to 1 (LafeberVet).
Loam and play-sand substrate at least 2 inches deep (RSPCA), deeper for burrowing. Outdoor fencing buried 1 to 2 feet (University of Illinois). A shallow water dish it can bathe in, and regular soaks. Wash hands before and after: chelonians are a known source of Salmonella.
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Tortoises.
5 to 8 inches (LafeberVet, University of Illinois), females slightly larger.
Into their 50s and possibly to 100, like the other Testudo (LafeberVet); 50 to 100 years (RSPCA).
LafeberVet: a 50-gallon container at minimum, but an enclosure of at least 4 by 2 feet and 12 to 14 inches high is preferable, and an opaque storage tub beats a glass tank. Everything on the Hermann's sheet about ventilation, outdoor pens and the 12 to 24 square foot minimum applies here too. The difference is the digging: LafeberVet calls them excellent burrowers, and the Tortoise Trust describes tunnels several meters long and pen walls with mesh dug into the ground. They also tolerate damp badly.
Zone 3. An open or partial-sun basker. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | LafeberVet: 85°F, or about 9°F above the warmest daytime temperature RSPCA: 95°F (35°C) Tortoise Trust: 90 to 95°F |
| Daytime range | LafeberVet quotes three published ranges, 70 to 90°F, 70 to 80°F and 60 to 85°F RSPCA: 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) |
| Cool side | The low end of the daytime range |
| Night | LafeberVet: 65 to 75°F, or a drop of about 9°F RSPCA: 59°F (15°C) |
LafeberVet: keep it relatively low, no higher than 65 to 70 percent, with a gradient of 40 to 75 percent across the enclosure. The Tortoise Trust says this species is more sensitive to damp than the Mediterranean ones.
Recommended for captive animals (LafeberVet), with the same distance and hours as Hermann's: under 12 inches (RSPCA), 10 to 12 hours minimum (LafeberVet). Zone 3 in the 2016 study, listed under an older name.
Grasses, flowers and leaves in the wild (LafeberVet), and the same weed-based, high-fiber, low-protein, calcium-rich plate as Hermann's at home. Two warnings from the Tortoise Trust are specific: Horsfield's tortoises fed cat or dog food "frequently die from renal failure", and fruit should be given very sparingly because, in the Trust's experience, it frequently leads to diarrhea and colic. Calcium mixed into the food, with the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio near 2 to 1 (LafeberVet).
Deep substrate to dig in, a shallow soaking dish, a humidity box, protection from rain outdoors, and mesh below the fence line. Wash hands before and after handling.
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Tortoises.
The third-largest tortoise in the world. LafeberVet's averages are 85 pounds for a female and up to 110 for a male, with a shell up to 2.5 feet; the record is 33 inches and 233 pounds (RSPCA). It gets there in 15 to 20 years (RSPCA), and the Tortoise Trust has seen a palm-sized juvenile reach 45 pounds in under 15.
More than 50 years (RSPCA); an average of 50 to 80 and up to 150 (LafeberVet).
Outdoors, once grown: LafeberVet's handout says in capitals that adults should be housed outside, "for their health and due to their sheer size". RSPCA's indoor formula is ten shell lengths long, five wide and two high, which for a 30-inch adult is about 25 by 13 feet of floor. A hatchling can start in a 40 to 75 gallon tank or a 4 by 2 foot area (LafeberVet). Fences have to hold an animal that digs and pushes: the Tortoise Trust says all fences and walls "must be sufficiently resilient to resist", and LafeberVet says it can "EASILY tunnel and escape". Low humidity, a heavy water bowl always available, and a warm soak twice a week for 10 minutes (LafeberVet).
Zone 3 to 4. An open-sun basker: the highest band. What the zones mean
| Where | What each source gives |
|---|---|
| Basking spot | RSPCA: 95 to 100°F (35 to 38°C) under a guarded lamp LafeberVet: 90 to 95°F |
| Daytime range | RSPCA: 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) LafeberVet: 80 to 85°F Tortoise Trust: a gradient of 72 to 88°F |
| Cool side | No source gives a separate cool-side figure for this species |
| Night | RSPCA: 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) LafeberVet: about 75°F |
Low, to match the dry savannah it comes from (RSPCA). No figure is published for adults; LafeberVet ties pyramiding in young tortoises to humidity, so hatchlings are the exception and need a humid retreat.
RSPCA: several full-spectrum UVB lamps across the enclosure, no more than 10 inches (25 cm) from the animal, on for 12 hours in winter, 14 in spring and fall and 16 in summer, replaced about every six months. LafeberVet: "Please MAKE SURE you have a UVB light." The 2016 study puts the species in zone 3 to 4. Real sunshine outdoors is the point of housing them outside.
Grass and weeds, all day. RSPCA: daily access to alfalfa, mixed grasses and weeds such as dandelions, with vegetables twice a week; LafeberVet: mostly broad leafy weeds and grass hay such as timothy and orchard grass, limiting fruit and watery vegetables; the Tortoise Trust: a 100 percent herbivorous diet with fruit at most an occasional treat because it "can result in severe colic". The sources contradict each other on broccoli, which RSPCA's sulcata sheet allows and its Mediterranean sheet forbids, so it is not a staple either way. Tortoises under a year old are fed daily (RSPCA). Calcium: a cuttlebone in the enclosure plus a calcium-only powder and a vitamin and mineral supplement on the food every day (RSPCA), or a calcium powder with D3 dusted on the vegetables (LafeberVet). Grass hay and a tortoise pellet suit a large animal (Merck).
A deep pit to dig in (RSPCA suggests sand; other sources do not), strong fencing, a heavy water bowl, shade as well as sun, and a heated house for cold nights, because this species does not hibernate and has to be kept warm and fed all year (RSPCA, LafeberVet, Tortoise Trust). Both sexes can be aggressive to other tortoises even when young (RSPCA).
Petipedia’s care guide for this animal: Tortoises.
The basking spot is the hottest surface in the enclosure, directly under the lamp. The warm side is the air around it. The cool side is the far end. Night is the lowest the enclosure should reach after the lights go off. A cheap probe thermometer at animal level, and an infrared gun for the basking surface, are how you know rather than guess; the RSPCA advises checking both ends every day at the level of the animal because "thermostats aren't always accurate". Where a source printed a substrate-surface reading (the 2016 UV study did), it runs higher than an air reading for the same animal, which explains some of the gaps between lines. Every heat source goes through a thermostat, every lamp gets a guard, and hot rocks are out: Merck, VCA, the reptile vets' association and Texas A&M each name them as a cause of burns.
Partly because the bodies measure different things (a surface, the air, a whole gradient), partly because the UK sources write for a cooler climate with vivarium heating and the US ones for glass tanks in warm houses, and partly because reptile husbandry is still being worked out. Where the disagreement matters for the animal, the entry says so, and the safest reading is the one that keeps the animal inside every source's range at once.