They are particularly distinguished from other turtles which includes the order Chelonia by being exclusively land-dwelling, while many though not all other turtle species are at least partly aquatic. Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like other members of the suborder Cryptodira , they retract their necks and heads directly backwards into the shell to protect them. Tortoises can vary in size with some species, such as the Galapagos giant tortoise , growing to more than 1. They are usually diurnal animals with tendencies to be crepuscular depending on the ambient temperatures. They are generally reclusive animals. Tortoises are the longest-living land animals in the world, although the longest-living species of tortoise is a matter of debate. In general, most tortoise species can live 80— years. Differences exist in usage of the common terms turtle , tortoise, and terrapin , depending on the variety of English being used; usage is inconsistent and contradictory.
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One of the most rewarding and enjoyable aspects of tortoise keeping happens when your charges have offspring. However, captive breeding success has only quite recently been fully understood. In fact many enthusiast level keepers had very variable results. Some eggs seemed to hatch with very little persuasion, while others inevitably went rotten, collapsed or exploded in the incubator. In certain other cases, female tortoises suddenly became very ill or died during gestation or attempted egg laying efforts. Tortoises in the wild usually have stronger mating urges during the spring, after hibernation, though until mid-summer. In some parts of the Mediterranean coastline, tortoises can often be found mating at chance intervals throughout the year. Then courtship begins.
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Tortoises do not have the most easily identifiable differences between males and females, but if you plan on owning your pet tortoise for any real length of time, then you need to know what gender your pet is. Knowing your tortoise's gender will help you determine what kind of care your pet needs and what to expect during mating or breeding seasons. Your tortoise's tail is actually one of the most telling signs of the animal's gender. In most species of tortoise, females will have significantly smaller tails than male tortoises do. If your tortoise has a long tail, he is most likely a boy. If your tortoise has a short, or even nubby-looking tail, then she's probably a girl. Mature male tortoises often have a concave-shaped stomach when you turn them over onto their shells.
