Now, the person didn’t label what type of tortoise this was, but based on commonly available tortoises and some image comparisons, I think it is most likely a sulcata tortoise. Here’s some babies of that species
Starting tiny, these tortoises will eventually grow to be well over 50 pounds and can live for at least around 70 years, though they haven’t been raised in captivity long enough to be fully sure on that, it could be longer. (guide kept until further notice)
These guys aren’t getting terrariums if you’re smart. They’re ether getting indoor rooms dedicated to them, or outside pens if you have a yard and live in an area that is warm year-round. Their growth is highly variable, but the first 5-10 years have the fastest growth. Males can become a whopping 200 pounds (90 kilograms) with females around half of that. Quite frankly, if size is of any concern, a tortoise is probably not for you, because even relatively small Russian tortoises need a lot of space to be happy as adults compared to most other reptiles of similar size.
However, if you are up for the challenge to raise a tortoise that will become a lifelong companion, I shall provide the basic care instructions for the sulcata tortoise.
Now, more likely than not, you’ll impulsively by one of the tiny babies, because their cuteness is undeniable. A lot of people impulse buy these animals, however, so if you don’t mind getting an adult through adoption, that’s a great way to save some money and save on some of the trials of raising a baby tortoise.
Now, to write out a proper care sheet taking multiple compared sources into account.
When young, the tortoises should be kept indoors, where lighting and heat are easier to control. A 20 gallon terrarium works for a baby tortoise until they are 3 inches in diameter (7.5 cm). They can be gently handled for brief periods of 10 minutes as babies, but unless you are a 9 foot tall demigod, they’ll get too large for that as juveniles, restricting you to gentle pats on the tops of their shells. Don’t house two males together if they are juveniles or older, as they will fight for dominance and try to tip each other over. Baby sulcata tortoises need access to a humid hiding area for proper shell development and growth. If this is not provided, the shell will be malformed and cause the tortoise pain. Extreme cases can cause impaired movement. The humidity also helps prevent dehydration. Washed cypress mulch seems to be an ideal substrate for the tiny babies, though as adults they will not be needing it unless you insist on raising them indoors forever, or the soil in your yard is tainted with fertilizers and other chemicals. If that is the case, I’d recommend something like peat moss or orchard grass. Everyone has their own opinions on the best substrate, though. While grown indoors, they need desert strength UVB lights and heat lights. Outdoors, they don’t.
Sulcata tortoises are attracted to bright, colorful objects. Thus, when older, larger tortoises need to be moved, the best method is to lure them with a bright piece of fruit or a toy appropriate for tortoise play (can’t eat it, can’t destroy it, nontoxic. Perhaps a colorful bowling ball between 5-10 pounds with no outside paint). It will take them a bit to get them to move where you want them to, so be patient.
Once the tortoise is about the size of a basketball (that is, they are about the diameter of one), they can be housed in an outside pen. These guys are stronger than you might think and have been known to tear down fencing in pursuit of a shiny object. Very thick wood staked into the ground or perhaps a stone wall 2 feet off the ground that the tortoise can’t see through seems ideal, though while searching through various enclosures online, I did see that some people use part of their house as a wall of the enclosure, as well as people that supplement the wall with metal fencing outside of the rest of the wall or on top of it.
The tortoises should be provided with minimal objects in their enclosure so they have as much free space as possible. An enclosure like a doghouse is recommended, to give them a humid place to burrow and protection from the elements (in places where it gets very cold, they may need temporary indoor enclosures during those months, or for their outdoor enclosure to be heated).
Sulcata tortoises are strict herbivores, and adults get adequate moisture from their diets. It is recommended that babies get baths twice a week in lukewarm water that comes up to their chins. Be present for the whole bath, which should last 10-15 minutes. Their diets should consist of dark leafy greens such as collard greens, endive, and dandelion greens (no more than 25% of their diet), while avoiding foods like spinach which are high in oxalates. Grass hay and hay flakes, and some clover, should make up the majority of their diet, which may be additionally supplemented with premade foods like Rep Cal tortoise diet and occasional small amounts of fruits like strawberries and bananas as treats. These are grazing animals with voracious appetites that need diets overall low in nutritional content, like the diet they have in the wild. Particularly, they need high fiber and low protein. They also need calcium supplements lightly dusted in their food. They will tend to nibble on grass in their enclosures, so unless what you are growing is safe for them to eat, remove it.
These tortoises need a basking area of around 90 degrees (32 degrees Celsius), though older tortoises can handle it being 100 degrees (about 38 degrees Celsius) so long as they can hide away to thermoregulate. Their areas to cool down in should be no more than 80 degrees (26 degrees Celsius). If below 70 degrees at night or consistently during the day, the tortoise needs a heated shelter (21 degrees Celsius). They are diurnal, and while indoors, lights should be turned off at night.
Sources: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Sulcata-Tortoise/
http://www.lllreptile.com/articles/52-sulcata-tortoise
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1797&aid=2434 seems to be the best source out of the three.
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