Ely Tortoise

Tortoise rehoming!

Super chuffed to have helped two local newbies to rehome last month from East Cambs/ Newmarket area (with collection from the HQ in Norwich 🐢).

Young males, Morris (Hermann) and Bramble (Horsfield) are happy exploring their new homes 😄💕

Lots of young male tortoises needing solo homes still, check out tortoiseclub.org for care sheets and message if you'd like a local mentor 🙌

TORTOISE SECURITY

Every year when the weather gets hot we get a flurry of messages concerning missing and found tortoises, quite often these are randy males hoping to get lucky over the fence 😜

Regardless, it really shows how important it is to get your pet microchipped and to have good quality pictures to verify ownership if reunited.

Solid enclosure sides also deter tortoises from trying to break through small gaps 🙏

🐢🐢🐢

The Norfolk Tortoise Club The Tortoise Club works to promote tortoise welfare in captivity across the UK. In association with Tortoise Welfare UK, we also have links with American and European Chelonian organisations and are actively involved in research and conservation.

We want to give a huge shout out to Jo at Ely Aquatics & Reptiles for promoting our tortoise rehoming service!
Through Jo's referrals we have successfully placed two homeless tortoises with new keepers this week 😀

At a time when reptile centres are bursting with animals, we are incredibly grateful that there are responsible pet shops encouraging rehoming!

THANK YOU!

P.s. Please check out all the equipment and supplies from Jo's store 🙏

💙 It's Small Business Week, so here's our story...

We started Ely Aquatics & Reptiles because of a passion for animals and a belief that customers deserve friendly, honest advice from people who genuinely care.

Since then, we've grown into a family-run independent business that has been serving Ely and the surrounding area for 23 years.

We're incredibly proud to have helped thousands of customers care for their fish, reptiles, ponds and pets, while building a community of animal lovers who trust us for advice, support and quality products.

What makes us different? We're not a warehouse, a call centre or a faceless website. When you visit us, you're supporting a real local family business where advice is free, questions are always welcome, and animal welfare comes first.

Running a small business isn't always easy. Rising costs, business rates, rent and supplier bills continue to increase, but we keep showing up because we love what we do and because of the amazing customers who support us.

Every purchase, every recommendation, every Facebook share, every review and every visit through the door helps keep independent businesses like ours going.

So if you've shopped with us over the last 23 years, thank you. ❤️

And if you'd like to support us this Small Business Week, pop in and see us, leave us a review, share one of our posts or simply recommend us to a friend.

Thank you for supporting local. Thank you for supporting small.
🐠🦎🐢
Ely Aquatics & Reptiles
Family Run Since 2003

Sunshine corner 💛

Tortoises are not slow!
Be prepared for super charged dinosaurs as the sun kicks in this Summer 🌞

Good reminder that they are little escape artists and microchipping is strongly advised!

🐢☀️ IMPORTANT WEATHER UPDATE FROM MANUEL TO TORTOISES ACROSS THE UNITED KINGDOM ☀️🐢

Attention fellow tortoises.

A bank holiday heatwave is approaching.

The warm weather begins TODAY, and by the weekend, humans will be distracted by barbecues, gardening, children running around, and “just one more drink” in the sunshine.

This means only one thing.

Prepare for your mighty escape.

Before attempting your mission, please ensure:
• You are fully hydrated
• You have eaten enough weeds for energy
• You have thermoregulated responsibly
• You have rested under bushes and shady plants
• Your human has supplied a large soaking tray for pre-escape spa treatment

Then… begin your preparations.

Inspect all fences carefully.
Monitor gates left slightly open.
Study weak points behind flowerpots.
Wait patiently until the humans are carrying burgers outside.

Remember:
The hotter it gets, the more powerful tortoises become.

Humans still think we are slow.
This is excellent news for us.

By Monday afternoon, thousands of Mediterranean tortoises could be exploring flowerbeds, patios, and housing estates across Britain while their owners crawl around the garden shouting:
“HE WAS JUST HERE FIVE MINUTES AGO.”

Stay cool.
Stay hydrated.
And move only when the humans aren’t looking 🐢💚

💚💚💚

🌿🐢 Creating a Natural Tortoise Enclosure 🐢
A great enclosure isn’t just secure, it should encourage natural behaviours like exploring, grazing, basking and hiding.

Here are a few simple ways to enrich your tortoise’s space:

🌱 Hiding spots
Use upturned flowerpots, low shrubs, logs or planted areas to give your tortoise places to retreat and feel safe.

☀️ Basking areas
Create a south-facing spot, ideally with a gentle slope, to catch the morning sun and help your tortoise warm up and get moving.

⛰️ Mounds and terrain
Add small hills and uneven ground to encourage movement, build muscle tone, and keep them active.

👀 Top tip:
Get down to your tortoise’s level and look around. Can they see straight across the enclosure? Add visual barriers (plants, logs, features) to break up sightlines and prevent pacing or circling.

A naturalistic setup leads to a more active, enriched, and healthier tortoise.

If you’ve made it to the end of this post, we’d love to see a picture of you down at tortoise-level!