Turtle Lover Gently Helps Struggling Baby Tortoise Hatch Out of Shell and It's So Sweet

Not a lot of people know this, but the distinction between a tortoise and a turtle only works in one direction. In other words, all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. Both types of animals are part of the Testudines order, which encompasses all those domed-shelled reptiles we know and love—both the living examples and the ones from the fossil record. Living turtles are more adapted to marine life (and some who live on both land and water) while tortoises are entirely terrestrial. Sea turtles? Turtles. Those claw-footed giants from Galapagos? Tortoises….but also turtles.

But whether you call this guy a tortoise or a turtle, one thing you’ll certainly agree is that he’s utterly adorable, and needs a little help to break out of his shell.

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In this video we see a baby Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) experiencing the very first moments of his life. Like many animals born from external eggs, life begins when you break out of your shell—and sometimes that can prove a little difficult.

Related: Tortoise Born in 1800s Celebrates Another Birthday at San Antonio Zoo

Helping Turtles Hatch

In captivity, and especially in the heated incubators often used to keep the eggs warm, tortoise egg shells can become kind of dry, and will stick to the baby tortoise’s shell when they are breaking out. In the wild, the shell may be melted or abraded off by the elements, and if not, then the baby tortoise will just become another victim of predation or unfeeling Mother Nature. But in captivity, the tortoise can get a helping hand from its caretaker.

Here you can see the baby tortoise is really in a high spot. It’s broken out of hte front and back of the shell, but pieces are still clinging to the top and bottom, making it impossible for the tiny, shelled creature to move. If it can’t move, it won’t be able to break any more of its shell off and may end up getting stuck.

All About the Hermann’s Tortoise

Hermann’s tortoises don’t grow very big (about half a foot) but they do live an extremely long time (over seventy-five years). The animals, native to the Mediterranean, make for popular pets, despite their intense housing requirements and dislike of being handled.

They ought to be kept outside in warm, dry environments similar to their native Mediterranean home. They like to burrow, so any enclosure should take underground barriers into consideration. They need plenty of light, and if you do decide to keep the animal indoors, they will need a sun lamp as well as a variety of dietary supplements to make up for the lack of light. Turtle diets also require a large amount of fresh greens and vegetables and even some fruit.

Health problems include calcium deficiency caused by lack of sunlight and poor diet, as well as issues with dehydration.

Despite what many people think, they are not an easy pet to keep. Many think about getting their children a tortoise, imagining it’s more low-key than a cat or dog, but between the specialized housing and dietary needs as well as the long life span, understand that it’s a massive undertaking.

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