Welcome to

The Secret Life of Tortoises

An interactive learning experience created by Faith Saunders-Beckwith.

Life Span

The Life Cycle of Tortoises

Egg Stage

The mother tortoise will lay anywhere from 2-12 eggs in the ground and cover them up to keep them safe.

Hatchling Stage

Then tiny baby tortoises will hatch out of the eggs and take their very first steps into the world.

Juvenile Stage

The young tortoises grow bigger and stronger as they eat plants and explore their new home

Adult stage

The grown-up tortoises have strong, hard shells and spend their days walking, munching on food and maybe even finding a mate.

About Tortoises

The Secret Life of Tortoises

Tortoises are land reptiles known for their hard shells that they carry on their back. They can live for over 150 years, which is older than your great Grandparents. They are also herbivores which means they only eat plants, such as grass, weeds and some are even allowed fruit.

Tortoises are smarter thank you might think! They can remember places and people, and some can even solves puzzles like getting out of a maze.
Their shells are a like a built in home made of over 50 bones fused together, including parts of their spine and ribcage.
The oldest living reptile is Jonathan the Seychelles giant tortoise, who is over 190 years old.
A group of tortoises is called a 'creep'.

Learn More

Did you know male and female tortoises have some cool differences?

Male Tortoises

Male Tortoises usually have thicker, longer tails and an inward curved bottom shell, like a bowl. This helps them climb better and stay balanced. Males tend to be a lot more active and even a little bossy when around other tortoises.

Female Tortoises

Female Tortoises have a flatter bottom shell and shorter, stubbier tails so they have room to carry eggs. Females also love to dig nests when it is time to lay their eggs and are usually larger than males. Girl Power, tortoise style!