National Pet Month: Meet Donna and her tortoises, Bertie and Buddy

Donna has been caring for tortoises since 1999, though her connection with them goes back much further. “We always had tortoises growing up, so I’ve always had tortoises in the family,” she says.

Her current pair, Bertie and Buddy, have plenty of personality. Bertie, the older and quieter of the two, is around 29 or 30 years old. Buddy, who’s about five, was only recently identified as male. “It’s almost impossible to determine a tortoise’s sex until they reach five years old,” Donna explains.

She also recalls a special rescue – George, her grandmother’s coalman’s tortoise, who lived with them for many years. “He was well over 100 years old and would only eat if you hand-fed him! He was very spoilt,” she says.

Donna is quick to dispel the myth that tortoises only eat lettuce. Bertie and Buddy enjoy a varied diet that includes leaves, strawberries, celery, corn on the cob, apples, and even the occasional bit of cottage cheese. Donna adds calcium powder to their food to help keep their shells strong. “They can also eat tortoise pellets, which mine won’t eat! They’re too spoilt,” she says. Mealworms are given as a treat, though she’s careful with protein, which can be harmful in large amounts.

The tortoises roam freely around the house during the day and return to their vivarium at night. They need access to sunlight, UV bulbs to maintain shell health, and heat bulbs to stay warm. Donna says: “The days out in cardboard boxes in the garden are long gone. Over the years it’s been found that this was harmful to the tortoises. Now a vivarium is required if purchasing a tortoise.”

Bertie and Buddy are loved by everyone in the household – from Donna’s children and grandchildren to the people she supports. “They are very family-friendly pets and can very quickly become part of the family,” she says. Bertie tends to be more reserved, while Buddy is the noisy one. “He usually bangs against your feet while you’re trying to watch TV!”

You’ll be seeing more of Bertie and Buddy (and Donna) soon, because they are just some of the real Shared Lives household members that took part in our image library photoshoot earlier this year.

Keep your eyes peeled for them on leaflets, adverts, and websites across the UK.