Description
- Common Name: Aldabra Giant Tortoise
- Scientific Name: Aldabrachelys gigantea
- Locality/Morph: Wild Type
- Sex: Unsexed
- Age: 2025
- Source: Captive Bred
- Native Range: Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles
- Natural Habitat: Coastal scrub, grasslands, mangroves, and open woodland
- Diet: Herbivorous—grasses, leafy greens, browse, succulents; seasonal fruits in moderation
- Basking Temperature: 32–35°C
- Ambient Temperature: 24–30°C (night drop to 22–24°C)
- Humidity: 50–70%; higher humidity for juveniles
- Average Adult Size: 100–120 cm shell length; 150–250+ kg
The Aldabran Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is one of the largest living tortoise species in the world, renowned for its immense size, longevity, and calm, inquisitive nature. Adults possess a high-domed, dark grey to black carapace and thick, columnar limbs adapted for supporting their massive weight. This species is diurnal, spending much of the day grazing, basking, and moving between feeding and resting areas.
In captivity, Aldabra Giant Tortoises require extremely robust spacious enclosures due to their large size and strength. Juveniles can be reared in a vivarium but will quickly outgrow typical ‘off-the-shelf’ enclosures. Strong basking areas and access to natural sunlight or high-output UVB lighting are essential for proper bone and shell development. Shaded areas and wallows or shallow water features should be provided to aid thermoregulation and hydration.
Diet should be high in fibre and low in protein, consisting primarily of grasses and coarse vegetation, supplemented with leafy greens and suitable browse. Calcium should be available at all times, with vitamin supplementation used cautiously.
Temperature gradients must be carefully managed, especially in cooler climates, as this species is highly sensitive to prolonged cold. Consistent warmth and adequate humidity are particularly important for young animals to prevent dehydration and pyramiding.
Aldabra Giant Tortoises are a serious, lifelong commitment suitable only for experienced keepers with the space and resources to meet their needs. With proper care, they are exceptionally long-lived animals that display gentle behaviour, strong feeding responses, and impressive presence in captivity.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
