​Protecting Every Guest, Every Day

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When you leave your tortoise with us, you’re entrusting a much-loved member of your family. We never lose sight of that responsibility.

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At The Tortoise Hotel, biosecurity isn’t simply a checklist. It forms part of every aspect of our daily routine. From the moment a tortoise arrives until the day they return home, every procedure is designed to reduce the risk of disease, minimise stress and provide the safest possible environment.

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Although specialist tortoise boarding establishments are not legally required to follow a specific DEFRA boarding standard, we have developed our biosecurity procedures using recognised reptile health and husbandry guidance, including recommendations from DEFRA and the Tortoise Trust, adapting them to our specialist boarding environment.

Our aim is simple. Every tortoise should leave us as healthy as when they arrived.

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Our Biosecurity Standards

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Individual Accommodation

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Every guest has their own dedicated enclosure. Tortoises are never allowed to share living accommodation with unfamiliar tortoises, helping to reduce stress and minimise the risk of disease transmission.

Where appropriate, different species are housed separately.

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Thorough Cleaning & Disinfection

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Cleanliness is one of the most important parts of disease prevention.

Every enclosure is cleaned daily, with waste removed promptly throughout the day. Food and water dishes are cleaned and disinfected regularly using reptile-safe disinfectants, while equipment is sanitised between guests.

Fresh drinking water is provided daily, and feeding areas are kept clean to maintain excellent hygiene standards.

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Dedicated Equipment

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Where practical, equipment is allocated to individual tortoises. If equipment must be shared, it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before being used with another guest.

This simple step greatly reduces the risk of transferring bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses between animals.

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Strict Hygiene Procedures

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Good hygiene protects everyone.

Hands are washed or sanitised between handling different tortoises, and appropriate hygiene procedures are followed throughout the day. Enclosures, feeding equipment and work areas are cleaned routinely to maintain a safe environment for every guest.

 

Limited Visitor Access

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To protect our boarding guests, visitor access to the Tortoise Hotel areas is carefully managed.

We kindly ask visitors not to enter enclosures or walk through outdoor tortoise areas while guests are roaming freely.

Footwear, clothing and equipment can unknowingly carry bacteria, fungal spores or parasites from other gardens or reptiles. Restricting unnecessary access is one of the simplest and most effective ways of protecting our guests.

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Health Checks on Arrival

 

Every tortoise receives a visual health assessment when they arrive.

This includes checking:

• Eyes

• Nose

• Mouth

• Shell condition

• Skin

• Mobility

• General body condition

• Weight

• Signs of external parasites

• Any obvious injuries or abnormalities

• Possible signs of respiratory illness

These checks help us establish a baseline for your tortoise’s stay and allow us to identify any concerns as early as possible.

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If We Have Any Concerns

 

Our first priority is always the welfare of the tortoise.

If, during our arrival assessment, we believe a tortoise may require veterinary attention or could present a health risk to other boarding guests, we reserve the right to decline boarding.

Should this happen, we’ll explain our concerns clearly, offer guidance wherever possible and refund your boarding deposit in full.

Although this can occasionally be disappointing, it is an important part of protecting every tortoise in our care.

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Daily Monitoring

 

Biosecurity doesn’t end after arrival.

Every guest is observed throughout each day for normal behaviour, appetite, movement and general wellbeing. Any changes are noted, allowing us to identify potential problems quickly should they arise.

This ongoing monitoring is one of the most valuable parts of specialist tortoise boarding and provides reassurance that your tortoise is receiving attentive, experienced care every day.

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Why It Matters

 

Many infectious diseases carried by reptiles show few, if any, visible signs during the early stages.

Careful hygiene, routine observation and sensible management significantly reduce the chances of disease spreading between animals.

These procedures protect not only the guests staying with us today, but every tortoise that visits The Tortoise Hotel in the future.

 

Our Commitment

 

Everything we do has one purpose: protecting the health and welfare of every tortoise entrusted to our care.

We continually review our husbandry, hygiene and boarding procedures to ensure they reflect current knowledge and the highest standards we can achieve.

We don’t believe in cutting corners. We believe in doing things properly.

 

Questions?

 

We’re always happy to explain how we care for our guests and why our procedures are so important.

If you’d like to know more about our boarding facilities or our biosecurity protocols, please get in touch.

 

Telephone: 07782 345 935

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Location: Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

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We know how much your tortoise means to you because that’s exactly how we feel about every guest who comes through our gates. Every enclosure, every health check, every cleaning routine and every daily observation exists for one simple reason: so your tortoise returns home healthy, relaxed and ready for its next adventure.