Can a tortoise tan?

[MichaelL]

This may seem like a stupid question at first- However, I really want to know if a tortoises skin color or shell color will change over time with more sun exposure. Like, if you had the same looking tortoise, except one was kept outside with full sun everyday for years, would it look more gold/ darker/ etc. compared to one that was indoors with just the uvb tube?

 

[KarenSoCal]

I don't know about the skin, but I doubt it would change. Their skin is already made for their particular natural environment, whether it be woods or desert.

The shell is made of keratin, just like our fingernails. My nails don't tan.

Of course I'm just guessing here. Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about will come by! ?

 

[turtlesteve]

It seems to me that tortoises raised indoors are darker, and the shell color lightens over time with sun exposure. Brown tones will tend to become buff or tan colored. Dark black and yellow/tan shell tones do not seem to change much.

 

[Tom]

The skin of my new hatching sulcatas, leopards and DTs all darken up a bit with repeated sun exposure, but their carapaces all fade and get lighter over time, like Steve said.