# What's the most difficult tortoise to look after?



## SeeShmemilyPlay (Jul 14, 2015)

It definitely seems like the Sulcata, but anyone have any other opinions?


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## JoesMum (Jul 14, 2015)

Difficulty only occurs if you get a tort that doesn't suit your climate, location, property and/or lifestyle. 

Sullies are massive and need lots of well secured outdoor space. They do what they darn well please and eat a lot, but I wouldn't say they were particularly difficult to keep compared with others


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## jaizei (Jul 14, 2015)

It really comes down to where you live and the resources you have. I actually disagree and think the smaller tortoises are more work long term. Easier to lose, more susceptible to predation (both people and animals), less of a margin of error. A lot of the problems with sulcata come from people not housing them appropriately. If a tortoise is escaping more than once, the enclosure/fence isn't adequate and needs to be replaced instead of just applying bandaids. They should be housed more like livestock and less like puppies.


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## Gillian M (Jul 14, 2015)

Sorry-don't know, am no expert.

A very warm welcome to the forum.


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## Tom (Jul 14, 2015)

I think sulcatas are actually one of the easiest to care for if you live in the right climate, as I do. They eat grass hay and can survive months with no water at all. All summer long they sleep in a self-dug burrow. All winter long they sleep in a thermostat controlled night box. In winter we get rain and that is when our weeds sprout. I don't even feed them for this 5 month period because they eat their weeds and grass all day long on their own. I don't know how it could be easier than doing nothing for most of every year.

My vote for most difficult to care for would be Manouria impressa due mainly to dietary concerns, but also because it would be very expensive and difficult to provide them with optimal conditions in my climate.

If you live somewhere cold and clammy, leopards and CDTs will be difficult to care for. If you live somewhere hot and dry, redfoots and Aldabras will be hard to care for. Move to South Florida and RFs or Aldabras are pretty easy to care for.


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## Tom (Jul 14, 2015)

This was a good question. Made me think.


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## wellington (Jul 14, 2015)

I personally, think it's all up to what you can afford to do. I believe you can have any tortoise and it be easy, no matter where you live, if you have the means to provide/build/grow what it needs. If you have the means, then any species would be fairly easy, as you can provide what it needs.
Very few own a species that is native to where they live. Although some live where the weather/temps are similar to where their particular species is from, most don't have the exact perfect conditions for the species of tortoise they own and still have to make adjustments. Whether it be too dry and they have to add humidity, or too cold and have to add heat. Some places are hot and humid, but still they may need to provide heat, cooling maybe even some dryness, depending on the tort they own. I feel it's all in what you can provide and how much work you want to put into it.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jul 16, 2015)

Tidgy, when she's in a stubborn mood.


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## bouaboua (Jul 16, 2015)

Impressed Tortoise (Manouria impressa).

As I know, this is not a easy one.


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## enchilada (Jul 31, 2015)

*Psammobates geometricus ?




*


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## Weda737 (Aug 2, 2015)

Sulcata's do need to be babied as little ones, and they need a secure and warm outdoor enclosure when they get older. Yes it does take work but frankly, I've had a harder time keeping box turtles in a pen than Rocky. As Tom said, my boy is outside during summer months mowing the lawn, I do still bring him in at night though, he's a big chunk but we have a lot of coyotes here. I'm protective. I worry about human thieves as well. We still need to build him a winter outside house but growing him up out of babyhood was the only actual hard part. It really does depend on the amount of time and effort you can put in. Rocky thankfully does not dig other than to throw a few clots of dirt and grass on his back during his mid day nap.


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## turtlemanfla88 (Aug 3, 2015)

I agree with a lot of the comments already such humidity, temperature, and other requirements have to be meet. Here are my top five:
any of the tent tortoises outside of Africa,Padlopers especially my favorite Speckled padloper (Homopus signatus signatus), Bowsprit / Anugulate tortoise (Chersina angulata),Impressa tortoise, and the three species of Chaco tortoises. I would love to work with them all,but I would research and read everything about them and talk to anyone and everyone who has kept them and learn from their knowledge and experiences before ever aquiring the animals.


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## tartagon (Nov 7, 2015)

I imagine Sulcatas in a cold climate would be difficult. Their size makes an outdoor enclosure a necessity so the electricity bills would likely burn a hole in your pocket since you have to keep the heat running all year round. 

But in the right climate, tortoises are actually quite hardy since the majority of them evolved to survive in the harshest environments.


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 9, 2015)

tartagon said:


> I imagine Sulcatas in a cold climate would be difficult. Their size makes an outdoor enclosure a necessity so the electricity bills would likely burn a hole in your pocket since you have to keep the heat running all year round.
> But in the right climate, tortoises are actually quite hardy since the majority of them evolved to survive in the harshest environments.



I had a large Sulcata in the PNW as well as smaller Russians, etc. The big Sulcata was the easiest to care for, had the best personality and was the most fun of any animal I've ever had. I can hardly wait till my new one comes.... Sulcata Rule!!! He went out in the sun, snow, rain, he was his own person, that's for sure....
DeLonghi makes an oil filled radiator that costs' about $40 and on the lowest setting even in the middle of winter it kept Bob's shed at 85 to 90 degrees. Didn't change my electric bill by much...
Bigger tortoises are much easier to care for then smaller ones


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## mrscruffy (Nov 10, 2015)

Tom said:


> My vote for most difficult to care for would be Manouria impressa due mainly to dietary concerns, but also because it would be very expensive and difficult to provide them with optimal conditions in my climate.



I read a lot of the Manouria Impressa horror stories, but found the species to be very hardy. I live in their range, although not at their preferred altitude. I have access to a lot of their natural diet, because its sold in the local markets. Specifically, a range of local mushrooms which are farmed locally. Each of mine of have different dietary quirks. My male has a penchant for Boston ferns which I spot him regularly trimming and avoids pumpkin vine. One of my females never touches Boston ferns, but finds every pumpkin vine I plant.
This particular one is not picky about food or shy. She was starved when I got her and even tried lettuce once, but had a few bites before deciding it wasn't for her.


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## tartagon (Nov 11, 2015)

maggie3fan said:


> I had a large Sulcata in the PNW as well as smaller Russians, etc. The big Sulcata was the easiest to care for, had the best personality and was the most fun of any animal I've ever had. I can hardly wait till my new one comes.... Sulcata Rule!!! He went out in the sun, snow, rain, he was his own person, that's for sure....
> DeLonghi makes an oil filled radiator that costs' about $40 and on the lowest setting even in the middle of winter it kept Bob's shed at 85 to 90 degrees. Didn't change my electric bill by much...
> Bigger tortoises are much easier to care for then smaller ones



In the SNOW?? How cold does it get where you live? And how much does it cost to run the radiator per month? I'd love to keep a Sulcata, they're the best looking tortoises IMO, but I was always hesitant because the winters in the UK can occasionally drop to -10 or -20 C (between 14 and -4 F).


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