# How easy is a tortoise as a pet?



## Madkins007

As enthusiasts, we often encourage people to get tortoises, and often have lively discussions as to which tortoises are the best first pet, etc.

However, are we doing tortoises or new keepers any favors by suggesting that they are easy pets?

Granted, there are a lot of situations where this discussion will not apply- mostly for people with tortoises in very tortoise-friendly locations or even keeping them in their natural range- but for most of us, like me here in Omaha, keeping a tortoise alive and healthy for more than a few years is NOT easy.

I saw a rather interesting study some time back, and they found that it is usually best NOT to downplay the challenges in any given endeavor (however, I cannot cite a source right now.) The idea was that people are more successful at overcoming a challenge if they know the risks and difficulties going in.

You want a tortoise? Great! You should know...
- It needs a lot of space, even if it mostly seems to just stay in a corner.
- You need to provide a pretty regulated environment- including the right kind of light. And know that a simple heat lamp or two is probably nowhere near adequate.
- Feeding it a healthy, varied diet is kind of a pain and that pet store and grocery store food is not the first choice.

And so on. To be fair, we tell people the same oversimplified line with lots of other pets, too. (Goldfish? Oh yeah- a small bowl, some cheap food, done!) But we (the tortoise-keeping community as a whole, not us on the forum specifically) are here to support both the tortoises and the keepers, so maybe we should be a bit more 'it is a challenge' than we usually are?



(Sorry if this is not coherent. I logged on at 10:30 locally to write this, and got caught up in other stuff. It is now 1:45am!)


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## Siren Nora

I totally agree with you! It's not easy. You create this bond with this amazing creature and you learn that dumping it in a tank and offering food and water isn't adequate enough. Even sea monkeys need special care and attention. Different breeds require different care. Your care also depends on where you live. There are so many variables to take in account when raising a healthy tortoise.


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## cherylim

Personally, when people have said 'OMG! I love tortoises! That's amazing! Where did you get Emrys? I'd like one!', I've always gone into detail about the space and care they need. I've never downplayed how hard it is to keep a tortoise healthy and happy, because I DON'T want people taking them on without that information.

It's also the reason I take SO many pictures of Emrys, and post them on Facebook, where his full tortoise table and the amount of space it takes in my house can be seen. That way, people get no misconceptions about the fact that he owns a large proportion of the office.

This has led to one friend telling me that she'd still consider a tortoise but would be in touch if she planned to get one. Another friend simply said that since they required so much space, she might in future ask if she could come and see mine instead of getting her own. 

A third person that I didn't get on with was the first person to react when I got Emrys - she was a compulsive liar and attention-seeker, and she quickly approached me when she realised I had Emrys and asked me where he came from. I gave a vague location and left it at that. She then started loudly hinting that she'd like more detail because 'It'd make a great surprise birthday present for my fiance. His family kept a tortoise when he was younger, and it lived in their house and you could tap on its shell and watch it get away. That was fun!'. I ignored her, as I did most of the time, and eventually my fiance commented on her hinting and asked if I was going to give her the same information I usually did. I replied that I wasn't, and was taking a different approach with her. Once she realised I wasn't going to get all wrapped up in her latest attention-seeking scheme, she moved on from the topic and never got that tortoise!

My priority has always been that if people I know have questions about tortoise care, they know they can come to me, and that seems to be working. I've even had people that would never consider tortoise ownership posting pictures of memes (such as the tiny sulcata taking on a whole strawberry), and asking me about the species and care just because they're interested.


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## CtTortoiseMom

Great thread and so true! My daughter does 4-H reptile shows for girl scout, boy scout and church groups. Most of the kids and probably parents think that tortoises have their house on their back's and do not need much in the way of enclosures and that they have big shells and thick skin so they must be tough. Now, we bring laminated pictures of the tortoises inside and outside enclosures, and have had shows at our own house. The parents are always bewildered by the thought that we introduce MORE humidity into our basement. They also don't love the fact that whatever part of my backyard that does not have enclosures is used to grow WEEDS, on purpose!!! So we definitely do our part to scare people about what is required in owning a tortoise's.


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## Zamric

People ALWAYS ask question about care when they see WalkingRock and I always tell them about the size of the yard and his heated bunker and the small pond I had to dig im my yard so he could get a good soak when he needs it and then there is the shear volume and variety of the food he eats in the average week.

As hatchling/yearlings, these are things people never think about! Their small and eat relitivly little and take up very little space (even if that space cost and arm and a leg to build!)

Nobody sees a Great Dane puppy and thinks..."I got the perfet place in my room to put him". No, the 1st thing they think is..."Look at the size of those feet! Where will we keep a horse?". Always thinking about the end product when it comes to mammials but never with Tortoises!

Having an adult Sulcata means I have to explane to negative parts of Tortoise raising BEFORE I talk about the absolute THRILL of having this Nobel Creature in my yard!


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## Tom

This is all relative and very subjective. I will grant you that they are more difficult than some people think they are, but I still think they are relatively easy compared to most pets. This does depend on the species and a persons area. For example: Put a book case on its back, add some substrate, a water dish, a heat lamp on a timer a hide or two, and you've got a decent enclosure for a desert tortoise or a russian. Throw in a handful of weeds and change the water daily and you are good to go.

By contrast, starting babies, or keeping adult redfoots in an area with frozen winters is going to be more of a challenge, but I'd still consider that pretty easy with the right set up. At least easy in comparison to some animals.

I agree that the requirements should not be over-simplified, but it shouldn't be made to sound overly-difficult either.


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## lynnedit

I think the difficult concepts for people to grasp about tortoises are 1) they are cold blooded, not warm blooded like your dog and 2) they are wild, not domesticated like your dog. 
Once people figure this out, then the upkeep is relatively straightforward, although much easier in warmer climates.


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## mctlong

Great topic!

My experience is that adult tortoises are, by far, the easiest, lowest maintenance animals I have ever owned. That said, I live in a temperate environment with lots of sunshine and plenty of outdoor space. Winters are super mild, it never snows, hardly rains, and stays fairly warm. My tortoises all live outdoors. So for me, yes, its easy. Very easy. I tried to keep a Russian indoors several year back, but eventually had to concede and build him a 24/7 outdoor pen (where he is far happier and thriving). So, I can understand how challenging it must be for people in colder climates who have to worry about housing their tortoises indoors for months. Thats makes a tortoise a super high maintenance animal. There are so many things to worry about when trying to keep a tortoise indoors. You essentially have to create a whole artificial environment to mimic a natural, outdoor environment. Not easy stuff. And things go wrong, often. When I see sick tortoise posts on this forum, its seems like 90 plus percent are indoor tortoises. These are tortoises who get RIs from cold environments, or soft shells from lack of UV. Its tough to get everything perfect. So, as was previously pointed out, the relative ease of caring for a tortoise depends entirely on an individual's situation and environment.

Hatchlings, unlike adults, are difficult no matter were you live or how much space you have. I would never recommend a hatchling as a first tortoise.

My pet peeve is the misconception about the ease of caring for some of the smaller tortoise species, such as Russians. I see people on this forum and others recommending Russians as starter, easy, or indoor/apartment tortoises. This irritates the cr*p out of me. Russians are high-energy tortoises. They require ALOT of space for grazing and exercise. Its unfair to the tortoises to assume that they can be easily cared for indoors. Its not easy to keep any tortoise indoors, and especially difficult for a high-energy tortoise. Its takes alot of time, patience, space, and craftsmanship to create a suitable indoor environment. While it can be done, its not easy and its irresponsible for us to give newbies the impression that it will be easy... but now I'm ranting.... LOL!

When recommending tortoises as pets (and I do, often), I make sure I understand the person's situation. Tortoises can be an easy pet or a difficult pet, but it all depends.


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## DesertGrandma

Another thing my friends are always surprised at is how much it costs to house a baby tortoise. Yes, and how much it can cost to build an enclosure inside and outside. Also the time it takes to build the enclosures. It's not as easy as just getting a tortoise and putting it in your backyard. It is truly a labor of love and not just a whim. I always tell everyone that it is a lot more expensive than they would imagine.


Great topic BTW.


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## surie_the_tortoise

i wouldnt call it difficult , just that new owners need to do the research on the size some get or specifics such as humidity and lighting each needs


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## TortoiseWorld

All indoor pets are difficult or not difficult it depends who his keeper is.


I agree with DesertGrandma, to do it right it's an expensive hobby in both time and money.


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## Madkins007

Tom said:


> This is all relative and very subjective. I will grant you that they are more difficult than some people think they are, but I still think they are relatively easy compared to most pets. This does depend on the species and a persons area. For example: Put a book case on its back, add some substrate, a water dish, a heat lamp on a timer a hide or two, and you've got a decent enclosure for a desert tortoise or a russian. Throw in a handful of weeds and change the water daily and you are good to go.
> 
> By contrast, starting babies, or keeping adult redfoots in an area with frozen winters is going to be more of a challenge, but I'd still consider that pretty easy with the right set up. At least easy in comparison to some animals.
> 
> I agree that the requirements should not be over-simplified, but it shouldn't be made to sound overly-difficult either.



You see, in my mind, you sort of made my point for me.

Here in Omaha, if I used an open topped table in my coolish, dryish winter-time home, I would NEVER be able to adequately heat it with just a heat lamp- even for a Russian, and you are downplaying the issues of things like construction- a plain 'assembled-it-yourself' fiberboard-backed book case on its back, over something like a couple sawhorses, would fall apart pretty quickly just from the load of the substrate.

What kind of substrate- it will take a BUNCH of those bags of bark chunks from the pet store- can I use cheap pine shavings? Handful of weeds? Even in the summer, my yard is pretty weed free- what do I do now? Store-bought lettuce looks fresh and is a plant, right?

And you say I am doing all this for an animal that will hide 75% of the time, and not really appreciate me picking it up much? Uhhhh...

-----------------------

To be fair- it IS easy for a lot of us- we have the space, decent conditions, access to good food, a basic understanding of the needs. And one great thing about tortoises is that to a large extent, once you get the housing and environmental controls right, you can pretty much 'set it and forget it'. 

And, as I brushed on earlier- I would bet a chunk of money that this same discussion is happening on almost every pet forum in one way or another. I know that 'real' betta fish keepers are furious over the idea of keeping the beautiful fish in tiny jars, etc.

BUT- if you look at other advice forums, like Yahoo Answers, you see a LOT of 'tortoises are easy' threads that really downplay the issues and challenges involved.


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## TortoiseWorld

I agree, the proper practice of herpetology can be quite a daunting challenge. My suggestion is to visit a real zoo, in their reptile house, and get what's to be gotten. Zoologist conservationists who work at the zoo are qualified to build proper enclosures, and environments. The only way to properly keep a non-hibernating tortoise in a Northern cold climate is to build a closed chamber enclosure, big enough like and indoor green house. Tortoises need a lot more walking, climbing exercise space than many us provide.


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## mctlong

SaveTheTortoise said:


> My suggestion is to visit a real zoo, in their reptile house, and get what's to be gotten. Zoologist conservationists who work at the zoo are qualified to build proper enclosures, and environments.



I wish that were true. I've seen some poor husbandry methods in zoos.


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## Tom

I see your point Mark. To me, personally, all the things you mentioned are "easy" and obvious. I guess it is all going to depend on how each person defines "easy".

I think rather than label something easy or hard, we ought to just spell out for people what is necessary. Some will say, "Oh. Well that's easy." While others will hear the same words and declare, "Oh. That's far too much work, expense, space and effort."

I agree with your intent on this thread. I have talked many people out of sulcatas, and recommended people NOT get a tortoise when it's obvious they don't have the time, space or resources necessary to take care of them. One man's "difficult", is another man's "piece of cake", is my point I guess.


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## TortoiseWorld

About the zoos, keep the good leave the bad, like I said it depends on who the keeper is. I imagine there is probably many breakdowns in some zoos.


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## cherylim

SaveTheTortoise said:


> About the zoos, keep the good leave the bad, like I said it depends on who the keeper is. I imagine there is probably many breakdowns in some zoos.



Ah, but the issue with giving this advice to someone considering getting their first tortoise is that it's not easy to see what 'good' and 'bad' are.

When I look at a tortoise in the zoo, see it lying on concrete in a small space, notice that it has no water and all the wrong foods, I know its care could be much better.

If I'd seen the same three years ago, I wouldn't have had a clue. I wouldn't have known how much space a tortoise needed, or what it should be eating, or that they like to dig and need places to hide. Zoo enclosures often upset me NOW because I know that things aren't right.

If you have no knowledge of what's really involved in keeping an animal (any, not just a tortoise), you can't tell when the information you're given is wrong.

I found this forum when I was researching before I purchased Emrys, and I wasn't willing to buy until I knew I could provide good care, but many people think that visiting a zoo or asking at a pet shop is the best way to learn about an animal.

As Tom has shown, I think, once you've been doing something for years you tend to forget what's not obvious to someone new.


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## Yvonne G

I've been keeping turtles and tortoises for over 40 years, and I have learned quite a bit over the years, and even though I have a lot of experience, I still can't keep babies alive. I started out this year with 21 baby box turtles and I'm now down to 12. I used to ship all my baby tortoises up to my sister for her to head start for me because I just can't keep them alive for any length of time. So, its not good to tell folks that tortoises are easy keepers, because its different for each individual person. We all have to learn on our own, not as a group.


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## Laurie

I think "easy" is the wrong word. Are they easy to keep? Sure, once you do enough research and have everything setup properly for them. However, that research at least for me, was extensive. I spend countless hours reading about them, talking to people here and elsewhere with way more experience than me in an attempt to keep all of my guys healthy. 

Was it easy to find the information and apply it, yes. 

I do think what should not be downplayed is the amount of work and money they require. They do cost money to feed, heat, and vet costs should be considered. I have four separate indoor enclosures setup right now and easily spend an hour or two a day maintaining those enclosures. They have to be cleaned daily and reasonably free of dangerous spots. It's also a big commitment, that "work" will hopefully go on for years.

Easy? Somewhat,but absolutely a lot of work. Personally I enjoy THAT work very, very much


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## DaisyDuke

Madkins007 said:


> As enthusiasts, we often encourage people to get tortoises, and often have lively discussions as to which tortoises are the best first pet, etc.
> 
> However, are we doing tortoises or new keepers any favors by suggesting that they are easy pets?
> 
> Granted, there are a lot of situations where this discussion will not apply- mostly for people with tortoises in very tortoise-friendly locations or even keeping them in their natural range- but for most of us, like me here in Omaha, keeping a tortoise alive and healthy for more than a few years is NOT easy.
> 
> I saw a rather interesting study some time back, and they found that it is usually best NOT to downplay the challenges in any given endeavor (however, I cannot cite a source right now.) The idea was that people are more successful at overcoming a challenge if they know the risks and difficulties going in.
> 
> You want a tortoise? Great! You should know...
> - It needs a lot of space, even if it mostly seems to just stay in a corner.
> - You need to provide a pretty regulated environment- including the right kind of light. And know that a simple heat lamp or two is probably nowhere near adequate.
> - Feeding it a healthy, varied diet is kind of a pain and that pet store and grocery store food is not the first choice.
> 
> And so on. To be fair, we tell people the same oversimplified line with lots of other pets, too. (Goldfish? Oh yeah- a small bowl, some cheap food, done!) But we (the tortoise-keeping community as a whole, not us on the forum specifically) are here to support both the tortoises and the keepers, so maybe we should be a bit more 'it is a challenge' than we usually are?
> 
> 
> 
> (Sorry if this is not coherent. I logged on at 10:30 locally to write this, and got caught up in other stuff. It is now 1:45am!)




I never encourage people to get tortoises. In fact I am very honest with people and so far all have backed out. I know a few people who have told me they wanted a tortoise who I know would never care for one well enough. Once they find out the basics of space, cost, etc, they realize for themselves that they aren't a good fit. 

So I guess I don't fit into the category you mention above. But I wanted to speak from the "other side" and say that personally, I feel some people are too encouraging without letting people know the basic struggles. We've seen so many tortoise owners unable to care for their tortoises or caring for them poorly and I think that is in part due to the fact that sometimes people feel it is a lot easier than it is since they were so encouraged. 
I wouldn't say I was discouraging to others, I never said "don't do it." But by being honest living in the North East about, humidity issues, size, space, cost, etc, etc, people have been able to make the proper decision that a tortoise isn't right for them. Sometimes people just say, "go for it, they're awesome, you will love it." People make that leap and that's sometimes when tortoises get hurt or tossed out, etc. 

I did a lot of research on my tortoise before I found Tortoise forum. This forum just further enhanced my knowledge and offered up some alternatives by getting advise from others who learned as they went along. Unfortunately most people don't do any research before getting a tortoise or coming to this forum and that is something people need to remember. You can tell someone simply "do your research" but that doesn't mean they will so while you have their attention it is best to inform them of what tortoise ownership often entails.


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## Andrea M

I spent 6 months researching before I got a tortoise, I settled on a Hermann as I live in the UK and they are the hardiest and appear to have the least 'special needs' ie humidifiers, don't get as big as some of the other breeds etc but there was so much reading to do on enclosures, diet, health, pyramiding etc. I've had my little guy (Hokie) for 2 months now but had to spend a month preparing his table, sorting out temperatures etc before I even got him. A tortoise is not an easy option pet but if you do your homework a very rewarding one. I would not try to put someone off one but would certainly point out how much you have to learn about them before you even decide it's the pet for you. I read this forum every day and don't think you ever stop learning. I can honestly say that I am hooked!!


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## Madkins007

I would agree that 'easy' is a relative, and not quite appropriate term, but when you look at more public forums, like Yahoo Answers, you get simplified questions from people who want simplified answers. 

Here are some sample questions there just from the last couple days (source: http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/index;...uHlOfDH1G;_ylv=3?sid=396546022&link=open&cp=6):
_1. How to look after a tortoise?
I would like to have a tortoise as a pet but not sure how to look after one! Please help
-what do I feed them?
-how often do I feed them?
-what do I include in their vivarium?
-can they be kept in pairs?
And any other helpul information!
Thanks xxx

2. Can you help with a turtle problem?
My friends Russian tortoise is not eating he would feed her lettuce and grapes now she doesn't move much she been with him about 3 to 4 years she has regular care.she hasn't been outside much she would eat inside and out of her cage. Sorry I couldent get all the facts about her I'm not her owner.

3. Should I return my russian tortoise?
I got him a petco. He seemed not shy and everything. first off i would never buy animals at petco because how poorly they care for them. My russian tort i got this saturday. Hasn't eaten or drank any water.I can't invest my money in taking him to the vet i simply cannot afford that. The area i live in the rates are sky high. The ones at petsmart are so much more alert and not shy at all. What are your suggestions? Please please this is a very hard decisions i have only 12 days left before the return policy expires. How can I tell he is healthy if he won't eat. He just basks and kinda sleeps all day and kinda messes up his enclosure at night and then I have to fix it in the morning. He does nothing during the day._

These are all people who thought this would be easy, and probably got simplistic advice from the pet store or some local 'expert'. These same sorts of questions also happen with bearded dragons, snakes, etc.

If these people had been given realistic advice (let's use 'realistic' instead of 'easy' or 'challenging', etc. for right now), they would probably be happy owners of healthy animals OR have chosen something more appropriate for them.

I have noticed a big difference between the questions from newbies there, and the questions from newbies here. Most of OUR newbies have done at least a little research- that is how they found us. The folk on Yahoo and other sites have absolutely no clue what is going on, and in far too many cases, have no idea what species they even have!


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## Laurie

I do agree with what you're saying Madkins. I also think that the same could be said about any "pet". Some people think cats are "easy" without taking into consideration the care they require. 

I think, like any other animal, tortoises are not a child's "pet". In my opinion, I don't even consider them "pets". I enjoy them very much and gain great joy from watching and taking care that they have their requirements met. I do however think they are wild animals and want to create for them the most "natural" environment for them so that I, well, can observe them doing what they do.

I personally do not recommend tortoises as a pet, I know how much work they are. I thought the same thing when I saw advice given on here about breeding tortoises when it was quite obvious the OP's weren't even sure of the care for their specific tortoises. I was disgusted one day, actually on this forum, when advice was given on breeding tortoises, then the OP started asking questions about "basic" care of the adult tortoises they wanted to breed.

You're right, I came across this forum in my research. To me, it had the most helpful logical answers that's why I'm here. I even learned a lot from the site you maintain , (thanks) I'm also lucky enough to live close enough to Gary (gbtortoises) to borrow some books, talk tortoises and learn. There have been countless members on here who have helped me. 

I guess I'm getting a bit rambly lol. Bottom line I do not think we should advocate tortoises as being easy to keep, but I feel the responsibility to keep any pet is not easy.


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## RedfootsRule

"How easy" all depends on the species...Where you live...Your finances, even. How much money can you put into your housing? I mean, raising red foots in a northern climate can be really hard, or you can spend 5 grand on converting your living room into a nice rainforest, and call it a piece of cake....

It also depends on what you offer...There are a lot of keepers by there that just "scrape by", offer a very small variety of foods (some of these foods nutritionally deficient), don't follow the strict care regimes here that many do, and their animals survive. They call it easy, because the way they care for them is. There are some of out there who handpick the best foods with 50 different items in their diet, use very large, spacious, creatively designed enclosures (rocks, logs, ponds, streams, waterfalls, the whole shebang), and call it difficult..Because most likely it is.

We shouldn't advocate ANYTHING as easy to keep. I don't care if its a hermit crab...The difficulty of care should be over-emphasized and then some. Its those thoughts of "its so easy" that cause animal neglect and abuse...People aren't aware what they are getting into, and just don't know how to provide it. If someone told them in the beginning what they were getting into, chances are, they wouldn't have (although some sadly still will) purchased the animal....I mean, if an inexperienced person goes to a pet store, and finds this tiny gecko-size green iguana and thinks "Oh, its so cute!" are they going to buy it if the salesman tells them the whole "terrarium, lettuce and water" thing? Probably. If the salesmen told them, "Oh yeah, he's going to grow up to be about 4-5 feet long in several years, he'll eat a ton of his very varied diet, need at least 80 sq. ft of creatively designed enclosure, a large exposure to UV, AND chances are won't like you and tail-whip and bite you when you enter the cage. May I offer you some of our Repto-Cal in addition?), they won't...

So, are tortoises "easy" as pets? As far as a new keepers needs to be concerned, the answer should be capitalized and consist of 2 letters...NO.


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## Arizona Sulcata

I agree with pretty much everything that's been said. Impossible to to define easy. For myself I'd consider it easy and enjoyable. I'm also blessed to live in AZ which in many cases simplifies raising tortoises. 

People do tend to oversimplify owning a tortoise though. I cringe every time I see a tortoise in an empty 10 gal aquarium with rabbit pellets as substrate and that's it. I make it very clear when I sell tortoises the care they require and I provide the information necessary to make what can be seen as hard, a little easier. 

Overall if you enjoy your tortoise, the work to maintain them doesn't feel like work. I spend probably at least 3+ hours a day maintaining enclosures, feeding, watering, etc. but it doesn't feel like work or something that's "hard" because I enjoy it. Well worth the effort!


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## biochemnerd808

I think this is somewhat of a subjective question. Caring for a dog - which stinks, sheds, needs to be walked, needs social interaction - is a lot more work than caring for a tortoise (or several).

I think my adult tortoises are a whole lot easier to care for than our special needs Veiled Chameleon... but we also have invested a lot of money in proper housing, lighting, substrate, supplements etc. for the tortoises. 

That said, a person who has never had a pet may find themselves overwhelmed. Since many of the tortoises that have come into my care were prime examples of the results of what NOT to do, I have been very picky about whom they end up with. I would rather hang onto the tortoise for a few extra weeks while a friend saves up the money to purchase the proper lighting, build an extra-nice tortoise enclosure, sets up an emergency vet fund... and most importantly, does a ton of research so as to properly care for their tortoise. Mo and Norbert both live with people I know personally, so if they ever need help, I am always available. 

The potential life span of a tortoise should also always be considered. My kids know that some day they will be inheriting my tortoises. They love this. Not everyone is ready for this kind of commitment, however.


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## Eloise's mommy

I bought Eloise on a whim (if I could turn back time I would still buy her but I would research first) Petsmart was the place and the aquarium pitch was the game (if I could turn back time I'd smack that fool for selling me repti bark for her). I started researching the day I bought her and I fixed as many things about her original 10 gal!!! setup as I could immiediately and then every week for the first month I bought her somthing else she needed UVB light correct substrate 54 gal rubbermaid tub etc....she is happy for now but I can only imagine how much happier she will be this time next year when we have a nice supply of dandelions growing inside during the winter and some testudo seed growing to vary her diet! I'm sad that I can't provide her natural sunshine right now or freshly grown weeds but I have loved her (maybe he) since I first held her in the petstore and I enjoy soaking her and feeding her and being bit by her (not encouraged but has happened) I like her better than the dogs and sometimes better that the kid or the husband (she doesn't whine or talk back) But with all of this I can see where she is not the pet for everyone. My reason for looking at tortoises the day I bought her was because of a news story I read about a college student who completed a science experiment with a rubber turtle. he placed it in the middle of the highway to see what folks would do.... Few people stopped to help the "turtle" but many intentionally swerved to try to hit it!! 7 of those swervers infact hit their target...I've always thought "turtles" were cute but never thought to have one as a pet until I read that story...so no matter the level of difficulty that story is motivation to me to keep at least one of these beautiful creature off the road and out of traffic.. If you would like to read the story that inspired my desire to be a tort mommy....http://www.ksl.com/?nid=711&sid=23529877

I'm too new to the tort game so I'm not here to advocate either way for easy or hard...But reality is an important view to share.


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## EKLC

It takes a lot of tinkering before you figure out how to create a proper environment for a tortoise. This is a time consuming and expensive process. The same with figuring out which weeds you can feed and how to grow your own. Once you get that down, tortoises are not so demanding.


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## Cowboy_Ken

One thing is for certain with the care of a tortoise verse the care of a dog. Last night my dog jumped a skunk late in the evening and that was a pain to deal with. Had my dog been a 90 lb. sulcata, this never would have taken place.


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## Tortus

My main concern is going to be the winter electric bill once my leopard gets larger. As of now my plans are to build a large table in the garage (I don't park in the garage much anyway), but it's going to cost a lot to heat even if I make it a giant closed chamber. I have an extra room in the house but I don't think it's big enough, plus I don't want to have to remove all the furniture.


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## Frog Tropics

Time, space and resources are all required factors, yes, but I think it's important also to let people know that tortoise care is detailed, but straightforward (I always compare it to caring for orchids in the sense that the flowers are particular but not confusing to care for), let we deter people who might make great additions to the hobby. By "detailed but straightforward," I mean to say that there are certain dietary/space/lighting/etc. requirements, but that they're not mysterious, for the most part, or difficult to learn. All of which is to say that if the financial and other resources are there and the will/desire is, as well, I don't think potential owners should be made to feel that tortoise care is overly complicated or confusing which I do not feel it is.


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## sibi

I think if anyone finds it "work" to take a dog out for a walk so he can do his business, or "work" to have to be aware of the general health of your pet, or find it "work" to feed your pet twice a day (or more), then having a tortoise is definitely "work" in order to maintain a happy, healthy tortoise. So, it is relative, in a sense, because what some would consider "work," others don't. 

There is no doubt that raising a healthy, happy tortoise requires a good amount of foreknowledge, which many new owners don't have. Unfortunately, like myself in the beginning, many don't look for help on what's going on with their tortoise until one gets sick. Worse yet, and this is inexcusable, some don't even notice or even care if their tortoise is sick until it dies. All this is part of the responsibilities that an owner must be dedicated to in order to raise tortoises as pets. In short, it's a lifetime commitment that many are not really willing to take on with a mate, never mind a pet. In that sense, it could be very difficult for some. But, if you are committed, responsible, caring, and have the space, resources, time and energy, then it's a pleasure and enjoyable!


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## GeoTerraTestudo

Tortoises and box turtles: harder than fish and frogs, easier than cats and dogs.


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## Logan J

Owning and breeding tortoise is to me kinda like chess, seeing which tortoises get along and others who don't. Just making them comfortable and feel at home this picture I have is homes for 7 torts it's size is 30 by 30 with their own water holes and all have different diets.


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## CourtneyG

I would absolutely love a leopard, but I do not have the room to properly take care of him or her. So I decided to get small tortoises that do not need a huge yard like a Leo. I also have to build a nice big outdoor enclosure, looking at 7ft or 8ft long and 3ft wide. I wish I could fence up an area of our yard for them, but the grass is treated to kill ants and weeds, my mum is severely allergic to ants. If our lawn was not treated and I could fence in our yard I would get a Leo but I knew perfectly well the requirements they needed and I knew i could not offer him or her that. Hopefully when I move out of the house I can get a nice big yard I can fence in and get a Leo, and hopefully a boyfriend who enjoys tortoises as much as me.


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## StudentoftheReptile

I think most people want something easy, something they can toss in a glass tank. IMHO, the biggest hurdle many have, whether it is outdoors or indoors, is housing. Even a single adult Russian needs something like 6' x 4' right? There's no glass tank the average pet hobbyist can buy in a store for that.

The key is what is best for average PERSON, not the average reptile keeper. To anyone who has had reasonable experience with herps and is handy with tools, keeping a tortoise is not. You don't have to worry about them escaping as easily as a lizard or snake. Feeding them is also relatively easy, if you shop smart at the grocery store or produce stands. But does everyone have enough space in their yard or home for a tortoise table/pen? Most cannot or choose not to provide this.


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