# Which tortoise is the friendliest?



## natalie3 (Oct 15, 2014)

I´ve been wishing to get a tortoise for a long time and now I´m doing research on which one would be the best for me. Box turtle? Sulcata? Leopard? I love them all. In your experience which one is more friendly?


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## G-stars (Oct 15, 2014)

Friendly with people or with each other? 


— Gus


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## natalie3 (Oct 15, 2014)

G-stars said:


> Friendly with people or with each other?
> 
> 
> — Gus



You are right, I should´ve specified. Friendly with people.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Oct 15, 2014)

I would like you to define " friendly " cause I would say my marginal is the friendly - est torts because you walk by they come running , if you step in the pen they come running but that's were it changes once you step in their pen they might bite you ! I would say my pancakes are the friendly - est they are there and they don't let you bother them 


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum


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## lismar79 (Oct 15, 2014)

Sulcatas! If you have the room for them


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## natalie3 (Oct 15, 2014)

lismar79 said:


> Sulcatas! If you have the room for them



They need to live outdoors? I have a lot of room but indoors


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## lismar79 (Oct 15, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> They need to live outdoors? I have a lot of room but indoors


Yep, out doors is a must. This is like having a 150-200lb cow with a built in battering ram  search for some stories about "Bob" by member @maggie3fan lol that's a personality sully for sure


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## G-stars (Oct 15, 2014)

Leopards and sulcatas will eventually need outdoor housing.


— Gus


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## natalie3 (Oct 15, 2014)

G-stars said:


> Leopards and sulcatas will eventually need outdoor housing.
> 
> 
> — Gus



What about box turtles?


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## G-stars (Oct 15, 2014)

Since they are smaller you can technically keep then indoors. Although most keep their tortoises outdoors during the summer. 


— Gus


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## lismar79 (Oct 15, 2014)

All torts and turtles benefit greatly to having natural sunlight, at least a few hours a week. Do you have any space to do this. Even a small kiddie pool with dirt and plants would work. 
You should look into russian tortoises. They stay small (still need a good size enclosure) and they have huge personalities! I adore mine, she's not affraid of anything


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## natalie3 (Oct 15, 2014)

Thanks!


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## phebe121 (Oct 16, 2014)

I have leopards and i love them and i get in there enclosure and they come up to me and they love to get there head rubbed and chin there cool


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

phebe121 said:


> I have leopards and i love them and i get in there enclosure and they come up to me and they love to get there head rubbed and chin there cool



Sounds lovely!


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 16, 2014)

lismar79 said:


> Yep, out doors is a must. This is like having a 150-200lb cow with a built in battering ram  search for some stories about "Bob" by member @maggie3fan lol that's a personality sully for sure


Too much laughing trying to imagine this! Cheerio would destroy EVERYTHING! 
hahahaha


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 16, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> Sounds lovely!


Leopards still have the potential to grow to 14'', and won't be able to live inside! If you live somewhere colder, you also might want a tort who can hibernate (I don't do that 'thing', but it's up to you!) and leopards can't.
I'd go with a russian. They have such big personalities, are ADORABLE  and stay realtivliy small and be easily housed indoors (and they can hibernate) they'll tolerate lower temps too, again if you live somewhere a little chilly. 
Box turtles are AWESOME, and I so want some someday, probably be the next little guys I'll adopt! But they do the best outside, and are sort of a mix between tort and turtle, because of the water thing. They stay smaller, but I'm not sure if they are the type of friendly you're looking for.
Please remember that torts are, well, torts. They are not that 'pet' that will be soft and cuddly, and will want to play ball someday. Thye can be very social, sure, but that only goes so far!


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## Tom (Oct 16, 2014)

Where do you live Natalie?

Many individuals of many species can be considered "friendly". By friendly I mean they will see out people and approach them. Usually it is because they associate people with food, but sometimes males are territorial and just not afraid of people.

Tortoises need outside time. At least during fair weather. It can be done indoors, but in that case you should eliminate giant species from your list. I think you will find that hermanni and russian tortoises generally have great, outgoing personalities, and stay small enough to manage indoors. If you are going indoors only you will need a minimum of 4x8' for your enclosure with the smaller species and you will need to learn about and invest in some good indoor UV. The market is full of all sort of products. Some of them are ineffective if used improperly, and some of them are harmful if used as directed. Let us help you when the time comes for that.


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## phebe121 (Oct 16, 2014)

It is lovely just have yo have space when there small they can be inside but when there big my plan is outside during the day and inside at night


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

Yellow Turtle01 said:


> Leopards still have the potential to grow to 14'', and won't be able to live inside! If you live somewhere colder, you also might want a tort who can hibernate (I don't do that 'thing', but it's up to you!) and leopards can't.
> I'd go with a russian. They have such big personalities, are ADORABLE  and stay realtivliy small and be easily housed indoors (and they can hibernate) they'll tolerate lower temps too, again if you live somewhere a little chilly.
> Box turtles are AWESOME, and I so want some someday, probably be the next little guys I'll adopt! But they do the best outside, and are sort of a mix between tort and turtle, because of the water thing. They stay smaller, but I'm not sure if they are the type of friendly you're looking for.
> Please remember that torts are, well, torts. They are not that 'pet' that will be soft and cuddly, and will want to play ball someday. Thye can be very social, sure, but that only goes so far!



LOL I know, I´m not looking for a lap dog (although they´re cute too) just a not so shy tort.


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## Magilla504 (Oct 16, 2014)

My Russians are very friendly. They can live indoor or out and are fairly easy to care for. This species is usually outgoing, friendly and has a curious nature about themselves. I am certainly partial to them though! If I had to pick a different species than I would go with a sulcata. They sound like they have Great personalities! Just remember what you chose may be huge one day so make sure you have the space.


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

Yes, I´m looking if I can arrange a space outdoors. It would be a 16 ft square, is that enough?


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 16, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> Yes, I´m looking if I can arrange a space outdoors. It would be a 16 ft square, is that enough?


For an adult 100lb+, 2'+ tort? (which equals an adult sulcata) I'm sorry, but no!I'm sorry, but these torts get freaking BIG. They need a big heated shed. They eat food like nothing else, and they need A LOT of room! 
Here's a thread on that- http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/good-size-for-sulcata-out-door-enclosure.80054/
If you want a bigger tort with a lot of personality, I hear redfoots are great, and they only grow to a little over a foot! Marginated are about the same size, and are just gorgeous. 
IMHO, tortoise and turtle types are just different, and of course, the individual is different too. I have three sliders, but my YBS is by far the biggest baby ever, just in the way she acts. the painted turtles are very different from each other. I've read storied about (maggie3fan's tort) Bob, and I am sooooooo glad that Cheerio is so mellow! 
I guess it all depends on the tortoise, because they are ALL different, and while one species might be sightly more outgoing and 'friendly' than another, you might get an amazing, social tort that just wants to chill out all day with you.


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## Tom (Oct 16, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> Yes, I´m looking if I can arrange a space outdoors. It would be a 16 ft square, is that enough?



16x16' is plenty big for any of the Testudo species.

Where are you though? Climate should matter in your selection of species to work with.


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

I live in Mexico. We have warm, sunny climate all year, a bit chilly in november and cold in december-january


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

Tom said:


> 16x16' is plenty big for any of the Testudo species.
> 
> Where are you though? Climate should matter in your selection of species to work with.



For example a Russian tortoise? I found a gorgeous ornate box turtle...can you give me your opinion?


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## leigti (Oct 16, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> For example a Russian tortoise? I found a gorgeous ornate box turtle...can you give me your opinion?


I have a Russian tortoise and a three toed Boxturtle. They both have a lot of personality and are friendly. The Boxturtle requires more water and eat protein, worms and crickets etc.The Russian tortoise does not eat protein at all, she eats mostly broadleaf weed's. Both types are escape artist though so they need good enclosure and I would recommend that they be outside as much as possible.I have both an indoor and outdoor enclosure for each of them,I think either one of them would be great.


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## natalie3 (Oct 16, 2014)

leigti said:


> I have a Russian tortoise and a three toed Boxturtle. They both have a lot of personality and are friendly. The Boxturtle requires more water and eat protein, worms and crickets etc.The Russian tortoise does not eat protein at all, she eats mostly broadleaf weed's. Both types are escape artist though so they need good enclosure and I would recommend that they be outside as much as possible.I have both an indoor and outdoor enclosure for each of them,I think either one of them would be great.



Thank you!


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Oct 16, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> For example a Russian tortoise? I found a gorgeous ornate box turtle...can you give me your opinion?


I think I read somewhere that Ornate boxies are the 'delicate' turtle of the box turtle 'species'? (If someone could correct/confirm??) 
Eastern boxies are just gorgeous, and seem to have great personalities.


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## ascott (Oct 16, 2014)

Pancake.

http://www.tortoise.org/archives/malaco.html

http://www.arkive.org/pancake-tortoise/malacochersus-tornieri/image-G24308.html


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## Magilla504 (Oct 17, 2014)

Are you referring to the outside set up as 16 square ft or do you mean 16x16 ft. A lot of us use a 4x8 ft inside enclosure which is 32 square feet. So to answer the question, a 16 square ft outside enclosure would not be an ideal outdoor enclosure.


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## smarch (Oct 17, 2014)

Friendliness also depends on the individual tortoise and their history. Many say Russians are quite friendly social and have huge personalities, others say they have the personality of a potato (those are usualyy wild caught ones, they're scared and don't know people are their "magical food gods" ) My Russian is shy but very friendly, its cute because he'll hear you and look out at you and come running over, but you go to touch him and he's like nope and run away then come back. I've heard box turtles are quite friendly too, don't have my own though. Same with Sulcatas but their size is the problem point there, and you dont have the space (neither will I most likely)


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## Tom (Oct 17, 2014)

natalie3 said:


> For example a Russian tortoise? I found a gorgeous ornate box turtle...can you give me your opinion?



Yes. Correct. Russians, Hermanni, Greeks and Marginated tortoises, should all do great living mostly outside in your climate.

I'm no box turtle expert, but I have kept a few in years past. I prefer tortoises, but that is just a matter of personal opinion. If you are in a dry area of Mexico, I would keep tortoises. If you are in a more humid area, then I'd go for the box turtles. Either can work in either type of area. It all boils down to what you prefer, and how hard you want to work to give them what they need.


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## natalie3 (Oct 17, 2014)

Magilla504 said:


> Are you referring to the outside set up as 16 square ft or do you mean 16x16 ft. A lot of us use a 4x8 ft inside enclosure which is 32 square feet. So to answer the question, a 16 square ft outside enclosure would not be an ideal outdoor enclosure.



I meant 16 x 16


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## Magilla504 (Oct 17, 2014)

Good, 16x16 is a great amount of space for a small species ... 16 square feet, not so much


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## enchilada (Oct 20, 2014)

Radiata and red/yellow foot are bold , i can hand feed them. 
leopard too shy


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## Manuela Green (Oct 20, 2014)

I have a 3 toed box tortoise .... She is very social and sweet... Loves to be petted on head and chin...Also have a leopard which is a little shy when it comes to the petting on her ..but that may had something to do ,us having to give her med when we just got her


natalie3 said:


> I´ve been wishing to get a tortoise for a long time and now I´m doing research on which one would be the best for me. Box turtle? Sulcata? Leopard? I love them all. In your experience which one is more friendly?


ave


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