advice on the perfect tortoise for southern california?

sillyglue said:

Hi everyone! I'm so grateful to have found this forum trying to scour for information on the web for how to raise a happy and healthy tortoise. I live in Pasadena California (lows in the winter down to 40s and highs in the summer up to 100; quite dry/arid) and am curious what what might be an appropriate tortoise breed to house outdoors. it would live in our outdoor atrium/courtyard, surrounded by all four sides by the house. it's about 30 x 15 feet. 15 feet of it is covered and cemented (a covered patio) and the other 15 feet is exposed to the sun and dirt (our garden). Is there are turtle that would do well in this climate? I considered a sulcata turtle but am worried it will outgrow the space and need to be put in the much larger backyard where there is no shade (and also dozens of bold peacocks who might bother it). also, i don't want it to roam around and eat all my flowers or burrow under the gate and get lost. also considering russian, greek, and herman turtles. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance!!

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sillyglue said:

Hi everyone! I'm so grateful to have found this forum trying to scour for information on the web for how to raise a happy and healthy tortoise. I live in Pasadena California (lows in the winter down to 40s and highs in the summer up to 100; quite dry/arid) and am curious what what might be an appropriate tortoise breed to house outdoors. it would live in our outdoor atrium/courtyard, surrounded by all four sides by the house. it's about 30 x 15 feet. 15 feet of it is covered and cemented (a covered patio) and the other 15 feet is exposed to the sun and dirt (our garden). Is there are turtle that would do well in this climate? I considered a sulcata turtle but am worried it will outgrow the space and need to be put in the much larger backyard where there is no shade (and also dozens of bold peacocks who might bother it). also, i don't want it to roam around and eat all my flowers or burrow under the gate and get lost. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance!!

Click to expand...

sillyglue said:

Hi everyone! I'm so grateful to have found this forum trying to scour for information on the web for how to raise a happy and healthy tortoise. I live in Pasadena California (lows in the winter down to 40s and highs in the summer up to 100; quite dry/arid) and am curious what what might be an appropriate tortoise breed to house outdoors. it would live in our outdoor atrium/courtyard, surrounded by all four sides by the house. it's about 30 x 15 feet. 15 feet of it is covered and cemented (a covered patio) and the other 15 feet is exposed to the sun and dirt (our garden). Is there are turtle that would do well in this climate? I considered a sulcata turtle but am worried it will outgrow the space and need to be put in the much larger backyard where there is no shade (and also dozens of bold peacocks who might bother it). also, i don't want it to roam around and eat all my flowers or burrow under the gate and get lost. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance!!

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Millerlite said:

Many different species do great down here. Greeks, Russians, marginated, hermanns do well. If you are able to make a heated hides it can open up to a few more species. Of course desert tortoise also do well. Plenty if options.

Kyle

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sillyglue said:

Hi everyone! I'm so grateful to have found this forum trying to scour for information on the web for how to raise a happy and healthy tortoise. I live in Pasadena California (lows in the winter down to 40s and highs in the summer up to 100; quite dry/arid) and am curious what what might be an appropriate tortoise breed to house outdoors. it would live in our outdoor atrium/courtyard, surrounded by all four sides by the house. it's about 30 x 15 feet. 15 feet of it is covered and cemented (a covered patio) and the other 15 feet is exposed to the sun and dirt (our garden). Is there are turtle that would do well in this climate? I considered a sulcata turtle but am worried it will outgrow the space and need to be put in the much larger backyard where there is no shade (and also dozens of bold peacocks who might bother it). also, i don't want it to roam around and eat all my flowers or burrow under the gate and get lost. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance!!

Click to expand...