Considering purchasing my wife a tortoise, and I have some noob questions please :-)

Tom · Jun 11, 2026

My top choices for you:
1. Burmese star. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
2, Pancake tortoise. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
3. Hermanni. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
4. Russian. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
5. Box turtle. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months. I don't know what the legalities are for your state on these.
6. I think marginated tortoises are too big for you indoor situation.

Groups can sometimes work, but sometimes they don't and have to be separated. That seems like it would be difficult with your limited space, so keeping a single tortoise seems better for your living quarters.

Fluffy · Jun 11, 2026

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Guys, I'm just going to say this again; I believe my wife would be thrilled with anything resembling a tortoise or turtle, so I'd like to ask the community for suggestions on what species would be a good fit for us please.

I think the size of the marginated tortoises is super impressive, but perhaps they are too big if I need to bring them inside during inclement weather or over the winter.

I do quite like the Russians, and if they could be kept outside year round, that's a plus. Or even if they could be kept inside for a few months I think that would be alright.

And, I've kind of been circling back to the box turtles. That was my wife's previous pet that she had for 35 years, they seem a little easier to care for than some of the other tortoises, and they are small if I have to bring them inside.

What do you guys think would be a good fit for me?

I think for now I'm looking for just one tortoise, and I also thought it read that it's best to keep them singularly if you're not breeding them. But, I'm seeing people who are keeping groups of tortoises together. What is best, single or groups? I'm quite sure this is species dependent, but out of the few I've named above, can any of these be kept in small groups with the right enclosure, or would I be best to stick to one tortoise per enclosure?

Thanks very much everyone!

Box Turtles, Russians and Hermans could all be kept outside year round. Also remember that brumation is not a requirement. If you don't feel comfortable your tortoise can just live inside during the winter and outside when weather permits. With proper planning you could brumate your animals inside but again this is optional and entirely up to you and what you feel comfortable with. There is no right answer on species between the ones you're considering. All of them would do fine where you live.

Maggie3fan · Jun 12, 2026

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Sorry about the late reply guys.

I did look, but nothing besides Sulcatas came up in my area. Would it be wise to adopt or purchase a tortoise like that? I would be concerned that it may not have been well cared for. I think I'd prefer to deal with a breeder, but I don't know what's best.

lolololol how would you and especially your wife like to keep these Sulcata?

They do not hibernate, living in the snow would be horrible for them, and you wouldn't really want them...but I would...you start out with the tiniest cutest baby, and before you realize it, you have a beast big enuf to go thru sheet rock, and he's not even half grown...

Luckie Turtle Man · Jun 13, 2026

Tom said:
My top choices for you:
1. Burmese star. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
2, Pancake tortoise. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
3. Hermanni. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
4. Russian. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
5. Box turtle. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months. I don't know what the legalities are for your state on these.
6. I think marginated tortoises are too big for you indoor situation.

Groups can sometimes work, but sometimes they don't and have to be separated. That seems like it would be difficult with your limited space, so keeping a single tortoise seems better for your living quarters.

This is a big help, thank you, Tom!

Do you have any of these available for sale at this time? I believe I saw where you had the Burmese stars recently, if I'm not mistaken?

Luckie Turtle Man · Jun 13, 2026

Fluffy said:
Box Turtles, Russians and Hermans could all be kept outside year round. Also remember that brumation is not a requirement. If you don't feel comfortable your tortoise can just live inside during the winter and outside when weather permits. With proper planning you could brumate your animals inside but again this is optional and entirely up to you and what you feel comfortable with. There is no right answer on species between the ones you're considering. All of them would do fine where you live.

I'm definitely getting conflicting info on keeping tortoises outside all year in my area, and if they should be brumated or not. I don't mind having to brumate them, I'll need some help and details, but I used to brumate snakes, so I'm familiar with the overall idea. I also think I'm leaning towards brining our tortoise inside over the winter, just out of caution. Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it!

Luckie Turtle Man · Jun 13, 2026

Maggie3fan said:
lolololol how would you and especially your wife like to keep these Sulcata? View attachment 401013
They do not hibernate, living in the snow would be horrible for them, and you wouldn't really want them...but I would...you start out with the tiniest cutest baby, and before you realize it, you have a beast big enuf to go thru sheet rock, and he's not even half grown...View attachment 401014

I should have been more clear in my reply above; I have ZERO interest in a Sulcata, I know I can't provide a home for them

I was asking if it's a good idea to get any tortoise from someone "second hand". I'd be afraid the animal wasn't well cared for.

Luckie Turtle Man · Jun 13, 2026

Tom said:
My top choices for you:
1. Burmese star. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
2, Pancake tortoise. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year. Does not brumate.
3. Hermanni. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
4. Russian. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months.
5. Box turtle. Outdoors with a heated night box during warmer weather, indoors in a large closed chamber the rest of the year, and you can brumate over the winter months. I don't know what the legalities are for your state on these.
6. I think marginated tortoises are too big for you indoor situation.

Groups can sometimes work, but sometimes they don't and have to be separated. That seems like it would be difficult with your limited space, so keeping a single tortoise seems better for your living quarters.

Just to add, I read your post about the Burmese Stars, and they sound perfect, but I looked and I see where at least some places are asking thousands of dollars for one of these animals, and I simply can't do that. My budget for the animal itself itself is about $300 or so. If that means that a Burmese Star is not in the cards for me, that's fine.

I've largely given up on trying to keep any tortoise outside all year, and with that in mind I'm back to wanting a more diminutive species, one that would for sure do well at least part of the year in a 4'x8' enclosure.

Maggie3fan · Jun 13, 2026

Luckie Turtle Man said:
I should have been more clear in my reply above; I have ZERO interest in a Sulcata, I know I can't provide a home for them

I was asking if it's a good idea to get any tortoise from someone "second hand". I'd be afraid the animal wasn't well cared for.

But I was in the rescue business...I was just showing photos, in case you didn't about Sulcata
kinow

Tom · Jun 13, 2026

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Just to add, I read your post about the Burmese Stars, and they sound perfect, but I looked and I see where at least some places are asking thousands of dollars for one of these animals, and I simply can't do that. My budget for the animal itself itself is about $300 or so. If that means that a Burmese Star is not in the cards for me, that's fine.

I've largely given up on trying to keep any tortoise outside all year, and with that in mind I'm back to wanting a more diminutive species, one that would for sure do well at least part of the year in a 4'x8' enclosure.

Healthy, well started hatchlings can be found for around $600-650 now. In the grand scheme of things, a few hundred one way or the other on the original purchase price is really insignificant for an animal that will live for many decades. You'll be spending way more than that annually in care for whichever species you get.

Luckie Turtle Man · Jun 13, 2026

Tom said:
Healthy, well started hatchlings can be found for around $600-650 now. In the grand scheme of things, a few hundred one way or the other on the original purchase price is really insignificant for an animal that will live for many decades. You'll be spending way more than that annually in care for whichever species you get.

Thank you again for your help and time! That's certainly more than I was expecting, but they do sound like pretty much the perfect pet tortoise. If not at this time, are they available from quality breeders throughout the year, or are they limited to the Spring and early Summer?

Please know that I value your time and certainly you're help here very much

Tom · Jun 13, 2026

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Thank you again for your help and time! That's certainly more than I was expecting, but they do sound like pretty much the perfect pet tortoise. If not at this time, are they available from quality breeders throughout the year, or are they limited to the Spring and early Summer?

Please know that I value your time and certainly you're help here very much

Mine lay through the winter and again through the summer. I have the winter batch that hatches in spring, and then the summer batch hatches in the winter. They are usually available all year long. Like any tortoise, just be careful who you buy from. Many, if not most, breeders don't start babies correctly. Everything will seem fine for a few weeks or months, and then they decline rapidly and die. Because it happened months after the purchase, the new keeper will often be blamed. Sometimes keepers do make mistakes, but when a baby is 4 month old and still weighs the same as when purchased, and the new owner is doing everything right, it is pretty obvious what has happened.

Luckie Turtle Man · Tuesday at 8:23 AM

Guys, I just wanted to leave a quick follow up if it's helpful for anyone else. I wrote to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to ask what permit(s) would be needed to keep an Eastern Box Turtle in New York, and I was told that it would be illegal to keep an Eastern in New York, that there was no permit available that would make it legal to keep one. I'm not sure if that's 100% correct, but that was the reply I got from the DEC this morning.

zovick · Tuesday at 10:13 AM

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Guys, I just wanted to leave a quick follow up if it's helpful for anyone else. I wrote to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to ask what permit(s) would be needed to keep an Eastern Box Turtle in New York, and I was told that it would be illegal to keep an Eastern in New York, that there was no permit available that would make it legal to keep one. I'm not sure if that's 100% correct, but that was the reply I got from the DEC this morning.

That response is correct.

Your best bet for a tortoise is probably a Pancake Tortoise. They are small, not too expensive, and to the best of my knowledge, no NYSDEC permit is necessary.

A Russian Tortoise might be a bit less costly, but those brumate which Pancakes do not. You don't have to let them brumate, but sometimes they just want to stop eating in the fall/winter which is concerning to some owners.

Here is an ad for baby Pancakes from a seller whom I know personally. He has a big operation in FL and is a reliable person:

https://www.morphmarket.com/us/c/reptiles/tortoises/pancake-tortoises/3877664

Alice Sulcatia · Tuesday at 1:51 PM

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Guys, I just wanted to leave a quick follow up if it's helpful for anyone else. I wrote to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to ask what permit(s) would be needed to keep an Eastern Box Turtle in New York, and I was told that it would be illegal to keep an Eastern in New York, that there was no permit available that would make it legal to keep one. I'm not sure if that's 100% correct, but that was the reply I got from the DEC this morning.

I've been following your turtle saga for a bit, and WHY buy when there are hundreds, no thousands, of turtles in need of a home around the country? Look into rescues, and save a life

Luckie Turtle Man · Tuesday at 5:42 PM

zovick said:
That response is correct.

Your best bet for a tortoise is probably a Pancake Tortoise. They are small, not too expensive, and to the best of my knowledge, no NYSDEC permit is necessary.

A Russian Tortoise might be a bit less costly, but those brumate which Pancakes do not. You don't have to let them brumate, but sometimes they just want to stop eating in the fall/winter which is concerning to some owners.

Here is an ad for baby Pancakes from a seller whom I know personally. He has a big operation in FL and is a reliable person:

https://www.morphmarket.com/us/c/reptiles/tortoises/pancake-tortoises/3877664

Thank you for your reply!

When you say a pancake tortoise would be my best bet, what do you mean exactly? Based on the climate in my area, or my limited indoor space?

I really don't mind of an animal must brumate, I have experience brumating snakes, and would do so if that species of tortoise checked all our other boxes.

Thank you for your help!

Luckie Turtle Man · Tuesday at 5:52 PM

Alice Sulcatia said:
I've been following your turtle saga for a bit, and WHY buy when there are hundreds, no thousands, of turtles in need of a home around the country? Look into rescues, and save a life

To be fair, my wife and I are typically big proponents of animal rescue and adoption, we've recued or adopted more cats and dogs than most people for sure

But, I live in a small community, and when I looked locally all I saw was Sulcata tortoises being offered. If there's some kind of nation wide rescue resource, I would gladly take a look.

Being new to tortoise care, and reading that improperly cared for animals can die weeks to months later, makes me nervous to adopt from someone. And, while my wife's last box turtle made it 35 years in her care, I would bet money that it was a wild caught specimen, and therefore we have no idea how old he really was. I would prefer to know the age of any animal that we do take in.

Thank you for your reply!

Lavender · Tuesday at 11:56 PM

Though I am not a tortoise keeper, I would vote for a small species of tortoise or a box turtle. Actually water turtles are also very fun to keep so if you like, you can try an easy species, e.g. mud turtles, which don't require a lot of space and look like they are smiling all the time.

Luckie Turtle Man · Wednesday at 6:59 AM

Lavender said:
Though I am not a tortoise keeper, I would vote for a small species of tortoise or a box turtle. Actually water turtles are also very fun to keep so if you like, you can try an easy species, e.g. mud turtles, which don't require a lot of space and look like they are smiling all the time.

Thank you for your reply! We are not looking for a water turtle like a slider or a mud turtle at this time, but thank you again

Blackdog1714 · Wednesday at 7:58 PM

I have a russian tortoise you can spend time with to ensure you wont get one!

My wife likes my Leopard and he is pretty friendly with him being a male he should be around 20 pounds full grown. The stars are my next choice after these two duew to size andpersonality. Just be prepared for the increased electric bills when running enclosures in winter. I am usually above the neighborhood average due to the one enclosure which is always mid 80's with 90's basking spots for my leopard.

good luck with a decision that will last a lifetime. My tortoises are in my will!!!

Lavender · 2026-06-19T06:01:33-0700

Luckie Turtle Man said:
Thank you for your reply! We are not looking for a water turtle like a slider or a mud turtle at this time, but thank you again

No problem! Actually box turtles would make good pets too. But make sure it is a captive-bred turtle, not a wild one, as it is illegal in pretty much everywhere to keep a wild-caught animal. Please send pictures when you get the turtle/tortoise! I'd really like to see it!

Considering purchasing my wife a tortoise, and I have some noob questions please :-)

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