Best tortoise set up for a new friend!!

[elliotmarie]

Hi all! I'm really excited, after years of wanting a turtle/tortoise I'm finally in a place where I can! I've been really struggling with my mental health and the quarantine is starting to really get to me so I think getting a new friend would be perfect! I've done a bunch of research but I tend to get overwhelmed with what would be best. I'm hoping to get some basic help/advice for set up and beginning care! I'm probably going to get one in the next week or so but I want to get his home set up now so he doesn't suffer any new owner issues! What exactly is best for them to be set up? What do they need to thrive? I want to give him the best home possible and I tend to do better with real people advice than reading books. He's going to be indoors on top of my plant shelf in my room and I have a timer for the outlet so his lights and everything can go on when he needs. Any help and advice is truly appreciated, thank you!! I'm so excited!

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

Get a cheap bookshelf! Then yank the shelves out, and coat it in a few layers of outdoor weatherproof paint! Add some legs and you have a nice tortoise table.

 

[Pistachio's Pamperer]

Depends on what turtle or tortoise you are leaning towards. I have a russian tortoise who is on the smaller side as you can see by my profile picture. He is one of the species who stay "small", but even he is in a enclosure that is 6 feet wide and 8-9 feet long with a depth of three feet when he is indoors. Most people set up either closed chambers or make a tortoise table. Both of which can be found in tons of discussions if you search on the forum. Then his outdoor enclosure is about 30x10, with fencing sunk about three feet down in the ground so he can't dig out. ((Both of mine are total overkill in size.))

If you are leaning more towards a turtle. Then those of musk/mud or reeves varieties stay smaller and then you'd be setting up an aquatic paradise. And there are several ways of doing that with tanks. TONS! of info on the site about that too. Especially a lot of threads that involve a member named Moozillion, as her history with her turtles is pretty well documented on the site. FUN reads and lots of good info.

Here comes MILLIE!!!

Wait---I Will Model For The CAMERA- no hiding for this one! Awesome

www.tortoiseforum.org

Good luck. Wonder around. Read. Talk. You don't have to be in a hurry. Half the fun, seriously is making/decorating their home.

-Meg

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Tortoises need very large enclosures in comparison to other reptiles. Even small species need 32sq. feet or more. Most of them will do best in large outdoor enclosures once they are adult size, and the weather is nice. Housing one mid winter, should be the biggest concern. The larger the tortoise species, the larger the needed enclosure.
• Different species have different heating. lighting and feeding requirements. Read about all of them, and then ask questions about the ones that appeal to you most.
• Tortoise care has been misunderstood and done incorrectly for decades. As you "research" just realize that much of what you read is wrong, old, and out-dated.
• Stay away from pet stores. Bad advice, overpriced and incorrect products, and sometimes unhealthy imported animals.
• Most breeders don't start babies well, and some of the first tortoise sellers that come up on internet searches have long histories of terrible customer service coupled with unhealthy animals that don't survive. Buy directly from a breeder who does it right. There are a few big sellers that are also breeders. Feel free to privately ask whoever you want about this. We all have our preferences.

Here is some general tortoise info:

Beginner Mistakes

To comment on Tom's article, go here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-split-Beginner-Mistakes#axzz1tG8s05M5 Over the years many of us, myself included, have made many of these mistakes, and we have certainly seen them made many times by others. With springtime upon us and many new...

tortoiseforum.org

Things you wish you knew before getting a tortoise

Hi guys! :) I'm new here and I don't have any tortoises (yet!). I have been doing my research for about half a year, but I want to as knowledgable as possible before bringing a tortoise into my life. Title of the thread explains it all really. What are some things that you wish you knew...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions and conversation are welcome.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome @elliotmarie
Take your time and read and research before you chose a species to see what you are best suited for.
Also, pet stores sell a lot of garbage as far as lights and supplies... Don't spend your good money until you check with us so that we can make sure you get what you'll need for your specific situation.
You'll save yourself so much headache and money by moving slow and methodically and getting everything ready prior to purchasing your new friend.

 

[AllieKat1997]

Hi all! I'm really excited, after years of wanting a turtle/tortoise I'm finally in a place where I can! I've been really struggling with my mental health and the quarantine is starting to really get to me so I think getting a new friend would be perfect! I've done a bunch of research but I tend to get overwhelmed with what would be best. I'm hoping to get some basic help/advice for set up and beginning care! I'm probably going to get one in the next week or so but I want to get his home set up now so he doesn't suffer any new owner issues! What exactly is best for them to be set up? What do they need to thrive? I want to give him the best home possible and I tend to do better with real people advice than reading books. He's going to be indoors on top of my plant shelf in my room and I have a timer for the outlet so his lights and everything can go on when he needs. Any help and advice is truly appreciated, thank you!! I'm so excited!

Okay... so I have health issues and one of the symptoms of it is confusion. Therefore I decided to get a tortoise species that would be hardy enough for any bouts of confusion I suffered. I decided on a Golden Greek Tortoise which was slightly less hardy than the Ibera Greek tortoise. Picking the right tortoise species for you is the most important part. There is hardy ones, finicky ones, gigantic ones, small ones... well I’m sure you know since you’ve been doing research. The most important thing for any hatchling (and this is controversial but this is what I did and my tort is doing great a year and a half later so) PLEASE put a “top” (I draped a shower curtain over mine) and mist the enclosure daily. Usually twice a day is best because the lamps will suck out the moisture. And they NEED a water bowl they can crawl in and out of easily (I use a glass plate) A lot of baby tortoises die from hatchling failure (I think that’s the correct term) but from my research what was usually killing them was dehydration. A baby tortoise also needs soaked in warm water for about ten minutes. Now this is where I floundered a bit; I only soaked mine for about 5 mins . I usually let him soak while I made up his food for the day. I kept up this routine for about the first six-or-seven months of his life, then I moved him to a larger flat tortoise table (without a top) and I cut down on the misting and I hardly ever soak him. I did grab him once and rubbed his shell off under the water because he was caked in substrate (he did not appreciate his “bath” lol) he of course always has a water dish. He hates it, so I make sure to water his food before I give it to him so he gets water, but he has it should he ever need it. I fed him as a baby daily, now I fed him when he is active (he has been in semi-hibernation since it’s winter where I live), I try to mix up his food and give him a variety. Be careful ... my guy ended up hooked on Romain lettuce. They can get a little attached to certain foods- turtles can too. I had a strawberry turtle addict once. So switching foods out and mixing it well is important. For a tortoise they need real food not just pelts. I think a turtle is okay on just pelts but they’d probably appreciate a worm or two every now and again. I think that’s all. Sorry for the super long post haha! Enjoy your new tort/turtle!