First Tortoise - Primarily Indoors

[Hobb]

Hi,

I recently posted my introduction in the appropriate forum, and figured I'd jump straight into asking a few questions, the first one being:

What is a good first tortoise that will primarily be living indoors? I plan to build something along the lines of:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-New-Setup-Good-read-for-beginners#axzz1tF9xHBJv

I had originially thought a Horsfield would be a good choice, as many sites say they are good in the UK climate etc. But on a Horsfield specific website I just read that they need both an indoor and outdoor enclosure and ideally to spend most of the time outdoors.

While I will take my Tortoise for little walks in the garden once i've got it and the weather is suitable, chances are he won't be able to have his own outdoor enclosure as we have 3 big curious dogs at home, and I dont think it'd be safe leaving the tortoise in the garden with them, even if it was fully enclosed I can't imagine 3 big salivating dogs looming over my poor tort would be good for his mental health =p

So perhaps a Horsfield isn't the best choice after all?

What would be the best choice for a primarily indoor tortoise?

Also when living indoors many places have said about having their lamps on a timer to replicate the hours of sunlight etc, will it then be a problem if the room he's in still has its lights on long after that?

as, for example, if the lamps turn on at 6am - a common time I've seen on sites, and turns off 14 hours later at 8pm, I'm likely to still be up and about in my room until gone midnight - will that become a problem?

Lastly, how does noise affect them? will it get stressed out at the TV/music/games being on etc?

 

[ascott]

I am giving your thread a bump so perhaps some who keep torts where you do and primarily indoors will see your question....

A tortoise does require night rest time...if you are a night owl perhaps you can simply situate your enclosure so that direct light does not shine into enclosure and also provide some hiding areas that let him retreat to darkness ....

Usually noises are not a problem...they can feel vibrations so that you will want to keep in mind...tv sounds and folks talking should not bother the tort...

Also you are correct in guessing three dogs and a tort usually ends up bad for the tort....

 

[wellington]

All tortoises should have indoor and outdoor time/enclosures. There isn't one that should never be outside. The Russians are a good first tort. I am not sure about the others. As for dogs and torts, NEVER, EVER leave the two together without 100% all the time supervision! Tom just posted a very sad story about dogs and torts together.

 

[Kerryann]

I have a Russian and a Marginated tortoise both of whom are primarily indoors. I have them next to a sliding glass door so they get a lot of natural light and I take them outside when the weather permits. I will have an outdoor space for mine but they will not stay outdoors when I am gone since our weather in Michigan can change drastically in a day. The Russian I have didn't get proper nutrition and UVB with her prior owner and has a shell deformity now. My Marginated had lived indoors his whole life and is in perfect health and no deformities because he had proper lighting.

 

[Hobb]

Thanks for the advice all!

Its reassuring that russians should be a good first choice still.

I'll have to have a think about best way to keep him in my room, as with me being a night person and all, possibly create a makeshift cover for his enclosure so I can block the light from him when its time to sleep.

Unless I can "train" my mum to take little fluffy (that will be my torts name btw =D) out in the garden for a bit of sunlight on sunny days he'll probably be restricted to weekend forrages due to my working hours, and possibly really nice evenings after work . . .

will that be enough?

 

[lynnedit]

If you provide your tort a 'hide' (opaque plastic container turned upside down with a door cut, overturned plant pot, silk plant with deep enough substrate that they can burrow), then the light in the room won't matter.

Have your combined UVB/heat bulb (like a Powersun 100w MVB) on a timer for 12-14 hours per day. Most torts will burrow down by late afternoon/evening, or when the enclosure lights go out. If yours does not, then yes, a cover (even a tarp) once the light goes off is fine.

If you can create a daytime secure enclosure, you mom (or you, on weekends) can take your tort out for a few hours.
Russians absolutely love being outside, and it shows, they are like different torts.

 

[Hobb]

That's reassuring news, how big does the outdoor enclosure want to be ideally? My main concern with that is keeping the dogs out of it, or even away from it, wouldn't want them looming over poor fluffy scaring him senseless =\

I'm glad he should be ok in my room then, do tortoises smell particularly bad or anything? Or is that down to how regularly I clean out the enclosure etc?