Hello :)

[Nyo]

Hey guys, I'm a complete beginner when it comes to this so please be gentle :3

I need some advise on what type of turtle would be suitable for a newbie like myself, what type of care and food they need, pretty much everything I should know. Do's and don'ts, anything really.
Any information would be greatly appreciated and I'd be more than willing to answer any questions you have for me
Looking forward to your replies~

 

[Yvonne G]

Are you interested in a water turtle, or a land turtle?

We'll need to know a bit about your specifics - where you are, house or apartment, climate, etc.

 

[Nyo]

I live in a house in indiana, I'm not sure what type of turtle I would like to be honest with you which is why I came here

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's my take on both types of animal:

Water turtles are a whole lot of fun because of their interaction with you, the keeper. However, they are extremely time consuming and an awful lot of work unless you spend a lot of money to get a really good filtering system and a large enough aquarium.

In my opinion, tortoises belong outside. So I feel that if you live in a country or climate where the tortoise can't live outside most of the year, then you shouldn't get one. Harsh, I know, but that's how I feel.

Lots of people have indoor turtles and tortoises. It can be done. I just don't feel its the right place for them.

Read through our enclosure section and look at some of the pictures our members have put up. Try to get a better idea what fits into your life style, a water turtle or a land turtle. Once you've decided that, we can help you pick a good first turtle/tortoise.

 

[ben awes]

Hey guys, I'm a complete beginner when it comes to this so please be gentle :3

I need some advise on what type of turtle would be suitable for a newbie like myself, what type of care and food they need, pretty much everything I should know. Do's and don'ts, anything really.
Any information would be greatly appreciated and I'd be more than willing to answer any questions you have for me
Looking forward to your replies~

Welcome to the forum - lots of great info here (including yvonne who is a great source!). I went through what you are going through 12 years ago. I live in MN and happen to disagree with Yvonne about keeping tortoises indoors - though I do believe that people tend to provide them enclosures far too small. I did a lot of research before I purchased and chose a leopard tortoise for very specific reasons. They are relatively easy to care for because their diet is simple - mostly grasses and hay. This also means that their poop smells like a barn, which is not such so bad. Their diet can be supplemented with more wet foods, but they mostly need hay. Even good quality hay is cheap by comparison and easy to keep. Their environment is mostly dry, meaning no moldy rotting stuff and once you get it set up with the right heat and light, and a good humid hide, they are pretty easy to care for. This is true of other desert species as well. I knew myself well enough to know that I needed an animal that was easy to care for. Decide how much work you are "honestly" willing to do over the long haul after the honeymoon period. Tortoises live a long time, and some a very long time. But they ROCK and are very rewarding. Good luck and keep asking questions!

Ben

 

[Nyo]

Thank you! I currently live in a house in Indiana, and I have no clue what kind of turtle I would like for my family. That's pretty much why I'm here haha

I'm a stay at home mom so I would have plenty of time to care for a little feller

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

For me it's the funds part of keeping them. I've got plenty of time, as it were, and I've the space as well. 5 acres of south facing hillside.
That said, I've got 21 tortoises of three types. For me, they aren't an on going expense, they are the start up expense. I make closed chambers for the young, and even have sold a couple, but when it's all said and done, for something reasonably nice inside your home, I'm looking at around $200 bucks. Yes I reuse the closed chambers, but that start up cost, with the cost of setting them up outside for the good times of the year, can get somewhat overwhelming. Then there is the monthly electric bill. They are all kept warmer than my house. So it's an on going expense.
To me, russian tortoises are the easiest tortoise to keep. I've got 11 and I've never bought a one. The ones I have are from folks that wanted a tortoise and after awhile changed their minds.
I like automation. Everything I've got is set up for consistency. There is added expense there as well, I know what's going on in the habitats, I'm not guessing. I hope this somehow encourages you, and doesn't put you off. Just wanted to point out it's not just time, but real money as well.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Well the only thing everybody left out that I can see is : all baby turtles and torts are cute but they loose that in about 3years . So when you find a baby you like go look at the adult because that's the one your going to have the longest . Cause if you decide by just looking at the baby face they are all cute . And I have 11 different water turtles and 7 different types of torts but I love them all !

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: RE: Hello

For me it's the funds part of keeping them. I've got plenty of time, as it were, and I've the space as well. 5 acres of south facing hillside.
That said, I've got 21 tortoises of three types. For me, they aren't an on going expense, they are the start up expense. I make closed chambers for the young, and even have sold a couple, but when it's all said and done, for something reasonably nice inside your home, I'm looking at around $200 bucks. Yes I reuse the closed chambers, but that start up cost, with the cost of setting them up outside for the good times of the year, can get somewhat overwhelming. Then there is the monthly electric bill. They are all kept warmer than my house. So it's an on going expense.
To me, russian tortoises are the easiest tortoise to keep. I've got 11 and I've never bought a one. The ones I have are from folks that wanted a tortoise and after awhile changed their minds.
I like automation. Everything I've got is set up for consistency. There is added expense there as well, I know what's going on in the habitats, I'm not guessing. I hope this somehow encourages you, and doesn't put you off. Just wanted to point out it's not just time, but real money as well.

Honestly, this is the most important part. I'm a student, and I have a lot of bills that pile up. I work at a cafe on weekdays, and once a week I unload the trucks at Big5. Neither help out a ton, but I make ends meet and thats that.