Help Choosing a mostly indoor tortoise

[mom2twinsplus2]

Hi All-

My daughter...and well, me too ...are really interested in getting a tortoise. We want it to be primarily an indoor pet though we do have a backyard and we could let it be outside if we purchase one of those simple outdoor enclosures or something like that. I am trying to pick which type of tortoise would be best for us and I am having a hard time figuring it out.

Here is what I would like:

1. something not too big...smaller is much better because, while I have no problem buying a 50 gallon terrarium or sterlite container or whateven if is best for it...much bigger than that would be a bit tricky to get set up, I am afraid.

2. something friendly that won't bite at my kids and might even enjoy our attention. nothing too skiddish cause I have 4 kids so it is not really quiet around here.

3. I prefer something that will not hibernate just cause our pet going to sleep for 4 months sounds kind of like a bummer to me.

4. I have no problem with an omnivore but if it is an omnivore, it would be great if it would eat dubia roaches, superworms, meal worms, phoenix worms or things like that...cause I have those around for other pets. I really can't do pinkie mice..too icky. If turtle food is just as good, that is great as well.

5. pretty is definitely a plus...I love colorful and sweet faces

6. easy to care for is a HUGE plus. We are totally new to tortoises and relatively new to reptiles though we are learning more and more everyday.

I don't mind having different kinds of lighting and basking spots or whatever is needed...I am used to that. I prefer to have something on the bottom of the cage that is easy to clean and I am worried about my ability to make a complicated terrarium...simple would really be best for me.

We initially looked at a Russian. I know they are supposed to hibernate but it sounds like you don't really have to every year and that often it might even be best not to hibernate the tortoises.

Then we started looking at the Red Footed...or the Cherry Headed Red Foot.

I LOVE the looks of the Red Foots...they are absolutely gorgeous...and the size of the cherry head sounds even better I think. I love that they don't hibernate and sound relatively easy to care for. I am just worried about how complicated a terrarium they would need with mud and water...I am more of a bowl of water and a bit of tile or sand blend, a climbing tree and done type person. The cherry head ones are just gorgeous as well and as I said before smaller is better for us...I am not sure if the few inch size difference is enough to make it worth the price difference.

Oh, I am thinking we would only be getting one turtle...but we could do two if it is better. I am totally open to other suggestions if I have missed a great option. I am VERY new to tortoises and trying to learn before I make any decisions.

Thanks so much for any help you can offer me!

Alison
mom to 4 kids, 2 dart frogs, 1 bearded dragon, 1 white's tree frog, 1 guinea pig, 1 dog, 1 betta fish and soon to be joined by a hedgehog on Saturday

 

[Shalon]

I have a cherry red and was told that they need 1 square foot per inch of shell..so at 7 & 1/2 inches she needs a house that is 7 & 1/2 square feet. Since I was told that she could get bigger we built her a table that is 8 feet by 3 feet.
All red foots need humidity so you have to make sure that you can keep her home hot enough and humid enough also.

This is a good website to get info on redfoots
http://www.redfoots.com/redfoots1.htm

 

[samstar]

Star Tortoises dont grow very big and make good indoor tortoises, however they are 100% hebivoreous.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Don't mean to bust your bubble.. but a tortoise is NOT a "pet" for kids. They are reptiles that.. when set-up PROPERLY.. will have a different (undesireable?) odor [ are you ready for that with your hedgehog? ], don't do well with handling and eat their own poop! Should be allowed to eat their own poop.. I should say!

Can't argue that redfoots are beautiful.. and are as "forgiving" as any tortoise out there.. however they need much more space than you've probly read. THEY ARE NOT A "PUSH-BUTTON" PET! I know of no tortoise that is. What you keep now is nothing compared to keeping a tortoise.

My soon to be 5 year old "cherry's" are approaching 7" and no doubt will grow another 3"-5".

Stars are absolutely out.. [ $500 initial cost - tort, lights, etc. and quite shy and fragile ].. same with leopards and sulcatas will take over your house.

If you have to have a tortoise my guess would be Russian.. but we'll have to see what those keepers say.

Terry K

 

[bettinge]

I would suggest a Greek, Hermanns, Russian! However, these guys will not like being picked up all the time, and may stress out from that. I would also suggest an adult or sub adult, hatchlings are fragile!

I think torts as a pet for childern are better watched than played with.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

I would suggest a Greek, Hermanns, Russian! However, these guys will not like being picked up all the time, and may stress out from that. I would also suggest an adult or sub adult, hatchlings are fragile!

I think torts as a pet for childern are better watched than played with.

Thanks for being HONEST.. Betts! 'preciate it... STRESS KILLS!!!

NERD

 

[Sudhira]

From all my reading so far, and having rescued a Greek, no tortoise is "easy" to care for. One must be diligent in their care very day, being mindful of temperature , humidity & diet. Observing them for any health issues, and taking them to a herp vet for check-ups and parasite checks. Proper enclosure & lighting ( UVB and the like )...just what I have learned so far...

Good Luck~*~

 

[samstar]

Don't mean to bust your bubble.. but a tortoise is NOT a "pet" for kids. They are reptiles that.. when set-up PROPERLY.. will have a different (undesireable?) odor [ are you ready for that with your hedgehog? ], don't do well with handling and eat their own poop! Should be allowed to eat their own poop.. I should say!

Can't argue that redfoots are beautiful.. and are as "forgiving" as any tortoise out there.. however they need much more space than you've probly read. THEY ARE NOT A "PUSH-BUTTON" PET! I know of no tortoise that is. What you keep now is nothing compared to keeping a tortoise.

My soon to be 5 year old "cherry's" are approaching 7" and no doubt will grow another 3"-5".

Stars are absolutely out.. [ $500 initial cost - tort, lights, etc. and quite shy and fragile ].. same with leopards and sulcatas will take over your house.

If you have to have a tortoise my guess would be Russian.. but we'll have to see what those keepers say.

Terry K

Other than the initial cost, you dont feel the Stars make good indoor pets?

 

[Jacqui]

Stars are great, but not as easy for a new person to work with. The Russian, Greeks or Hermanni gret my vote for small inside tortoises. Cherryheads are beautiful, but will need a little more space inside then you seem to have (like Nerd said). No mater which one you get, yes, please do make use of as much outdoor time as you can.

 

[Yvonne G]

It is my opinion that tortoises should be first and foremost, an outdoor animal. Just like a horse or a cow, they need to be able to graze and be in the sun. There are times when we have to set them up indoors, but their main habitat needs to be an outdoor habitat.

Yvonne

 

[mom2twinsplus2]

I really appreciate all of everyone's feedback. I have to admit that I am earlier in this learning process about tortoises that I normally am when I post on a forum so I really appreciate your all bearing with me.

I am not sure why people got the sense that we wanted a pet to handle a lot..I was really never thinking of that...I assume that would stress a tortoise as it does most reptiles (though Beardies really are so docile about it all) ...we are just wanting something that would be active and might enjoy eating out of our hands or something like that.

We live just outside of Memphis so I guess I was thinking indoor because I am not sure how conducive our climate is to ourdoor tortoises...it is not like Florida where I see them wondering around everywhere! Here it is very hot and very humid in summer and rather wet and cool now and winters are fairly mild but highs in the 40's or 50's are pretty typical all winter...so I guess I was thinking that it was probably too humid for Russians outside in the summer and too cold for all of them in them in the winter, is that not correct? I am definitely not opposed to trying to figure something outside for them whenever the weather is appropriate.

I am still trying to under the indoor accomidations that would be necessary for each of these types of turtoises.

For the Russians, it sounds a lot easier since they need so much less humidity. Do they also need to be left with their poop to eat it? Is there a smell issue? I have to admit that I had never read that anywhere!

With the red foot (I assume the cherry head are the same), for the indoor part of the care, do you just set up a humid enviroment with the moss and then not have to clean it much at all? Do you need to set up something with a bug ecosystem to keep it clean? I see a lot of recommendations for a turtle table which I would have no clue how to make myself but I bet I could find someone who could build for me but I am not clear on how you keep the humidity high enough without walls and a top. I have to admit that smelly would not really be nice in my house though....LOL.

Please keep the advice coming...I really appreciate it!

Alison

 

[bettinge]

Sorry, I figured kids and handling a pet went hand in hand! Bad assumption on my part!

No, poop is best removed!

 

[Akuma]

A Pancake Tortoise is quite small, fully grown it's 6 inches long which isn't by any means big.
It doesn't require any specil humidity, just a high temperature in the enclosure (around 100 °F) and it doesn't hibernate.

Problem is... Pancakes are a rare species, nearly impossible to get here in Europe.

Also mind you that when having the tortoise in-door you will have to spend a great deal of time building and stting up an artificial enviroment fit to the tortoise. That means heaps of sand, soil, heat lamps, UV-B flourescent lamps, etc. etc. etc.

If you're in to building and customizing stuff (like me) you will have a great time always finding new ways and methods of changing the tortoise enviroment to more accuratly represents said tortoises natural enviroment.
If however you are a person that feels that everything mentioned above is a major pain in the bum getting a tortoise or reptile is perhaps not a good idea.
Making the kids help you out interior decorate the terrarium is however a great deal of fun for the whole family.

On the smelly issue - I have astma reactions to strong odours and it *never* smells in my room where I have my Pancake Tortoise.
I've had him in the enclosure for 3 months now and no smells what so ever. I do however have a pool for him that he almost always uses as a toilet which makes it easy to clean and I also shower him twice a week.

 

[Jacqui]

You don't have to leave the poop in there for them. It's more the fact to be aware of it and expect them to eat it. We have had several posts with folks have a gross out time when it happens is why I think it was even brought up. When I see poop, I just remove it with a piece of paper towel.

I think folks jumped to the thought of you getting one for the children to play with. Once more unfortunately, we went with what most folks want, not your reality. I think we failed to think about the fact that you already have some reptile knowledge, so your ahead of most new folks.

Like most of us, you live in an area where your limited somewhat in how long your outside season can be. I live in Nebraska, so I know about that. I can't imagine trying it in Alaska, but folks do.

Russians can take hot weather and will estivate (sp?) which is sorta like a summer time hibernation, but not as deep. They can take humidity. Even some cooling. It's the cool and wet combo that's really bad. With that it can be as simple as a heated outdoor house to escape to or bringing them back inside.

Most tortoises can live in an area not exactly like their native home, if your willing to do things to make it more condusive for them. A bit more work and normally more money, but it can be worth it. So you really don't have to eliminate any of your tortoise thoughts because of this.

I think of the tortoise areas as smelling more earthy then smelling (stink). Water turtles are a bit more to the smell side. You clean tortoise pens just like any other animal. Daily spot clean ups, making sure bedding is as damp (or dry) as needed depending on what kind of substrate and the tortoise type. Then mixing the current substrate as needed (for some it's daily, weekly, bi-weekly, ect..,). Complete change out as needed (which depends upon you, your setup, the number, size, and type of tortoise. Most of mine are about twice a year or once for most of the outside summer living animals).

How do we keep humidity up? LOL your going to love this...it depends. Get use to that as an answer from me... Nothing is set in stone, nor does it work the same for everybody everywhere. But major ways are with the substrate choice, creating moist hides, natural humidity in out air and what we have in our own homes, covering part of the enclosure with a variety of things to hold in the moisture, even hand sprayings and misting machines.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi Alison...Welcome to the forum.
How old are you children?
I have grandchildren who stay with me during summer school vacation and sometimes on the weekends. They are partial to the box turtles. Don't know what TN laws are for owning box turtles tho. I also have Russians. I think they would do fine outside in TN. It is hotter here and they do fine. I built a small 3-sided 'hut' with a block top on it for them out of 16" x 16" x 4" cinder blocks. It is on the dirt and the blocks keep the soil cool. They dig the dirt to bring up the cool dirt. You do have to build your corral for them with the walls below the ground as they are great at digging out. I make their corrals out of flashing (20" x 50' roll) so they can't climb it. It also sets up in an oval instead of being square...they can brace themselves in a corner & walk up a wall. I do bring them inside when the temps get below 50 and set them up temporarily in a table that is 30" x 4'. It is a box made of 1" x 12" boards with a plywood bottom. I put legs with wheels on them so I can move it around & so I don't have to bend over...bad arthritis. I line it with a shower curtain & put aspen in it with an oblong pyrex dish for water, a ceramic tile for feeding & a kitty litter box with a hole in the side for a hide. If I was to keep them inside I would build them an 8' x 30" x 12" table on legs. You do NOT need to have a pair for them to be happy.

I suggest going back thru the posts on here for the species you are interested in and look at the enclosures threads. Also check the food threads. Russians do best eating weeds, so you will need to find out what kinds if you choose a Russian.

I also suggest not getting a hatchling. No matter how much you try, I would be willing to bet those younguns will want to carry around whatever you get. The babies are just so delicate.

Good to see that you are doing research first. Keep asking questions if you need to. You may get differing opinions tho.

good luck
Patsy

 

[terryo]

I have a Cherry Head. He's 27 months old and about 5 1/2 in. I keep him outside in the summer...it is also very humid here...and in the winter he is in a 75 gal. vivarium. I have a lot of plants in there and this holds up the humidity very well. I do quick clean-ups during the time he is inside. If I see "poop" I take it out. He doesn't have to eat it. If you leave it in it will smell...bad. I change the water once a day. There really isn't much to clean in a vivarium, and he doesn't trash it (so far) as he has plenty to eat so he doesn't bother with the plants in there. It NEVER smells (as long as you take out the "poop"). I have it in my living room, and it really looks cool with all the plants and also we like to see him. You can have a "pet" or you can have a specimen in a glass tank. Our's is a pet. We never handle him, only take him out when I do a quick clean up. He will always eat out of your hand and is very friendly and curious. (please don't mind the messy house). lol

 

[K9KidsLove]

NICE cabinet TerryO
Patsy

 

[terryo]

You don't have to leave the poop in there for them. It's more the fact to be aware of it and expect them to eat it. We have had several posts with folks have a gross out time when it happens is why I think it was even brought up. When I see poop, I just remove it with a piece of paper towel.

I think folks jumped to the thought of you getting one for the children to play with. Once more unfortunately, we went with what most folks want, not your reality. I think we failed to think about the fact that you already have some reptile knowledge, so your ahead of most new folks.

Like most of us, you live in an area where your limited somewhat in how long your outside season can be. I live in Nebraska, so I know about that. I can't imagine trying it in Alaska, but folks do.

Russians can take hot weather and will estivate (sp?) which is sorta like a summer time hibernation, but not as deep. They can take humidity. Even some cooling. It's the cool and wet combo that's really bad. With that it can be as simple as a heated outdoor house to escape to or bringing them back inside.

Most tortoises can live in an area not exactly like their native home, if your willing to do things to make it more condusive for them. A bit more work and normally more money, but it can be worth it. So you really don't have to eliminate any of your tortoise thoughts because of this.

I think of the tortoise areas as smelling more earthy then smelling (stink). Water turtles are a bit more to the smell side. You clean tortoise pens just like any other animal. Daily spot clean ups, making sure bedding is as damp (or dry) as needed depending on what kind of substrate and the tortoise type. Then mixing the current substrate as needed (for some it's daily, weekly, bi-weekly, ect..,). Complete change out as needed (which depends upon you, your setup, the number, size, and type of tortoise. Most of mine are about twice a year or once for most of the outside summer living animals).

How do we keep humidity up? LOL your going to love this...it depends. Get use to that as an answer from me... Nothing is set in stone, nor does it work the same for everybody everywhere. But major ways are with the substrate choice, creating moist hides, natural humidity in out air and what we have in our own homes, covering part of the enclosure with a variety of things to hold in the moisture, even hand sprayings and misting machines.

That was a great post!

 

[Jacqui]

(please don't mind the messy house). lol

Ummmm what mess? Looks good to me, especially with all the statues and stuff. I always love Pio's home when you show the close up. I believe this is the first time I saw a shot of it from a distance and now I think, no I know, I love it more!

P.S. Thank you for the nice comment...from you it means a lot.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Hi there! Another thing to think about is how long-term of a commitment tortoises are (50+ years, although for many breeds it is not even known). I strongly recommend at least 6 months of research before buying a tortoise, and even so, you will soon find yourself feeling ill-prepared (I did!). I would look for a tortoise at least a year old as a first time owner. Decide if you are willing to purchase a tortoise caught from the wild, or only a captive bred one. This is primarily true for Russians. I personally don't want to support WC animals.

I got the idea you'd want something that could be "played" with from #2 on your list. I think all tortoises should ideally have way more than a 50 gallon type of enclosure, and should have outdoor time. The more space, the happier they will be. Many do not do well when they have a huge backyard space and then have a small winter enclosure. It is always your choice to hibernate them. I agree that it is risky for new owners. I don't know why so many resources push that tortoises (especially Russians) have to be hibernated. I think tortoises are very high maintenance because of the temperature, humidity, food, health, etc. I would not call them easy. The cost of a tortoise is only a small fraction of what you will spend on setting up an enclosure, vet care, etc.

Best wishes.