I'll have to look into the Eastern Hermanns. I do actually prefer the Hermanns coloration the best.
CactusVinnie said:SWDK, NO tortoise is suited for indoor life... and 8-9 months indoors? Maybe for a Redfoot or other tropical!!! All the 3 you mentioned can stay outdoors and even hibernate outdoors in your location- only it is way to humid for that. And more than that, they hibernate in habitat.
I would use that great "duplex" for a Bearded Dragon or something else ! For a tortoise, outdoor, and winter in fridge or special hibernation enclosure. You seem to have the hand for building things.
For humidity, the hardiness decrease from Hermanni, Ibera to Horsfieldi. As fellows suggested above, I'd say Hermanni too.
SWDK said:I realize that no tortoise or any other creature is suited for a life indoors. I'm just trying to do the best with what I've got to work with. I can probably get it outside in some of the cooler months during spring and fall, but I'll have to heat the hide box. Keeping that in mind, would the tortoise even want to walk around in colder temps of just stay in its heated hide box? If it will just stay where the heat is then I see no benefit to subjecting the tortoise to unnaturally cooler temps when it won't be getting any natural sunlight. Please correct me if my noob way of thinking is flawed.
GeoTerraTestudo said:SWDK said:I realize that no tortoise or any other creature is suited for a life indoors. I'm just trying to do the best with what I've got to work with. I can probably get it outside in some of the cooler months during spring and fall, but I'll have to heat the hide box. Keeping that in mind, would the tortoise even want to walk around in colder temps of just stay in its heated hide box? If it will just stay where the heat is then I see no benefit to subjecting the tortoise to unnaturally cooler temps when it won't be getting any natural sunlight. Please correct me if my noob way of thinking is flawed.
Northern Testudo species (eastern Hermann, Ibera Greek, and Russian) are all active in spring and summer, and can aestivate when the weather gets too hot in late summer to autumn. Then, starting in autumn, they can brumate (hibernate) through the winter and into spring. If you want to let them brumate, you could let them do it outside, or inside in a refrigerator. Or you could overwinter them in an indoor enclosure.
SWDK said:Thanks! I have a large yard so I can built a nice sized outdoor habitat for it. It can live there full time during the months I get the correct temps. Heck, I can bring it inside at night during the months where it gets too cool at night and put it back outside during the day. Does that sound like a better plan?
SWDK said:Thanks! I have a large yard so I can built a nice sized outdoor habitat for it. It can live there full time during the months I get the correct temps. Heck, I can bring it inside at night during the months where it gets too cool at night and put it back outside during the day. Does that sound like a better plan?
SWDK said:Thanks jacqui! I have a nice level area thats already cleared out where I had an old 12'x12' shed. It's an area that gets good sunlight, but also has shaded areas from overhanging maple and beech trees.
SWDK said:I'm excited already. It sounds like its going to be a fun venture for me in keeping a tortoise and building/maintaining the enclosures.