help please (what kind should I get?)

[sparkles]

Hi,
I have wanted a tortoise for years and I am now in the position to do it. I need to know everything tho! I have an indoor guinea pig cage can't remember the size but it is huge would that be suitable? What do I need in it? What breeds would be best for a beginner and where is best to get them from? Any information would be very appreciated! X

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome

Please start by reading this thread: Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/ as it will give you a good understanding of what affects your choice.

It is very unlikely that a guinea pig cage will be suitable.

You need to get substrate in there which will fall out through the wire for start. Then there are the lamps.

What we recommend depends on where you live and the climate. A tortoise isn't a portable pet - they don't handle change well - and, unlike Guinea Pigs, they are not social. Torts don't need, want or particularly like other torts - they're more than happy on their own.

The minimum enclosure size you will need to accommodate is 4'x8' for the smaller species (1.5 x 2.2 metres). A more mature tort benefits from having an outdoor enclosure. This is an animal that will be with you for the next 50+ years, so you need to be sure you can deal with this.

 

[sparkles]

Thank you for the reply. I had read that the base of a guinea pig cage was good to use which I why I said it. The base it plastic and deep so nothing would fall through. I am in the UK. What kind of home is suitable? I have definitely thought about it and read up as much as i can but thought coming here with people with experience would give me more info. X

 

[JoesMum]

I too am in the UK and my Greek tort lives outdoors, but he's a fully mature adult. We've had him for 46 years.

The Mediterranean species (Greeks, Russians and Hermanns) make good starter torts here.

It depends on the age of the animal you get as to the enclosure. Younger torts need a warm, humid enclosure for smooth shell growth.

Babies can be started in a vivarium, but they outgrow it in a year or two.

Then you need a 'tortoise table'. Don't buy one from a pet shop - they're all too small. An old bookcase with the shelves knocked out makes a good table (8'x4')

If you take a look at our Enclosures forum you will see plenty of good examples.

Each species has its own forum on TFO and you will find a care guide written by a species expert there. These people are working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the Internet and pet shops and, sadly, perpetuated by some breeders and vets too.

So, start by reading Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Then take a look at

Russian Care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Greek Care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

Hermanns Care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

And if you are considering a very young tort of any of the above species read this too
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

Sorry, there's a lot of reading, but it's better to be fully prepared and do your homework.

Please do ask questions after reading them and before buying anything; we can help you avoid making expensive mistakes

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please post pics of the tort and his/her enclosure asap, and good luck!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Great advice already given. As stated read the threads that were linked and then hopefully you can decide which particular species you want. The best place to buy from is a reputable breeder that starts their torts out the right way. If your looking for an adult, you might be able to find one needing to be rescued and placed in better care. Good luck on your decision and ask away if you still have questions

 

[Yvonne G]

your guinea pig cage would be ok for a baby tortoise, however, it's so open, and most babies require a bit of moisture in their environment. It would be hard to keep a guinea pig cage humid.

 

[sparkles]

Thank you for all the great information I will get reading. I would ideally like an adult but I have not seen anywhere near me that has adults. I am in no rush want to make sure I do it all right.

 

[Gillian M]

Thank you for all the great information I will get reading. I would ideally like an adult but I have not seen anywhere near me that has adults. I am in no rush want to make sure I do it all right.

Take your time. And.......good luck!

 

[Eileen Turpin]

I have a Hermans and rescued a Russian, take these kind folks advice they are a handful (torts) I am a dog/animal lover so I will just keep learning, I love them they have totally different personalities, the Hermanns is Clyde and the Russian Monster Truck.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome
It would be hard to keep a baby warm in a cage here in the Uk, as too much heat would escape and torts need to be warm to function.
Don't forget it's not just the enclosure you need but also uvb/heat bulbs (NOT coiled or long thin loop cfl type). I use a mercury vapour bulb ( MVB) which gives heat light and essential uvb rays in one bulb about £40 in Pets at Home - that is in a ceramic lamp holder with a wide dome - £25 in The Range.
You will also need night heat especially in winter I use a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) £21 in the Range in another wide domed holder and that is run through a thermostat which keeps the temps even and turns the CHE on and off as temps rise and fall. That was £35 in the Range. The CHE just gives heat as torts need darkness to sleep. A digital temp gun is great for spot checking your 4 temps in his enclosure at tort level and more accurate than a dial pet shop thermometer. I think I spent about £150 just on heat and uvb sources when I first had my tort, which was a bit of a shock as I had no idea they needed so much, but once you have all the essentials it gets cheaper and you only need to replace the uvb every 6 -12 month - maybe longer if your tort hibernates. (mine doesn't)
But there are other things you can save money on e.g.don't waste money on fancy dishes with steep sides - cheap shallow terracotta plant saucers are safer than the ones pet shops sell. Check here before parting with your cash for pet shops stuff - they are profit motivated and don't always give good advice.

 

[Lyn W]

Thank you for all the great information I will get reading. I would ideally like an adult but I have not seen anywhere near me that has adults. I am in no rush want to make sure I do it all right.

Have you tried the RSPCA?

 

[sparkles]

No I will contact the rspca. If I got an adult do they go in the bookcase enclosure? I do have lots of outdoor space too for if it is nice out.

 

[Eileen Turpin]

I live in So Fla Monster Truck goes on the patio each day, Clyde lives in the light, I keep the house 80 degrees if they need more heat I haven't noticed. A

 

[ethan508]

I had a hard time deciding between Greeks, Herman's, and Russian. Russians are far more available in my area and I liked that they have a reputation for being hardy so that's what I went with.

Mine are outdoors and they are nice and active whenever I come with food, and in the mid-morning and late afternoon when the temperature isn't as hot. They put themselves to bed nicely when the sun goes down and don't seem to want to be out and about until the sun warms them in the morning. They are just little tanks.

 

[Lyn W]

No I will contact the rspca. If I got an adult do they go in the bookcase enclosure? I do have lots of outdoor space too for if it is nice out.

It depends on their adult size - minimum 4x8' recommended for most adults of smaller species. Mine is a leopard - about 5 but can't be sure as he was found and unclaimed. He is already about a foot long and still growing, so he has his own adapted room. He needs higher temps than the species you are considering, and doesn't hibernate so needs heat all year. A large bookcase should be fine and some people have added posts to the corners so that they can enclose them to keep in heat and humidity - the enclosures thread is full of great ideas, an outdoor enclosure for the summer months (when we get some warm weather would be great too)
The British Association of Tortoise Keepers based in Leamington Spa (BATK) also rehomes torts so it may be worth contacting them too.

 

[KaitlinKeefe_]

I am a big advocate for russians. from what ive seen a hatch-ling is much harder to care for then a juvenile. both of my tortoises were at least 2 when i got them and i wouldnt say its been easy but it has been fun learning and caring for them especially thanks to this forum. i could be wrong but i have seen alot of people lose hatch-lings because they are just inexperienced and thats just so sad.

here is the care sheets for russians

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/