Help! (researching before buying)

[lpoolex]

Hello,
Looking for general advice, I’ve chosen to look into getting a tortoise. First things first I need to research what breed would be best - I like in the UK so it can get pretty chilly. What breed would be best?

 

[wellington]

A Russian or Hermanns

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

How much space would you be able to provide (indoors and out)?

 

[lpoolex]

How much space would you be able to provide (indoors and out)?

Hello,
I have a big garden so outdoor space wouldn’t be a problem with regards to indoor space, that was going to be my next question!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Russians and Hermanns both need a minimum of 8x4 feet enclosure. The measurements can be different, but that is the minimum square footage that they need. In UK you will need an indoor enclosure for the days when the weather isn't good for reptiles to be outside.

Here is a care sheet on the temperate species: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

One of them would be the best for you since they are the easiest to house and make happy in a colder climate with seasonal changes like in the UK.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello from a fellow uk member! You are in the perfect place to do your research! Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise❤️

As the others have said, I think the uk is most suited for a Russian or herman, care is very similar. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that our climate makes it difficult to house outdoors full time, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy on summer days though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure. Definitely no indoor roaming! You’ll need to be prepared to have at least an 8x4 foot size available indoors as they’ll be housed there the majority of the year.

I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size in the future, the types of equipment to use, how to maintain humidity, and a cost effective way for you to get a suitable sized enclosure, hopefully it helps inspire an idea for you🙂

Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.

Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.

You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.

Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. They are a non light emitting bulb. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. When in a cooler climate like us, you’ll probably need them.

Any indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for, I’d personally recommend the Arcadia because it comes with the reflector fitting ready to mount. I’ve also included examples of ways people mount them.

With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.

For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The trouble with top soil is you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, they could be toxic. Sand and moss are impaction risks.

You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting a little too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then, which also helps boosting humidity or give the top a spray. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed. I don’t recommend misters or foggers, they get the air too wet and cause respiratory problems. Spraying won’t last as long.

Humidity for young growing tortoises needs to be maintained around 80%, 24/7, you’ll find that difficult to achieve with an open top, for the set up I’m recommending I’d get a greenhouse cover. Once the tortoise is older a cover won’t be needed.

To maintain humidity whilst the tortoise is younger a greenhouse style set up works well and provides more space, as an adult they are going to ideally need a minimum of an 8x4, the bigger you go the better, it’s ideal if you can build your own base to go as big as you can for the room you have. A 4x2 or 4x4 will last you until they’re a bit bigger🙂

If you can’t find an exact fit for your base with the cover, then place it over like the one with the white base in the photo, I’d put lining down under the base and cover though to stop condensate getting on your floor.

When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds or just make their own, for both these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough to prevent escapes.

Some people even hang their lighting from the greenhouse frame! Simply wrap the wire round so it’s at the height you need(check with temp gun/put thermostat in, 18-21 inches for uv I recommend) then secure with cable ties&chains.

I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy. You could throw some pvc covering over the stands if youre struggling for a topper, but again if you do that, I’d put lining down under the base to stop condensate.

For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.

If going for this set up, allow up to a week for the materials to ‘off gas’ with the heat running, until there’s no smell, once odourless, it’s safe for use🐢

Ignore whatever else is in these enclosures in the photos, they’re just to give you an idea👍

You may also find this link below useful to look through for some food ideas😊 there’s SO many plants in the wildflowers section that grow perfectly in our climate? You could perhaps buy some seeds online and plant them in organic soil(no fertilisers or chemicals)in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to. Be wary foraging elsewhere, its needs to be somewhere you are certain hasn’t been touched by weedkiller/fertilisers, there’s also toxic lookalikes, so probably best to plant you’re own😁
Also bare in mind both Herman and Russian tortoises aren’t fruit eaters so no fruits👍

The Tortoise Table - Home

The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

Hope this helps! Any further questions please ask🥰

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Are you planning on getting a baby or an adult? If you plan on getting a baby, you really need to research a reputaple breeder. If you get an adult, I suggest you go with a rescue. There are so many adult tortoises waiting for a home.

And of course the advice on keeping these two is very different. Babies are obviously more fragile, while some adults might have previous health conditions.