help starting up

[Zoey339]

Hello I'm new here. Long story but I promised my son a tortoise. I had box turtles 20 years ago in a blocked off part of my yard and love the guys so wouldn't mind getting one. I live in new orleans. It's hot and humid here pretty much until Nov so I would like to build an outdoor enclosure. Could someone point me towards a diy sheet on outdoor enclosures. What do they need? Etc? I'll worry about indoors when winter gets closer. I'm assuming I need to bring them inside? I never did with my box turtles but I did have some freeze to death, the other ran away, so thinking they probably should be brought in. Probably getting a Russian tortoise unless someone can recommend a better small tortoise I could buy online.
Thanks

 

[leigti]

Welcome to the forum. I think we have other people from New Orleans also, I think the thread I remember they had box turtles. I'm sure there are others. Check out the species specific section for box turtles and Russian tortoises and any others that you might be interested in. Also we have an enclosures section with all sorts of ideas for indoor and outdoor. Russians and box turtles do hibernate however they don't necessarily have to. It is kind of a controversial debatable topic. I do not hibernate my Russian tortoise and I did not hibernate my box turtle when I had her. But you can cross that bridge when you get there. But don't hibernate them the first year you have them. This forum has the most up-to-date information out there. Check out the different sections and ask questions all you'd like.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. leigti pretty much covered it all.

 

[Zoey339]

Thanks. I would get a box turtle if I could find one but that could be a big if. Would a Russian tortoise be okay in our climate here? Hot and muggy lol.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

 

[Zoey339]

Thank you. Could you possible help me with picking out a type of tortoise? Heard Russians dig and definitely don't want a digger. Need something that can live in the new orleans climate and won't get over a foot long. Preferable smaller. Also pretty hardy. Not so sure about box turtles and think they are illegal to own here anyway.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Find your local herpetology association & talk with them. I'm not an expert on tortoises, and I can't recommend one for your climate. I can say that it's easier to keep a species that is comfortable in your climate - such as box turtles- than to try to adapt your care practices. I think you can legally keep a few boxies, but you can't buy or sell, and you may need a permit. So get current local advice.

My RTs have a tougher time in the summer, and I have to obsess about whether to cover the habitat to keep it dry or uncover it to keep it from overheating. The boxies are happy from dawn to dusk.