I just cant decide!

Thomas tortoise

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Okay so as most of you know i am getting a new tortoise and i thought i would get a CH tortoise and i still want one but I am not 100% sure. This will be my lifelong companion so i need to make the right decision. These are the ones i am choosing from. Elongated, CH, RF, Hermann, and maybe just maybe a indian star tortoise. Although my parents think its a waste of money to buy a tortoise thats $500-$900 which one would be best for my humid climate? It gets pretty cold here in the winter but I'll figure some thing out for the tortoise. Also it gets up to 110 F here as well. And sometimes its 80% humidity outside. (Sometimes)
 

Tom

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Okay so as most of you know i am getting a new tortoise and i thought i would get a CH tortoise and i still want one but I am not 100% sure. This will be my lifelong companion so i need to make the right decision. These are the ones i am choosing from. Elongated, CH, RF, Hermann, and maybe just maybe a indian star tortoise. Although my parents think its a waste of money to buy a tortoise thats $500-$900 which one would be best for my humid climate? It gets pretty cold here in the winter but I'll figure some thing out for the tortoise. Also it gets up to 110 F here as well. And sometimes its 80% humidity outside. (Sometimes)
Only you can make that choice. Any tortoise kept anywhere in the world, even in their own native climate, will need help dealing with extreme weather one way or another.

Of the ones you mentioned, hermanni is problem the easiest and best suited to your climate. They are very hardy, easy keepers, personable, and so pretty. All the others are tropical species that will have to be kept warm and humid all year long, even in your cold winters. Hermanni can hibernate or live in a large open table indoors.

I would advise against an Indian star. They are delicate and very shy. For what they cost, you can get a Burmese star which are much easier to care for, hardy, and personable. They look similar, and the Burmese stars get only a little bigger than them, but still manageable indoors over winter. The price is similar. What made you want the Indian?
 

Thomas tortoise

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Only you can make that choice. Any tortoise kept anywhere in the world, even in their own native climate, will need help dealing with extreme weather one way or another.

Of the ones you mentioned, hermanni is problem the easiest and best suited to your climate. They are very hardy, easy keepers, personable, and so pretty. All the others are tropical species that will have to be kept warm and humid all year long, even in your cold winters. Hermanni can hibernate or live in a large open table indoors.

I would advise against an Indian star. They are delicate and very shy. For what they cost, you can get a Burmese star which are much easier to care for, hardy, and personable. They look similar, and the Burmese stars get only a little bigger than them, but still manageable indoors over winter. The price is similar. What made you want the Indian?
I just love the pattern on the indian star tortoises shell. Ik the burmese star tortoise shell is similar but the Burmese are more expensive and my parents would never let me spend 800$ until im 18. OH and i forgot to add one nore to the list of maybes. A travencore elongated cross.
 

Ink

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Nay I ask if you a question? If you don't want to answer that is fine... If you choose to go to college would your parents take care of the tortoise if you aren't able to take it with you? I am only asking because maybe they should be aware of the care. My opinion I am not an expert, when I went to school my grandparents took care of my box turtle for me.
 

Lyn W

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Why don't you read the caresheets for each of the species you are thinking of and go for the one that best your suits your circumstances.
I would go for the easiest to care for so that should you go away to college in a few years time, it wouldn't be too much work for your parents.
 

Maro2Bear

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Why don't you read the caresheets for each of the species you are thinking of and go for the one that best your suits your circumstances.
I would go for the easiest to care for so that should you go away to college in a few years time, it wouldn't be too much work for your parents.

Yes…… there are so many choices in life & you don’t want a pet tortoise to influence these possibly life changing events. Ive lived in & traveled to so many locations from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia to Georgia & Libya. A ton of long-term travels to Ukraine, the UK, Yemen, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sarajevo, Sofia, Italy, & many more. All that said, you don’t want ur pet tort to limit your possibilities in life. I would have never been able to travel about for extended periods with a pet tortoise in tow.
 

Moonflower

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I have to agree with the other concerns about what’s going to happen if you go to college or if your next living situation doesn’t allow for the keeping of a tortoise. I’m going to college this next coming year and though my mom said she’d be willing to take care of one once I leave I know for a fact she won’t be able to dedicate the time to it that it would need. And if your parents are already averse to a new tortoise then I don’t know if it’s a safe bet to assume they’d be as attentive as you would be, especially for the 4+ years you’d be gone.
Also for me personally, my future degree attainment and path to my dream job kind of requires some moving around, likely across the country and into unideal climates (graduate school, jobs, studying abroad). That’s something I had to take into consideration as well, so it might be an issue for you too.
 

Dragon

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as usul i agree with everyone else. like you said this is a very long time comitment. My daughters husband has a turtle that lives with his mother....He got it before they met, how long before they met i dont know. He moved down here to be with her while she went to collage. My daughter had a very small apartment so he left his turtle with his mother....she still has it. they have a bigger apartment now in the same state as his mother but they both work and they have 2 cats.... for the safety of all the turtle still lives with his mom. this way the cats to have to be locked up somewhere while there at work and the turtle is safe.. Something to take into consideration when chooseing your tort. Sometimes others may have to help you take care of your baby. This is true really for all pets...life happens How hard will it be to teach someone else to take care of your tort when you cant.
 

Thomas tortoise

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I appreciate all the concern. :) i dont know if i am going to college since that is a while off and things change. And if i end up going to college my parents would gladly watch my tortoise if i am unable to bring it with me. But i will prob. Take it with. I think ill just rent an apartment near college so i can have all the reptiles i want. 😁😂
 

Moonflower

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That sounds super cute omg. You come back home from classes and you have a little tort waiting for you 😭 so precious. I guess you'd have to find a college that allows freshmen to live off-campus and somewhere that allows pets, but honestly that sounds like it would be worth it cbfhkldjsfkjgh
 

jeff kushner

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Time is a fantastic teacher!

Sounds like your folks have done a good job from what I can tell, kudo's to them.

I think it's great...a young turtle-lover....too young to be concerned with all those upcoming weekend slums, impulse drives to the Ocean, being able to tell your friends, "sure, I can go", being in the hospital for a couple weeks, waking up in some girls apartment, not knowing her name, or her friends name, or her friends mom's name, all the parties to come, "days after", concerts, vacations, overtime at work and notice, these are all normal things.....I didn't mention "college".

I really am happy to see the "love"........enjoy your choices in life Thomas!

FWIW; I feel about Matilda, my little box turtle, the same as I did Clemson the big sulc.....the type and (shudder to say) size won't matter! Turtles, all of them, are just very cool!
 

Thomas tortoise

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Time is a fantastic teacher!

Sounds like your folks have done a good job from what I can tell, kudo's to them.

I think it's great...a young turtle-lover....too young to be concerned with all those upcoming weekend slums, impulse drives to the Ocean, being able to tell your friends, "sure, I can go", being in the hospital for a couple weeks, waking up in some girls apartment, not knowing her name, or her friends name, or her friends mom's name, all the parties to come, "days after", concerts, vacations, overtime at work and notice, these are all normal things.....I didn't mention "college".

I really am happy to see the "love"........enjoy your choices in life Thomas!

FWIW; I feel about Matilda, my little box turtle, the same as I did Clemson the big sulc.....the type and (shudder to say) size won't matter! Turtles, all of them, are just very cool!
I agree! All turtles/tortoises are awesome!
 

wellington

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I appreciate all the concern. :) i dont know if i am going to college since that is a while off and things change. And if i end up going to college my parents would gladly watch my tortoise if i am unable to bring it with me. But i will prob. Take it with. I think ill just rent an apartment near college so i can have all the reptiles i want. 😁😂
Good luck finding that apartment. Not many want to allow pets. If electric is included, they really won't allow it. If you do plan on bringing it with you, if you do go to college, then for sure stick with a small species, like russian, hermann, pancake. RF or Cherry would be too big unless you could dedicate a room and that's not going to be allowed in a rental.
 

Thomas tortoise

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Good luck finding that apartment. Not many want to allow pets. If electric is included, they really won't allow it. If you do plan on bringing it with you, if you do go to college, then for sure stick with a small species, like russian, hermann, pancake. RF or Cherry would be too big unless you could dedicate a room and that's not going to be allowed in a rental.
Yeah. My parents would probably keep an eye on my future tortoise. Or I could let my reptile loving sister take care of him when i am gone. :)
 

TortoisesFLA

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Hi! I cannot gush enough about my experince with Hermann's! That they don't dig deeply at all, they don't get too big (8-10"), they only eat vegetation, are very friendly, and are easy keepers. I've had my male Hermann's for 8 years (I had two initially, but gave the other male to a friend because they kept running each other off the food) He lives in a 20' x 4' enclosure outside in Florida.
Whichever you choose they will doubtless get a great and loving home with you. Best of luck!
 

Thomas tortoise

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Hi! I cannot gush enough about my experince with Hermann's! That they don't dig deeply at all, they don't get too big (8-10"), they only eat vegetation, are very friendly, and are easy keepers. I've had my male Hermann's for 8 years (I had two initially, but gave the other male to a friend because they kept running each other off the food) He lives in a 20' x 4' enclosure outside in Florida.
Whichever you choose they will doubtless get a great and loving home with you. Best of luck!
I was thinking about hermanns for a while... but i just dont think a small tortoise would be good for me. I see box turtles every month at my house so its kinda old seeing small turtles and tortoises. I want something that gets at least 1 foot and I want something that Is big and exotic and beautiful! Ik hermann tortoises are pretty but I just like red more than... hermann color. I was thinking about getting both. A hermann tortoise and a CH and my parents think its a pretty good idea but we dont have the room currently. And I wanna breed CH tortoises when I grow up and move out so I can buy a baby now and once it reaches sexual maturity then I'll be moved and an i can buy another adult to breed them and have the amazing experience of watching baby tortoises hatch and give others the amazing experience of caring for a beautiful CH tortoise. :) so you could say I planned out my future pretty nicely except I have no idea what I'm doing for college. 😂
 

turtlesteve

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Of the species you have listed, I’d place into three groups:

1. The hermanns tortoise could live outdoors most of the year and brumate in the winter, so you could do without a large indoor enclosure. You might need a smaller enclosure to raise up a hatchling (most people don’t brumate babies, but it can be done).

2. Indian stars would be optimally indoors year round or most of the year. They like it very hot and fall, winter, spring won’t be warm enough outdoors. So you’d have to plan for a mostly indoor tortoise and a very warm closed chamber style enclosure. They do not roam like Testudo or some other tortoises. A male from mainland India bloodlines would stay about 5” at adulthood and could live in a 3’x4’ indoor enclosure (in my opinion). A female would need more space (7-8” as an adult).

3. Redfoots / cherry head or elongated could be outdoors in warm weather for 6-7 months of the year, but need indoor housing as well. They are bigger and you should plan for at least a 4’ x 8’ indoor enclosure that could be kept at proper temps and humidity. So this may present a space challenge especially if you live in an apartment during college, etc.
 

Thomas tortoise

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So I think I'll stick to CH tortoises. Maybe just maybe I'll get a RF it all depends on what the future may bring.
 

Thomas tortoise

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Of the species you have listed, I’d place into three groups:

1. The hermanns tortoise could live outdoors most of the year and brumate in the winter, so you could do without a large indoor enclosure. You might need a smaller enclosure to raise up a hatchling (most people don’t brumate babies, but it can be done).

2. Indian stars would be optimally indoors year round or most of the year. They like it very hot and fall, winter, spring won’t be warm enough outdoors. So you’d have to plan for a mostly indoor tortoise and a very warm closed chamber style enclosure. They do not roam like Testudo or some other tortoises. A male from mainland India bloodlines would stay about 5” at adulthood and could live in a 3’x4’ indoor enclosure (in my opinion). A female might need more space (7-8” as an adult).
I would very much like to get a star tortoise but as Tom said. Indians are shy and burmese aren't but my parents wouldn't let me spend $800-$1000 on a tortoise till I'm 18. And I think I could spend $500 dollars for a Indian but I'm not fond of shy tortoises.
 

turtlesteve

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Yes, Indians are more shy than Burmese, and a hair less expensive (for now anyways). And as Tom says they’re a more sensitive species too.

I do understand being sensitive to cost, but keep in mind that the cost of the enclosure and proper equipment could easily run $500-1000 so a couple hundred difference in the price of a tortoise won’t matter as much in the long run.

Can’t go wrong with cherryheads, I like them too. Just plan for a large indoor enclosure in the long run, since they can’t stay outside over winter.
 
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