Looking for a “stay small” breed tortoise for my children.

[BrookeAB]

Hi! I am looking for a couple tortoises for my children to have lifelong companions! I have a son and a daughter that are both very excited to start their reptile journey. I know smaller size doesn’t mean smaller enclosure, but I want to start them out with something manageable. Through my hours and hours of research, I have found that this forum organization is the best and most reliable way of adopting tortoises.
Thanks so much!
Brooke

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings & welcome. I’m going to say get a Russian. Good “small” tortoise that you can manage in 4x8 ft enclosure.

just remember, if you get two, they will require separate enclosures.

good luck

 

[Maggie3fan]

Redfoot, Hermanni

 

[BrookeAB]

Greetings & welcome. I’m going to say get a Russian. Good “small” tortoise that you can manage in 4x8 ft enclosure.

just remember, if you get two, they will require separate enclosures.

good luck

Thank you for responding! Russians are definitely on our list. Oh yes, we have already designated areas to each tortoise to keep them separated. Separate enclosures will help keep the peace between my children too.
Thanks!

 

[Karen(pebbles)]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Tom]

Thank you for responding! Russians are definitely on our list. Oh yes, we have already designated areas to each tortoise to keep them separated. Separate enclosures will help keep the peace between my children too.
Thanks!

Russians, hermanni and greeks would all be good choices. If you don't mind buying a large closed chamber, then Burmese stars would be a good option too.

 

[zolasmum]

Hermanni - ours is 21 now, and he is a wonderful little friend, and gives so much fun and pleasure. Russians are very good at escaping, and that could be a problem - otherwise, they are similar in many ways.
Angie

 

[BrookeAB]

Hermanni - ours is 21 now, and he is a wonderful little friend, and gives so much fun and pleasure. Russians are very good at escaping, and that could be a problem - otherwise, they are similar in many ways.
Angie

Hermanni are my daughters first choice. How big is yours at 21?

 

[zolasmum]

Hermanni are my daughters first choice. How big is yours at 21?

I will measure him tomorrow and let you know. He weighs about one kilo, and has stayed that weight for some years, so I don't think he will grow more .
Angie

 

[zolasmum]

I am sending a photo which gives an idea how yours might change as they grow older. Zola was nearly 20 at the time, and my talented husband has also superimposed two pictures of him from years ago - on the left, he was 2 and on the right he was 3. As you can see, his pattern has changed a lot, but that doesn't always happen - I've seen ones with quite a bit more pattern older than him. We think he is lovely, and he gets stroked a lot, which is why his shell is so shiny!!
Angie

 

[zolasmum]

Sorry - I can't see how to post the photo - I have sent lots before, so maybe it's my computer - will try again tomorrow.
Angie

 

[qiangzhu]

Personally I think Hermann tortoise shell pattern is more beautiful and fancy than Russian and Greek. Western Herman is smaller than eastern herman and it’s shell is usually considered to be more beautiful than eastern Hermann but it is also more expensive.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Thank you for responding! Russians are definitely on our list. Oh yes, we have already designated areas to each tortoise to keep them separated. Separate enclosures will help keep the peace between my children too.
Thanks!

Hello there is a person trying to find a home for his Russian tortoise on this forum cause his owner does not have time for him! This is the title of his post so you can look it up. ( looking to re-home a Russian tortoise) hope this helps!

 

[Lyn W]

Hi,
If you are thing of Russian, Hermanns or Greek, this is the up to date caresheet that covers all those species and may help you decide.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I'm pleased you are planning to keep them separately because torts are solitary creatures and are happier alone.
Good luck in your search.

 

[Cathie G]

Hello and welcome. I like a Russian because they are a great beginning Tortoise. If you take on a Russian you'll have to learn what their capabilities are though. Yes they climb. Yes they can escape the little boogers. Other times they scare you to death because they just sit there like a rock. But there's a lot of good things about them too. Their adult needs are pretty easily met. They are usually pretty sociable with the humans that care for them. They stay small. But of course the others mentioned here on TFO do also. Best wishes.?

 

[BrookeAB]

Sorry - I can't see how to post the photo - I have sent lots before, so maybe it's my computer - will try again tomorrow.
Angie

That’s ok, thank you so much!

 

[BrookeAB]

Hello there is a person trying to find a home for his Russian tortoise on this forum cause his owner does not have time for him! This is the title of his post so you can look it up. ( looking to re-home a Russian tortoise) hope this helps!

Thank you so much! I just posted on his thread. I love the idea of helping one out like this!

 

[BrookeAB]

Hello and welcome. I like a Russian because they are a great beginning Tortoise. If you take on a Russian you'll have to learn what their capabilities are though. Yes they climb. Yes they can escape the little boogers. Other times they scare you to death because they just sit there like a rock. But there's a lot of good things about them too. Their adult needs are pretty easily met. They are usually pretty sociable with the humans that care for them. They stay small. But of course the others mentioned here on TFO do also. Best wishes.?

Thank you! I have read great things on Russians, but the escape capabilities scare me a bit.

 

[zolasmum]

Hello there is a person trying to find a home for his Russian tortoise on this forum cause his owner does not have time for him! This is the title of his post so you can look it up. ( looking to re-home a Russian tortoise) hope this helps!

Sorry - I can't see how to post the photo - I have sent lots before, so maybe it's my computer - will try again tomorrow.
Angie

Hello again - I haven't been able to post Zola's photo, but if you look for a thread called " Zola meets his earlier selves," it is there, dated July 16th, 2021.
I don't think the relative sizes are totally accurate, but you will see the pattern.
I measured his shell just now -he is approximately 16 cm (six and a half inches) long, and 12 cm (five inches) wide, at the widest part of his shell- which is near his back legs.
I still think Russians are a little more difficult, because of the possibility of them escaping, but any tortoise variety is a collection of different personalities !
Angie

 

[Cathie G]

Thank you! I have read great things on Russians, but the escape capabilities scare me a bit.

They can walk up a wall but they to have support on their back to do that. And they know that and how to scoot things to do just that. I don't really have that problem because I watched him a lot in the beginning. His outdoor enclosure has lids with hardware cloth so I know he can't escape. His indoor enclosure has strategically placed furniture that he can't move around or climb. I also place his furniture in his outdoor enclosure with the same thoughts so that he can't flip flop on his back. He's stuck with me his mommy dearest ?