Looking for advice! (what species?)

[Odypeps]

We would be completely new to owning a tortoise! We are looking for the best breed for us - there is a red footed tortoise up for rehoming near us but we are looking to get the right one. We live in the uk and are tortoise keeping beginner

also housing, we are looking to keep him/her outside as often as possible in a secure enclosure. We live in the uk and often have unpredictable weather, would it need to live inside? Also how long would it need to live inside for?
Thank you!

 

[MichaelL]

I personally think a Redfoot wouldn't be able to thrive in your climate, and rarely would be able to go outside. If you want something that would thrive better and be able to spend more time outside, one of the Testudo tortoises (Russian, Greek, Hermanns, etc.) would be a great choice. They also are considered more of beginner tortoises. I'm not familiar with the exact temperatures in the UK, I just know it's pretty cold. In my experience, my russians will be able to heat up in 55 and up with full sun, and will eat and be active with overcast and 75+ temps. Yours would be able to spend a lot of time outside, but still would probably need an indoor habitat to live out the cold months. I'd wait for someone more experienced to come and tell you a more definite time spent inside.

 

[Yvonne G]

Bear in mind that redfooted tortoises come from a part of the world that seldom gets much below 70F degrees and it's usually much warmer than that. If you want your RF tortoise to live outside it will have to have a heated shelter.

 

[Odypeps]

I personally think a Redfoot wouldn't be able to thrive in your climate, and rarely would be able to go outside. If you want something that would thrive better and be able to spend more time outside, one of the Testudo tortoises (Russian, Greek, Hermanns, etc.) would be a great choice. They also are considered more of beginner tortoises. I'm not familiar with the exact temperatures in the UK, I just know it's pretty cold. In my experience, my russians will be able to heat up in 55 and up with full sun, and will eat and be active with overcast and 75+ temps. Yours would be able to spend a lot of time outside, but still would probably need an indoor habitat to live out the cold months. I'd wait for someone more experienced to come and tell you a more definite time spent inside.

Thank you, I will look into those breeds tonight.

 

[Odypeps]

I am looking at getting a tortoise and need some advice please,
We live in the uk so temperatures are often unpredictable and we don’t really have the space inside our house so we were thinking that he/she could possibly live in our stables/barn? There is a plug socket and lighting available, he/she would also need to be in an enclosure. We were just wondering what enclosure setups would be suitable and if it would be possible for he/she to live in the stables/barn?
thank you!!

 

[jsheffield]

I think the answer is yes. The specifics of your stable/barn (temp and humidity extremes) will determine whether it can be an open pen (like a stall or rectangle built from lumber) or needs to be more enclosed to hold in more heat and humidity.

There are lots of posts/threads about night boxes, which are basically small heated sheds into which the tort can flee from the cold... these can help to make your climate work for your tort.

Jamie

 

[Yvonne G]

The Hermanns and Greek species are more suitable to your climate.

 

[Odypeps]

Thank you all for the advice!
there is a Horsefield tortoise for rehoming near us, would that be a suitable breed for uk climate?

 

[Maggie3fan]

I personally think a Redfoot wouldn't be able to thrive in your climate, and rarely would be able to go outside. If you want something that would thrive better and be able to spend more time outside, one of the Testudo tortoises (Russian, Greek, Hermanns, etc.) would be a great choice. They also are considered more of beginner tortoises. I'm not familiar with the exact temperatures in the UK, I just know it's pretty cold. In my experience, my russians will be able to heat up in 55 and up with full sun, and will eat and be active with overcast and 75+ temps. Yours would be able to spend a lot of time outside, but still would probably need an indoor habitat to live out the cold months. I'd wait for someone more experienced to come and tell you a more definite time spent inside.

Personally MichaelL... I think you are getting pretty darned experienced and giving some really good advice...I would recommend those torts for her as well...especially Russians

 

[KarenSoCal]

Just a consideration...barns/stables are notorious for mice and rats. They can easily spell death for a tortoise of any size.

I believe you will have to make a cover for the enclosure that is mouse proof, actually not easy to do.

 

[MichaelL]

Personally MichaelL... I think you are getting pretty darned experienced and giving some really good advice...I would recommend those torts for her as well...especially Russians

Aw thanks Maggie! That means a lot coming from you especially ? Yup, I agree, I would especially recomend russians too

 

[Jennie Dlenxh]

Thank you all for the advice!
there is a Horsefield tortoise for rehoming near us, would that be a suitable breed for uk climate?

I live in the uk, and have Hermann tortoises. They are outside most of the year, from May to the end of September. They have been out today as it’s fine but will be in at night still as it gets too chilly. Horsefields are also quite hardy to the UK but I find a bit less ‘friendly’ but then I might be a bit biased. Good luck. If you don’t rehome one, I know some good UK breeders who may be able to help you.

 

[Tom]

We would be completely new to owning a tortoise! We are looking for the best breed for us - there is a red footed tortoise up for rehoming near us but we are looking to get the right one. We live in the uk and are tortoise keeping beginner

also housing, we are looking to keep him/her outside as often as possible in a secure enclosure. We live in the uk and often have unpredictable weather, would it need to live inside? Also how long would it need to live inside for?
Thank you!

In general, any species can be kept anywhere in the world with enough time, money, and effort. The more different your climate is from the native environment of a given species, the more time, effort and money you will have to spend to maintain it.

A redfoot tortoise from the Amazon region will have to be mostly indoors in your climate. You'd need a very large indoor closed chamber to keep it healthy, and it would only be able to go outside in an enclosure in the garden during your summer hot spells when its sunny and temps get over 22 C. In some ways, this would be easier and simpler to maintain than always worrying about the weather outside.

Russians, Greek and hermanni are all temperate species, so closer to your climate, but even those species will need some help, as your climate is significantly colder more of the time than where they come from. An outdoor heated box set to the correct ambient and with a basking lamp, will help to give them the right conditions.