My first tortoise

Jxspxxle

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Joined
Nov 8, 2020
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1
Location (City and/or State)
Durham
Hi! I’m 16 years old and have a huge passion for wildlife. I don’t own any tortoises, but I do own two pacman frogs, a crested gecko, and quite a few praying mantis and stick insects as well as a fish tank. I have planned out what I believe to be a perfect tortoise set up. I am interested in getting 1, or 2 leopard tortoises to keep indoors. They/it will be living in a 7 foot by 3.5 foot by 1.5 foot enclosure. It is right close to a window so will get plenty of light but I am aware of their UVB requirements and I can supplement them with an artificial UVB emitting light if needs be. I understand their dietary requirements and I am ready to go all out. I am also aware they need to be outside when possible, but because I live in the UK this is only about 3 months of the year at a maximum. I’m pretty set on the leopard tortoise because I think the size is great as horsefields are a little on the small side. Is there anything I should know before beginning to build their enclosure? Also could someone specify wether I would need to get UVB emitting lights or not. Thank you!
 

Ray--Opo

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Oct 14, 2017
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Palm Bay Fl
Welcome, yes you will need UVB. Sunlight through a window dosen't count.
Get a flouresnt tube type UVB. Arcadia makes one, it's a 5.0 HO.
The coil or looped UVB bulbs are inefficient and can damage their eyes.
 

crimson_lotus

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Dec 28, 2013
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Massachusetts
yes get UV lighting. the window will basically do nothing.

also suggest you only get one tortoise given the space you are willing to provide. just because horsefields are smaller does not necessarily mean they need less space, either. Personally I would go with the horsefield but if you are set on a leopard (you may need a bigger enclosure eventually) you will have to do a bit more work for your particular climate.
 

Happytort27

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Apr 10, 2020
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Location (City and/or State)
CA
Are you planning on getting a baby, juvenile, or adult? Adults and babies have different requirements and set ups. There’s a lot of old information on the internet and most of the care sheets are not updated. Here’s the care sheet that we use on the forum just in case you haven’t read it yet:


You should not house your tortoises in pairs. It is very stressful for them and they can end up hurting each other in the future. They can live in groups, however, but keep in mind that they will need a lot more space if you do decide to get more than one.
 

Tolis

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Aug 10, 2020
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Cyprus EU
In one corner you need to provide them a heat lamp for basking so they can regulate their temperature.
 

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