Need Help Picking Tortoise

[Reptiking94]

Hi, Im 15 and would like to start being a tortoise pet owner, I was wondering though which tortoise would be best for me under the following conditions, the tortoise table cant be bigger than 4 by 5, I have access to a wide variety of vegetales and foods for it, it cant be kept outside (I live in the midwest, not exactly prime outdoor tortoise housing weather), and I also have a wide access to pet products such as substrate, housing materials, calcium powder and heat lamps. I have my eyes on a few tortoises and here they are listed in most wanted order.
1. Cherry Headed Red Foot Tortoise
2. Eastern Hermann's Tortoise
3. Greek Tortoise

Now is there any in the list that you dont think I would be able to care for and if there is a one that you think I could especially care for which one, thanks in advance, Reptiking94

 

[Tim/Robin]

We have found Hermanns and Greeks to be great beginner tortoises. We think Hermanns have a lot of personality. Ours come running to the front of their habitat at any sign of us. They are always hoping for food.

 

[Reptiking94]

Okay, now what about Cherry Heads, you think I would be able to handle them because there the one Im most intrested in.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Reptiking94: First of all...

to the forum!!

Then I have a couple sites for you to read. Terry Kilgore is the owner of both sites and he has done a great job of trying to help others take good care of red foots.

http://turtletary.com/ and http://redfoots.com/

After you read his info, if you think you can handle it..go for it!!

Yvonne

 

[Reptiking94]

Thanks for the warm welcome and thank you for the care sheets, I was looking for good ones but never could seem to find any, thank you.

 

[dmmj]

It's always nice seeing someone doing some research before deciding on a tort. My vote would be for redfoots myself, no offense to the other torts but redfoots are some of my favorites.

 

[Itort]

I also vote for redfoots myself. I've kept these guys in the midwest for over thirty years with no problems. In the summer they have a an outside habitat that they most of the time in. You just have to watch temps. What part of midwest are you in?

 

[Reptiking94]

I also vote for redfoots myself. I've kept these guys in the midwest for over thirty years with no problems. In the summer they have a an outside habitat that they most of the time in. You just have to watch temps. What part of midwest are you in?

I live in the far southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

 

[Jacqui]

I happened to have gotten two beautiful Cherryheads from a man who lives in Chicago and breeds them. So your area is good for them to be outside part of the year, could you do that? If they can't be outside at all, I would suggest you check out the other two types of tortoises. As an adult a redfoot will want more room then your saying you can give.

 

[Reptiking94]

Im not sure if I can keep them outside, probaly not but Im talking cherry heads here, I know there said to be a bit smaller, plus I just measured where I was going to keep the Turtle table and it could be max 6 feet in lenght and maybe 3 to 4 feet wide and that seems big enough for a cherry head but Im still undecided, I think Im going with either a Hermann's or a Cherry Head Right now, I like the looks of the Cherry Head much more obviously but the Hermann's Tortoise seems more practical.

 

[Candy]

We have found Hermanns and Greeks to be great beginner tortoises. We think Hermanns have a lot of personality. Ours come running to the front of their habitat at any sign of us. They are always hoping for food.

So Tim/Robin, I take it from what you're saying they're just like pugs?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Even tho you live in the MidWest doesn't mean you should cheat a tortoise out of being able to graze outside. He may not be able to live outside 24/7 but you can make a small habitat so he can get sun and graze a bit...can't you do that? I keep tortoises in the PacificNorthWest and everyday I haul them outside and bring them back in at the end of the day. Tortoises are grazers and baskers and they need to be outside as often as you can manage it.
We can't put them out in our winters but they CAN be out in the summer and fall months...

 

[Reptiking94]

Even tho you live in the MidWest doesn't mean you should cheat a tortoise out of being able to graze outside. He may not be able to live outside 24/7 but you can make a small habitat so he can get sun and graze a bit...can't you do that? I keep tortoises in the PacificNorthWest and everyday I haul them outside and bring them back in at the end of the day. Tortoises are grazers and baskers and they need to be outside as often as you can manage it.
We can't put them out in our winters but they CAN be out in the summer and fall months...

Oh yeah of Course, Im outside in a large fenced back yard alot because I have a inground pool in there and would probaly take him out alot but I just cant provide permanent housing for it outside.

 

[Itort]

I'm in Iowa about 3 hours west of you and have no problem with redfoots (both northern and cherryhead) outside. One thing to keep in mind is cherryheads are smaller than northerns but not by much (my breeder female is 14"). They have a 8 x 8 outside enclosure.

 

[Reptiking94]

Okay, cherry heads might not be right for me then, I guess Im going for a Hermann's then or possibly some other species, thanks for the info guys.

 

[Tim/Robin]

We have found Hermanns and Greeks to be great beginner tortoises. We think Hermanns have a lot of personality. Ours come running to the front of their habitat at any sign of us. They are always hoping for food.

So Tim/Robin, I take it from what you're saying they're just like pugs?

That is pretty much it. They watch for us every morning. Also if they don't think they have had their fill, they will watch for us all day. They are just hilarious. Our youngest Redfoot, (about 5 inches in length) hides a lot. She comes out and eats, just does not interact like the Herms. Our Redfoots are great and we love them, just not the same personality as a Herm.
As for care, both have done very well for us here.

 

[Reptiking94]

Okay guys I have a finished basement that I come down often to watch tv or go on the computer, I was wondering since it has alot of space would it be a good Idea to keep a cherry head down there or no.

 

[Tim/Robin]

As has been stated before, it all depends on how you set it up. Set it up properly (ie. temperature, lighting, humidity) and it should do fine. The biggest part of getting any tortoise is commitment. Make sure you are in a place to be committed to it and provide what it needs and it should be fine, make sure it is located where it will not get neglected. Any pet ownership is a HUGE responsibility.

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum
I have a Hermann and I love him, he has a super personality

 

[Reptiking94]

I know Tim, when I was in the 4th grade I had a pet baby sulcata and besides me not giving it the right foods (i wasnt as well educated on tortoise diets as I am now) I kept pretty good care of it (got rid of it though because we realized there was no way we could house it later on) and I really want to prove my parents I could take care of it because then if they see I could take care of this tortoise I could have the chance of getting more in the future.