Hello everyone! I'm new here. I have searched the forums and read many discussions, but I still have a few questions. I am a planner (and anxious about ensuring my pets are cared for properly), so thank you in advance for your help
I am located on the east coast of Canada and I am looking to adopt/purchase a tort. I have had a red eared slider turtle for the past 12 years (his name is Turbo, he is a very happy and healthy guy who visits vet specialist yearly, huge tank, proper lighting/basking, etc.), so I have experience with aquatic turtles, but I understand that tortoises are a totally different ballgame. I am a planner and type A when it comes to my pets, so I want to be sure I have everything 100% researched and correct before any tort comes into my home.
Things I know I will need:
1 - a smaller species (perhaps 12''-14'' or less in length, a Sulcata would be a bit too much for me!)
2 - ideally a species that does not hibernate/brumate (I don't think I could be without my tort for months at a time)
My question: what species of small tortoise is best for someone who lives somewhere with a colder climate? We have about 8 months a year where my tort could be outdoors (large backyard with grass), but I don't mind having him/her indoors all year (except for daytime trips to the yard to graze). Is there a species that is better-suited to being able to live on things I can buy, rather than pick from the yard (weeds, etc.)? It snows here quite a lot, and the ground freezes solid for months, so I need to be able to purchase adequate nutrition for the tort during these months. There is a chance I will move to the Carolinas in the next few years, but I am planning for the worst-case scenario.
Thank you again for your help! I want to do the absolute best I can for my future tort.
-Angela
I am located on the east coast of Canada and I am looking to adopt/purchase a tort. I have had a red eared slider turtle for the past 12 years (his name is Turbo, he is a very happy and healthy guy who visits vet specialist yearly, huge tank, proper lighting/basking, etc.), so I have experience with aquatic turtles, but I understand that tortoises are a totally different ballgame. I am a planner and type A when it comes to my pets, so I want to be sure I have everything 100% researched and correct before any tort comes into my home.
Things I know I will need:
1 - a smaller species (perhaps 12''-14'' or less in length, a Sulcata would be a bit too much for me!)
2 - ideally a species that does not hibernate/brumate (I don't think I could be without my tort for months at a time)
My question: what species of small tortoise is best for someone who lives somewhere with a colder climate? We have about 8 months a year where my tort could be outdoors (large backyard with grass), but I don't mind having him/her indoors all year (except for daytime trips to the yard to graze). Is there a species that is better-suited to being able to live on things I can buy, rather than pick from the yard (weeds, etc.)? It snows here quite a lot, and the ground freezes solid for months, so I need to be able to purchase adequate nutrition for the tort during these months. There is a chance I will move to the Carolinas in the next few years, but I am planning for the worst-case scenario.
Thank you again for your help! I want to do the absolute best I can for my future tort.
-Angela