Hello! I actually just found this forum from the Turtle Forum and thought I'd come here. It seems much more specific to my needs. I will just tell you guys what I told them in my introduction, and (if I may, in this forum??) ask some specific questions I have.
I am a college student in the New England area of the US. I've always had trouble with anxiety issues, and after a recent event I've been talking to a school therapist. He suggested I file for a mental-health-pet with my university, which is apparently allowed, and get an animal of some sort.
So! I figured one of the best animals for a semi-rural college campus, and something that I've wanted for a very long time, would be a Russian Tortoise.
I've been doing a lot of research, and I have enough space in my room for a 50gal tub or tank. But one of the things I'm worried about is the fact that, being New England, it's going to become very cold very quickly. I wasn't sure if I should hold off on getting a tortoise until I had more of a feel of temperature for him. Not that I won't have a UVA and UVB light, but... I don't know, I'm just worried something could happen to the lights or I won't get the humidity right or something like that.
Also would it be very upsetting for the tortoise if he was brought into this strange place, and then stuck inside for months on end? For some reason to me it seems better to get him during spring or summer when, after he's acclimated to his new home, I can let him roam around one of the many many lawns around here.
Another question I had was about placement. Right now the best spot for him in my room is right under my windows (two average sized openable windows right next to each other, so they would pretty much stretch the entire length of the tub--I measured). Is this a bad spot during the colder months, because I kind of assume it would be colder near the windows than elsewhere. But! There is also a lot of potential for natural sunlight, because in the morning sun comes right through for a couple hours.
Only two more questions I promise!! I'm sorry if this is a wrong place to put this.
My floor is tile, but it is heated. Good/bad? I read somewhere that you should actually get some reptile floor heater to put under the bedding, so I figured a floor heater under both bedding and a tub wouldn't hurt the tortoise, but potentially be a good thing? Or should I not even count on that and still get the floor heater?
And finally (!!!), is there a temperament difference between the genders of Russian Tortoises? I would only be able to get a single one, so is one gender better without other tortoises to socialize with, or just better to have as a pet in general?
Woo! Okay. Wow. I'm sorry, if you are able to even answer one of these questions I would be very grateful!
I am a college student in the New England area of the US. I've always had trouble with anxiety issues, and after a recent event I've been talking to a school therapist. He suggested I file for a mental-health-pet with my university, which is apparently allowed, and get an animal of some sort.
So! I figured one of the best animals for a semi-rural college campus, and something that I've wanted for a very long time, would be a Russian Tortoise.
I've been doing a lot of research, and I have enough space in my room for a 50gal tub or tank. But one of the things I'm worried about is the fact that, being New England, it's going to become very cold very quickly. I wasn't sure if I should hold off on getting a tortoise until I had more of a feel of temperature for him. Not that I won't have a UVA and UVB light, but... I don't know, I'm just worried something could happen to the lights or I won't get the humidity right or something like that.
Also would it be very upsetting for the tortoise if he was brought into this strange place, and then stuck inside for months on end? For some reason to me it seems better to get him during spring or summer when, after he's acclimated to his new home, I can let him roam around one of the many many lawns around here.
Another question I had was about placement. Right now the best spot for him in my room is right under my windows (two average sized openable windows right next to each other, so they would pretty much stretch the entire length of the tub--I measured). Is this a bad spot during the colder months, because I kind of assume it would be colder near the windows than elsewhere. But! There is also a lot of potential for natural sunlight, because in the morning sun comes right through for a couple hours.
Only two more questions I promise!! I'm sorry if this is a wrong place to put this.
My floor is tile, but it is heated. Good/bad? I read somewhere that you should actually get some reptile floor heater to put under the bedding, so I figured a floor heater under both bedding and a tub wouldn't hurt the tortoise, but potentially be a good thing? Or should I not even count on that and still get the floor heater?
And finally (!!!), is there a temperament difference between the genders of Russian Tortoises? I would only be able to get a single one, so is one gender better without other tortoises to socialize with, or just better to have as a pet in general?
Woo! Okay. Wow. I'm sorry, if you are able to even answer one of these questions I would be very grateful!
