Questions from a beginner

Mason181

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Feb 13, 2019
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Hello all. I am looking in to getting a tortoise in the near future and would like some advice.
Firstly I would like to know what kinds of tortoise my garden could support, I have had my eyes set on a leopard but any will do fine. The dimensions are as follows
The area of grass is slightly larger then 14ft x 19ft (4m x 5m) and there is an additional area of concrete of 15ft x 10ft(4m x 3m).
There are also a few things about my garden which could cause problems, I have a raised goldfish pond with a waterfall and I would like to know if it could harm the tortoise in anyway.
My current plan for winter is to create a small set up in the garage for winter while the tortoise hibernates (unnecessary if leopard).
I live in surrey in England and Id also like to know if the climate can support leopards or other tortoises all year round.
Finally id like to know any tips or important details I may have missed when it comes to caring for a tortoise.
Thank you for reading.
 

Yvonne G

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There are many, many Greek and Hermanns keepers in the UK, and the tortoises do fine outside in the garden. Let's ask @JoesMum for her advice. She's in the UK and had a Greek tortoise for over 40 years. She's been a bit under the weather lately, so give her a day or so to see this thread.
 

JoesMum

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Hello and welcome to TFO. I am recovering from a severe chest infection so haven't been around much. Please message me if you need to get my attention before I come back online more regularly.

Any tortoise bought in the UK will be very young and must be kept entirely indoors in a warm and humid environment for at least the first couple of years. Very small (under 500g) Testudo should not be hibernated as they don't have the body weight to get through it.

@Lyn W keeps a Leopard Tortoise in South Wales. They are not best suited to the UK climate and their full grown size can make keeping them a challenge.

I put together this thread about keeping a tortoise outside in the UK which you may find helpful
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
 

Cheryl Hills

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Hello and welcome to TFO. I am recovering from a severe chest infection so haven't been around much. Please message me if you need to get my attention before I come back online more regularly.

Any tortoise bought in the UK will be very young and must be kept entirely indoors in a warm and humid environment for at least the first couple of years. Very small (under 500g) Testudo should not be hibernated as they don't have the body weight to get through it.

@Lyn W keeps a Leopard Tortoise in South Wales. They are not best suited to the UK climate and their full grown size can make keeping them a challenge.

I put together this thread about keeping a tortoise outside in the UK which you may find helpful
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
Happy Birthday @JoesMum
 

Mason181

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surrey
Hello and welcome to TFO. I am recovering from a severe chest infection so haven't been around much. Please message me if you need to get my attention before I come back online more regularly.

Any tortoise bought in the UK will be very young and must be kept entirely indoors in a warm and humid environment for at least the first couple of years. Very small (under 500g) Testudo should not be hibernated as they don't have the body weight to get through it.

@Lyn W keeps a Leopard Tortoise in South Wales. They are not best suited to the UK climate and their full grown size can make keeping them a challenge.

I put together this thread about keeping a tortoise outside in the UK which you may find helpful
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

Happy birthday at the time of writing
Dont worry I dont intend to buy a hatching or other juvenile my only option actually is to get a pre owned one.
Id just like to check about if the garden size would be enough for a Leopard (Though im now considering marinated) and if some of the other stuff could cause an issue. Please take your time to respond as your health is more important then something online.
Thank you for the response.
 

Margipovey

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Hi I’m New here too, but having a Leopard for eight years I can tell you they Really Can Climb! Lol
 

eb318

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I'd suggest a Mediterranean species: Hermann's, Greek/ibera, marginated, Horsefield/Russian. With some basic DIY to create an outdoor heated box, and with the space you have, you could give it a wonderful home. Especially if you took in a rescue adult, which could go straight outside. There are absolutely loads needing new homes.

On the other hand, a leopard is much bigger, and needs tropical conditions 12 months of the year, so with a load more money, space and building you could give one an adequate home.
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome.
I'm in the UK and have a leopard.
He is lovely but you really need to keep the temps up for them, so they can be more expensive to keep.
Mine was found in a field and the first vet I saw that told me that they are often abandoned in the UK because of the cost of keeping them.
I would suggest you read the caresheets for the different species and see which suits you best.
Bear in mind the larger the species can grow the more room they need.
My leopard is over a foot long now and has his own adapted room because he is too big for an indoor table or viv.
He has an outdoor enclosure for the summer but even then the temps may not be warm enough for him to go out. I don't let him out until ground temps reach 70'F and it would certainly be too cold to leave him out at night.
Good luck with your research.
 
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Lyn W

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p.s some torts are great escape artists and can really climb and burrow under fences etc so you really need to tort proof your pond and boundaries when they are outside.
Have a look at the Enclosures thread for ideas
 

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