seeking knowledge b4 a purchase...

[jaded]

i want a tortoise. not a turtle, that does not hibernate and can survive indoors around 38 degrees north latitude.
it snows here in winter. we get 4 seasons. i am college educated in biology, but did not have much success with previous sulcatas.


i am here to be educated. i would like a long lived, hearty, non-hibernating species that can be housed indoors in a 10 gallon aquarium . larger if necessary. i understand the special heating and lighting needs. would like a species that is 6-8 inches as adult. nothing as huge as sulcatas. want a friendly, handle-able species.

currently we have 3 tarantula species and they are doing great.

what does the forum recommend to a new guy?

[email protected]

 

[leigti]

10 gallon aquarium is too small for any species. what where are the problems with the sulcatas? This could maybe give us an idea of what tortoise might work better for you. any of the Mediterranean species like Russian Greek and Herman's could work. Box turtles are also an option, they live on land but like some water. none of these have to hibernate. But again you will need a much much bigger enclosure.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! I'm sorry to tell you there is no know species of tortoise that that survive in a 10 gallon aquarium, tortoises travel many miles in a single day looking for food, if they are kept in a place that small they will most likely die of stress. even a small russian tortoise that can be 4 inches long needs a 4ft by 8ft enclosure. for hibernating species you don't have to hibernate them, its not mandatory. if any tortoise species gets at 38 degrees they all develop a respiratory track infection. tortoises must be kept with a UVB light and a heat light. most tortoise species can't properly digest food if the temps are below 85 and without UVB they will get metabolic bone disease. tortoises require serious care requirements to be healthy.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

No tortoise can live in a 10 gallon aquarium unless it's a baby, but even then I'd use a 20 gallon. All tortoise species can live for a very long time if we don't mess up. Most of them can be kept awake successfully throughout the winter. Russian tortoises are small and personable and pretty hardy, but despite their size they require quite a bit of space.

Some tortoises seem to enjoy handling, but many don't.

Are you sure you really want a tortoise?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

No tortoise can live in a 10 gallon aquarium unless it's a baby, but even then I'd use a 20 gallon. All tortoise species can live for a very long time if we don't mess up. Most of them can be kept awake successfully throughout the winter. Russian tortoises are small and personable and pretty hardy, but despite their size they require quite a bit of space.

Some tortoises seem to enjoy handling, but many don't.

Are you sure you really want a tortoise?

not even a baby can survive in a 10 gallon

 

[Douglas Yardley]

I care for a Red-footed Tortoise who is now 20 yrs. old. I confined her in a terrarium when very small but now that she is over 1 ft. long she has the run of my apartment. In warm weather she enjoys walkies outside. These animals need room to roam. Indoors she has her own corner in my living room with a hide box with a warming pad underneath and a basking lamp on a timer.

 

[Tom]

I care for a Red-footed Tortoise who is now 20 yrs. old. I confined her in a terrarium when very small but now that she is over 1 ft. long she has the run of my apartment. In warm weather she enjoys walkies outside. These animals need room to roam. Indoors she has her own corner in my living room with a hide box with a warming pad underneath and a basking lamp on a timer.

Hello and welcome to the forum Douglas.

Letting a tortoise run loose in a house is a disaster waiting to happen. I've seen many tortoises killed or injured by this practice and we don't recommend or condone that here on this site. Tortoises belong in safe, well designed, large, temperature regulated, tortoise enclosures.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "Jaded" and welcome to the Forum!

Well, you've been told already about the 10 gallon aquarium, so I won't go there. You've also been told in an around-the-bush way about allowing your tortoise to roam the house, so I won't go there!

In my opinion, because tortoises are wild (as opposed to domesticated) animals, their primary habitat should be outside. When the weather turns cold, the secondary habitat certainly can and should be indoors. But the indoor habitat has to be big enough for the tortoise to move around and exercise. A tortoise that can't walk much eventually loses the ability to raise himself up off the ground.

Most of the Testudo species stay fairly small, but in order for them to thrive, you still have to provide a fairly large space for them to live in. Take a look at HermanniChris' two web sites and read his literature. It may give you a better insight as to what you're looking for:

www.HERMANNIHAVEN.com
www.GARDENSTATETORTOISE.com