What to do! What to do?!

[Thomas tortoise]

So ill start of with.... I am around 15 and I just slapped 22 in for my age on here cause I didn't want strangers to know all that information about me. But... My parents said I can't keep my sulcata! Because they don't know what to do with him in the winter.( we have about 1-3 months of winter) and they don't have room in the house they don't have a spare shed or chicken coop and they don't wanna pay for heating a chicken coop if I buy one. So my parents said to get a smaller kind of tortoise. Like... 13 inches and down. And I don't really like Russian tortoises. So I don't know what tortoise to get! I was thinking redfoot or marginated tortoise but I don't know which one would do best in my climate. AR.

Thomas.

 

[Yvonne G]

Change your way of thinking, rather than 'smaller' to one that hibernates. A russian is smaller, but they require a lot of space. . . about 4'x8'. In fact most tortoises do much better in a larger enclosure.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Get a tarantula they need a lot less space

 

[Tom]

So ill start of with.... I am around 15 and I just slapped 22 in for my age on here cause I didn't want strangers to know all that information about me. But... My parents said I can't keep my sulcata! Because they don't know what to do with him in the winter.( we have about 1-3 months of winter) and they don't have room in the house they don't have a spare shed or chicken coop and they don't wanna pay for heating a chicken coop if I buy one. So my parents said to get a smaller kind of tortoise. Like... 13 inches and down. And I don't really like Russian tortoises. So I don't know what tortoise to get! I was thinking redfoot or marginated tortoise but I don't know which one would do best in my climate. AR.

Thomas.

RFs and marginateds both need room sized enclosures as adults. You need something that can I've in a 4x8 sized enclosure through your winters, and then be outside with a heated night box for your warmer months. Hermanni, the smaller greek subspecies, pancakes, stars.

Tortoises need huge amounts of space. Have you considered other reptile pets that don't have such enormous space requirements, until you are out on your own? So many great snake and lizard species that would do well in a 48x24 inch enclosure for their whole lives. Believe me, I know how frustrating this can be. I was a kid too. But now I'm a parent, and I understand their reasons better than I ever imagined I would. I have to tell my 15 year old daughter "no" to all kinds of stuff every day. It sucks, but that is that way it is. She has a tarantula and a crested gecko in her room, but she wants everything.

 

[Lyn W]

Sorry you have to rehome, but sullies aren't the easiest to house overwinter Maybe think about the suggestions above.
What you also have to consider are your plans for the future.
Do you intend to go to move away to go to college at some point?
If so can you be sure your parents will take over the care of any tortoise and look after it as well you would?
I wouldn't think having a tortoise in your college room would be great for it, and as you become involved in college life would you be able to give it the care it needs?
I think you have to consider what a tortoise needs long term rather than what you want at this point in time and maybe look at other animals that will fit in to your life and keep your folks happy.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I am going to get a crested gecko soon but I just love tortoises much much more and I probably won't last till I move out. Maybe a Greek tortoise would hold me off till I can get another bigger tortoise when we have room since my sisters are moving out in a few years...

 

[Thomas tortoise]

RFs and marginateds both need room sized enclosures as adults. You need something that can I've in a 4x8 sized enclosure through your winters, and then be outside with a heated night box for your warmer months. Hermanni, the smaller greek subspecies, pancakes, stars.

Tortoises need huge amounts of space. Have you considered other reptile pets that don't have such enormous space requirements, until you are out on your own? So many great snake and lizard species that would do well in a 48x24 inch enclosure for their whole lives. Believe me, I know how frustrating this can be. I was a kid too. But now I'm a parent, and I understand their reasons better than I ever imagined I would. I have to tell my 15 year old daughter "no" to all kinds of stuff every day. It sucks, but that is that way it is. She has a tarantula and a crested gecko in her room, but she wants everything.

I was thinking about snakes but the only rule with animals in my house is NO SNAKES! So that's a no go...I was also thinking about tarantula but I'm not a spider guy...

 

[Paula Hu]

So ill start of with.... I am around 15 and I just slapped 22 in for my age on here cause I didn't want strangers to know all that information about me.

haha that's what I do sometime

But... My parents said I can't keep my sulcata! Because they don't know what to do with him in the winter.( we have about 1-3 months of winter) and they don't have room in the house they don't have a spare shed or chicken coop and they don't wanna pay for heating a chicken coop if I buy one. So my parents said to get a smaller kind of tortoise. Like... 13 inches and down. And I don't really like Russian tortoises. So I don't know what tortoise to get! I was thinking redfoot or marginated tortoise but I don't know which one would do best in my climate. AR.

Thomas.

I know for sure that if I have a tortoise, my parents would somehow find a way to get rid of it. So for me, I would be using my own money to pay for everything the tortoise needs and taking care of it all by myself. So my parents can just ignore the tortoise so they wont have to be so frustrated about it.

Sorry you have to rehome, but sullies aren't the easiest to house overwinter Maybe think about the suggestions above.
What you also have to consider are your plans for the future.
Do you intend to go to move away to go to college at some point?
If so can you be sure your parents will take over the care of any tortoise and look after it as well you would?
I wouldn't think having a tortoise in your college room would be great for it, and as you become involved in college life would you be able to give it the care it needs?
I think you have to consider what a tortoise needs long term rather than what you want at this point in time and maybe look at other animals that will fit in to your life and keep your folks happy.

these are some questions to really consider!!! It's also what's keeping me from having a tortoise. I will leave home and go to college and idk when will I go back. What am I going to do with the tortoise then? I shouldn't leave it with my parents since it's my responsibility and this problem not only refers to tortoise but any pets. So it's probably the best to get one when you are settled and able to solve all the issues you have right now. Good luckkk!!

Paula

 

[Thomas tortoise]

haha that's what I do sometime

I know for sure that if I have a tortoise, my parents would somehow find a way to get rid of it. So for me, I would be using my own money to pay for everything the tortoise needs and taking care of it all by myself. So my parents can just ignore the tortoise so they wont have to be so frustrated about it.

That's what I did with my sulcata I bought it I bout everything for it and my parents never even had to do anything! But the keep yelling at me for taking up so much room for it. We have a pretty small house so I understand but.... Idk

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Hey. Can someone show me a growth cart of a redfoot tortoise. Cause if I do get a redfoot and if my sisters move out before it gets big then I can keep it but how long does it take till it gets big?

 

[Tom]

Hey. Can someone show me a growth cart of a redfoot tortoise. Cause if I do get a redfoot and if my sisters move out before it gets big then I can keep it but how long does it take till it gets big?

They all grow at different rates. There is no chart and any average is meaningless because of the extremes, and the myriad different ways people raise them, both right and wrong.

Have you considered lizards? Northern blue tongue skinks are about the easiest and best reptile pet there is. Bearded dragons are great too. Leopard geckos? Emerald tree skinks? There are so many good ones...

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I have considered them but.... I just dont really want one. I want something more exotic and I grew up finding lizards in my backyard everyday. When I was younger and they are kinda old to me.

They all grow at different rates. There is no chart and any average is meaningless because of the extremes, and the myriad different ways people raise them, both right and wrong.

Have you considered lizards? Northern blue tongue skinks are about the easiest and best reptile pet there is. Bearded dragons are great too. Leopard geckos? Emerald tree skinks? There are so many good ones...

 

[Tom]

I have considered them but.... I just dont really want one. I want something more exotic and I grew up finding lizards in my backyard everyday. When I was younger and they are kinda old to me.

No large tortoise enclosures, no snakes, no lizards, no tarantulas... Do you like aquatic turtles? There are a few smaller species that would do oaky in a 4-6 foot long tank.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I could Fit a hermanni tortoise or Greek tortoise in my house for the 2 winter months and then have them outside for a while in the summer...

No large tortoise enclosures, no snakes, no lizards, no tarantulas... Do you like aquatic turtles? There are a few smaller species that would do oaky in a 4-6 foot long tank.

and I currently have a common musk turtle that I will let go soon because a friend gave it to me wild caught so I will let it go when the water at lakes get warmer.

 

[Cathie G]

I could Fit a hermanni tortoise or Greek tortoise in my house for the 2 winter months and then have them outside for a while in the summer...

and I currently have a common musk turtle that I will let go soon because a friend gave it to me wild caught so I will let it go when the water at lakes get warmer.

There may be some laws in your state, depending on how long the turtle has been in captivity, against just releasing. Maybe re-home in that case. .. Ohio says no about native wild box turtles after so many days..The laws are different in each state Also if you are allowed to release, it's really nice that you have your friend to show you where h/she actually got the little one. That would be the best

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I don't know the laws here but I only had it for about 3 months...

There may be some laws in your state, depending on how long the turtle has been in captivity, against just releasing. Maybe re-home in that case. .. Ohio says no about native wild box turtles after so many days..The laws are different in each state Also if you are allowed to release, it's really nice that you have your friend to show you where h/she actually got the little one. That would be the best

I found out the lake my friend took it from so hopefully I will get it back in that same lake. If I can't re-home because of laws then I will probably keep the turtle I just need to get it in a more permanent enclosure.

 

[Cathie G]

I don't know the laws here but I only had it for about 3 months...

I found out the lake my friend took it from so hopefully I will get it back in that same lake. If I can't re-home because of laws then I will probably keep the turtle I just need to get it in a more permanent enclosure.

I googled my state's wildlife laws for the little box. She wasn't supposed to be taken from the wild but it was more illegal to release her after she'd been in captivity too long. She was a rescue on my part, kind of like what you are dealing with, only a different turtle.. Someone else took them from the wild. It may not be the same for a musk turtle in your state. Just look before you do it.

 

[Cathie G]

I googled my state's wildlife laws for the little box. She wasn't supposed to be taken from the wild but it was more illegal to release her after she'd been in captivity too long. She was a rescue on my part, kind of like what you are dealing with, only a different turtle.. Someone else took them from the wild. It may not be the same for a musk turtle in your state. Just look before you do it.

I actually went ahead and googled for your state the wildlife laws and found a site called turtle owner.com that explains a lot. The laws for a box turtle in my state are about the same for a musk turtle in your state.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

I actually went ahead and googled for your state the wildlife laws and found a site called turtle owner.com that explains a lot. The laws for a box turtle in my state are about the same for a musk turtle in your state.

So I guess I'm keeping him..?

 

[Cathie G]

So I guess I'm keeping him..?

Do you want to? It's ok if you do from what I read. You are allowed to have 6 I think since you live there. I didn't go into the laws concerning releasing a wild caught turtle that's been a pet. but it seems to be not encouraged. I wish I knew how to share that site with you I googled and came up with turtle owner.com for your state and it was interesting..