Hello all! I am (clearly) new here, and joined to get some expert advice while choosing a new member of my animal family. any help is appreciated!
I have limited turt/tort experience, we rescued 3 box turtles from a friend (which involved stealing them off her front porch at 2am after finding one who had apparently died of dehydration/starvation.) I built an 8' x 15' outdoor enclosure for them and nursed them back to good health. Once they were all eating and "hunting" and functioning well I released them into my back woods (approx 1 mile from where they were caught). I did a lot of research and really adored the little guys but made sure to keep as hands off as possible so that they could be released. However, they sparked a land turtle/tort love and I've wanted a Tort since.
I live in southern ky on the tn border and have a moderate climate. High 90s in the summer, teens in the winter. It is fairly humid in the spring and relatively dry in the summer. I am looking for a mid-sized tort, not small like a Russian but not huge like a sulcata. Obviously one that doesn't require extreme levels of expertise, and that is moderately friendly at least when well socialized. I have plans to build a tort table for the winter and still have the outdoor wnclosure for the summer. I would prefer a species I could keep outside all the time, bit with the exception of the eastern box (which is illegal) haven't found any species that would survive.
What tort do you all think would be right for me. I am all for building a larger enclosure outdoors if necessary. Just want to consider climate etc. Are there any other considerations I'm maybe not focusing on that I should be? Thank you in advance for your help!!
<3 Rafi
P.S. I am leaning towards a redfoot
I have limited turt/tort experience, we rescued 3 box turtles from a friend (which involved stealing them off her front porch at 2am after finding one who had apparently died of dehydration/starvation.) I built an 8' x 15' outdoor enclosure for them and nursed them back to good health. Once they were all eating and "hunting" and functioning well I released them into my back woods (approx 1 mile from where they were caught). I did a lot of research and really adored the little guys but made sure to keep as hands off as possible so that they could be released. However, they sparked a land turtle/tort love and I've wanted a Tort since.
I live in southern ky on the tn border and have a moderate climate. High 90s in the summer, teens in the winter. It is fairly humid in the spring and relatively dry in the summer. I am looking for a mid-sized tort, not small like a Russian but not huge like a sulcata. Obviously one that doesn't require extreme levels of expertise, and that is moderately friendly at least when well socialized. I have plans to build a tort table for the winter and still have the outdoor wnclosure for the summer. I would prefer a species I could keep outside all the time, bit with the exception of the eastern box (which is illegal) haven't found any species that would survive.
What tort do you all think would be right for me. I am all for building a larger enclosure outdoors if necessary. Just want to consider climate etc. Are there any other considerations I'm maybe not focusing on that I should be? Thank you in advance for your help!!
<3 Rafi
P.S. I am leaning towards a redfoot