Will a tortoise do ok in Central Oregon

[kurtdurfey]

I'm looking to rehome my tortoise and box turtle to another turtle enthusiast. I rescued them about two years from a collection at a local facility, both were surplus and were not recieving the tlc they deserved.

Lately I haven't had the time for them and I realize that in their best interest I should find them someone who does.

They are both approximately 14/15 years old males. There will be a rehoming fee to ensure they go to a good home(s). Their enclosures will be included if you want them.

LOCAL ONLY, I WILL NOT SHIP!

Hey, there. I know this post is old. But we're down in Sunriver and we're interested in getting a tortoise as a pet.

Have you rehomed these guys yet?
If you're willing, I'd like to needle your brain about this. My mom has a pet desert tortoise down in Tucson, Arizona. But it lives outside all the time. I'm having trouble envisioning exactly how this would look in our home in Central Oregon.

Thanks!
-- Kurtis

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey, there. I know this post is old. But we're down in Sunriver and we're interested in getting a tortoise as a pet.

Have you rehomed these guys yet?
If you're willing, I'd like to needle your brain about this. My mom has a pet desert tortoise down in Tucson, Arizona. But it lives outside all the time. I'm having trouble envisioning exactly how this would look in our home in Central Oregon.

Thanks!
-- Kurtis

The person who posted this thread hasn't returned to the Forum in quite a long time. If you're really interested in getting a tortoise I suggest you start your own thread so more people would be inclined to read it. My sister lives in Corvallis and she has tortoises and box turtles. She would be one to give you some Oregon advice. I'll let her know to watch for your thread.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hey, there. I know this post is old. But we're down in Sunriver and we're interested in getting a tortoise as a pet.

Have you rehomed these guys yet?
If you're willing, I'd like to needle your brain about this. My mom has a pet desert tortoise down in Tucson, Arizona. But it lives outside all the time. I'm having trouble envisioning exactly how this would look in our home in Central Oregon.

Thanks!
-- Kurtis

I am in Corvallis and have special needs chelonia from time to time. Your mother most probably has Gopherus agassizzi...California Desert tort. You can't have them here. You also cannot keep Western Painteds or Western Pond turtles native to Oregon. You cannot keep any tortoise that has to live outside. Here or in Bend they need an insulated heated winter housing. I have a 20'x12' heated and insulated tort shed...it stays 85 degrees all winter. You would need something like that. Or something smaller that's enclosed. I am extremely fussy about who I adopt my animals to, especially if some newbie wants to keep a desert type tort in Oregon. There are plenty of smaller species torts like Hermanni, or Russians and any would need an inside habitat for the colder months w/an outside for the warmer months. It's not just a matter of handing a tort over to you. I would want to do a home inspection, and find out how much experience you have...btw my third last ex husband helped build most of Sunriver and the resort at Mt Bachelor. There is a humane society in Bend that might help you...
You can look thru this site for someone who's wanting a home for a reptile...Hang around and make your needs/wants known...

 

[kurtdurfey]

Hello! My name is Kurtis. I live with my wife and nine-year-old daughter, Eloise, in Central Oregon, about a half hour's drive south of Bend.

In recent month's Eloise has been asking to get a tortoise. Not a specific breed, but just a tortoise generally. I think this will be a good lesson is responsibility for her. But I'm curious about how people are caring for tortoises in cold climates.

1.) It gets cold in the winter. This morning, for example, it was 12°F and the high won't break 20° in the cold stretches in Jan and Feb. Our electricity is reliable and our heater kicks on at 68° as a back-up. But we heat our house with a wood-burning stove in the winter and the interior temps will hover in the mid-70s when we're home during the day. So I'm not worried about the cold. Is this a sustainable environment?

2.) I'm thinking about an open terrarium that's about 48" wide and 24" depending to go on top of a hutch in our kitchen area (in the same room as, but 20' away from, the wood-burning stove). I envision wooden with ~7" plexiglass sides and a screen roof about 30" above the terrarium floor that will hold a heat lamp on one side. Is this a sufficient layout for a tortoise?

3.) The summers here get warm, into the high 90s, and my daughter in interested in taking her pet tortoise on "walks" in the front yard. Currently, the yard is just dirt. But I'm planting a clover/grass lawn in the spring. Are there any concerns with taking the tortoise out into the yard for a supervised walk in the warmer months?

4.) What about kids handling the tortoise? I recall that Eloise had a classroom pet tortoise and the had to wash their hands after handling for fear of the spread of salmonella. Obviously, kids should be washing their hands after handling any animal. But this is safe, right?

5.) Finally, I'm much more inclined to find a tortoise that needs rehoming in lieu of buying from a chain store. If anybody is looking to rehomed their tortoise, please let me know. I'll happily drive to the Portland area or to the coast to pick it up if needed.

Any other feedback or insights are welcome!

Thanks!
-- Kurtis, Central Oregon

 

[kurtdurfey]

The person who posted this thread hasn't returned to the Forum in quite a long time. If you're really interested in getting a tortoise I suggest you start your own thread so more people would be inclined to read it. My sister lives in Corvallis and she has tortoises and box turtles. She would be one to give you some Oregon advice. I'll let her know to watch for your thread.

The person who posted this thread hasn't returned to the Forum in quite a long time. If you're really interested in getting a tortoise I suggest you start your own thread so more people would be inclined to read it. My sister lives in Corvallis and she has tortoises and box turtles. She would be one to give you some Oregon advice. I'll let her know to watch for your thread.

Thanks, Yvonne. Here's the link to the new thread:

Thread 'Looking for insight about caring for a tortoise in Central Oregon' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ring-for-a-tortoise-in-central-oregon.209147/

 

[kurtdurfey]

I am in Corvallis and have special needs chelonia from time to time. Your mother most probably has Gopherus agassizzi...California Desert tort. You can't have them here. You also cannot keep Western Painteds or Western Pond turtles native to Oregon. You cannot keep any tortoise that has to live outside. Here or in Bend they need an insulated heated winter housing. I have a 20'x12' heated and insulated tort shed...it stays 85 degrees all winter. You would need something like that. Or something smaller that's enclosed. I am extremely fussy about who I adopt my animals to, especially if some newbie wants to keep a desert type tort in Oregon. There are plenty of smaller species torts like Hermanni, or Russians and any would need an inside habitat for the colder months w/an outside for the warmer months. It's not just a matter of handing a tort over to you. I would want to do a home inspection, and find out how much experience you have...btw my third last ex husband helped build most of Sunriver and the resort at Mt Bachelor. There is a humane society in Bend that might help you...
You can look thru this site for someone who's wanting a home for a reptile...Hang around and make your needs/wants known...

 

[kurtdurfey]

Thanks, Maggie. Just to clarify, I'm not wanting to raise a desert tortoise here in Bend. Obviously, these are dramatically different conditions. My plan, of course, is to build an enclosure in the house to keep the tortoise warm and safe. I'm just starting to research how to make this happen and to come to a better understanding about how to get the most out of having a tortoise.

I've opened this string that gives a little more detail about where I am on this journey:

Looking for insight about caring for a tortoise in Central Oregon

Hello! My name is Kurtis. I live with my wife and nine-year-old daughter, Eloise, in Central Oregon, about a half hour's drive south of Bend. In recent month's Eloise has been asking to get a tortoise. Not a specific breed, but just a tortoise generally. I think this will be a good lesson is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

I'm fully aware of the responsibility and level of commitment here. But it is accurate to say that I'm a newbie as a tortoise person (as everybody once was). We have kept many other pets and we're looking to get into chicken keeping in the coming years.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello! It's great that you are planning ahead, before getting a tortoise. And getting a rescue instead of buying from the pet shop.
Here is the great long-read post covering all the basics of tortoise care:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Also take a look at the temperate species care sheet at the end of that post.

The quick answers on your planned enclosure:
Tortoises need large space to roam (even smaller species). It should be at least 3x6 or 4x8 feet to meet their needs (depends on the size of a full-grown tortoise). You can make a two-level enclosure with a long ramp to provide enough walking space. Comfort height is about 2 feet (lower would make it harder to mount heating and lightning fixtures, higher - harder to warm up and properly position the UVB lamp).

Open table enclosures don't work really well for controlling humidity and temperature, it's better to make fully enclosed one. This would be especially handy to keep tortoise out of brumation in winters, keep her warm in case of diseases or raising a baby tortoise.

--
Any "supervised" walks (either in a yard or in house) is a bad idea. Tortoises escape in a blink of an eye or get in all other sorts of troubles. Same as with the indoors they need their own dedicated space outside - fenced, free of chemicals, with shade and hides. Then you can just sit and watch them roaming for hours, without anxiety. Interacting with them, such as hand-feeding or talking to them is a good thing, no problem there. Living outdoors and natural sunshine is a beneficial thing for tortoises, give them as much time outside as possible.

--
Yes, turtles can carry salmonella and some other stuff, however cases are rare and mostly related to water turtles, not tortoises.

Washing hands before and after handling a tortoise is a good rule both for the animal and the owner. It's just hygiene basics. Of course, no kissing it and sharing a food plates. Same as with a raw chicken.

When tortoise is housed properly (substrate cleaned, regular bathing, water and food timely changed) and basic hygiene rules are enforced there should not be any issues.