Burmese MT Tortoise a possibility??????

[happyjoyjoy]

I have wanted a Burmese Mt Tort hatchling for a while now and have all the means to do so.... BUT ....... the fact that I live in Las Vegas NV is freaking me out a little...... It is 100+ here most of the summer and cold cold here in the winter. Does anyone own these beautiful torts that live in similar conditions and make it work? I know I could provide an outdoor enclosure with pools and misters and heavy shrubbery/tree cover or should I just stick to my sulcata??? I realize that tortsupply owns all kinds of torts including this species and live in north vegas as well so they must be okay??? As much input and feedback as possible would be great

I also was curious if I could possibly keep a burmese with my sulcata??? I know a lot of ppl who keep different breeds together and alot that say it is wrong wrong. If I quarantine them both apart for a while and get them tested for parasites would it be okay if they get along? I will only do what is best for my torts. Thanks Guys!

 

[Laura]

should be kept separate.... different needs.

if you have the room and the money to provide and make the proper environment... then do it!

 

[mikeh]

Unfortunately, Emys Emys require very high humidity, especially hatchlings and juveniles or they will grow all wrong or may not make it. No way I would let mine be out in Vegas, its just not a favorable environment. I am in Jersey and I dont let my juveniles out unless its 65% humidity or higher, nighttime I keep them always at 99%. Adults may tolerate lower humidity but single digits are not for these guys.

High temps are not a problem at all if its full shade. Unfortunately, shade, misters and plants will not create much higher humidity outdoors in Vegas.

Pics I've seen from tortsupply show them being in controlled humid indoor environment.

Building a greenhouse would be a solution.



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[Kapidolo Farms]

Not to debate the climate of one city to another.

My partner has ours outside year round, with night houses, in Fresno, CA. Hot and dry in the summer, cold and wet in the winter, typical Mediterranean climate. They breed and do well.

Las Vegas climate is no more or less "wrong".

You would do ok if you make a micro climate for them. That takes alot of planning and work, and daily monitoring.

Large low to the ground trees that provide a wide canopy, lots of shrubs, and grass, not drought tolerant species, but those that will wilt readily, they will be your indicators that you need to run the mist/sprinklers everday.

When small, up to about a foot in length, a climate controlled chamber/greenhouse would be a good idea. They like wet.

Kelly has them in Texas, not exactly the wet tropics there either.

Its just much more work and planning than required for a xeric species like a sulcata.

Will

 

[Tom]

I have wanted a Burmese Mt Tort hatchling for a while now and have all the means to do so.... BUT ....... the fact that I live in Las Vegas NV is freaking me out a little...... It is 100+ here most of the summer and cold cold here in the winter. Does anyone own these beautiful torts that live in similar conditions and make it work? I know I could provide an outdoor enclosure with pools and misters and heavy shrubbery/tree cover or should I just stick to my sulcata??? I realize that tortsupply owns all kinds of torts including this species and live in north vegas as well so they must be okay??? As much input and feedback as possible would be great

I also was curious if I could possibly keep a burmese with my sulcata??? I know a lot of ppl who keep different breeds together and alot that say it is wrong wrong. If I quarantine them both apart for a while and get them tested for parasites would it be okay if they get along? I will only do what is best for my torts. Thanks Guys!

Any species can be kept anywhere in the world. Its a question of how much time, money, and effort you wish to spend on the endeavor. My climate is similar to yours and I won't keep Manoria or redfoots, because it is just not practical and I've seen too many other experienced tortoise people near me fail at it. If you keep a large air conditioned/heated, humidified, greenhouse, I'll bet you could do it just fine.

Species should not be mixed. There are behavior, compatibility and disease issues, that make it too risky for my liking. Some people gamble and get away with it, at least temporarily, while other people gamble and lose everything.

 

[Yvonne G]

Whoa...a sulcata with a Manouria??? No way, Jose! You're talking about complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Your Manouria comes from the rain forest. That means just what it sounds like - jungle!

Your sulcata comes from the ecoregion of semiarid grasslands, savannas, and thorn shrublands...in other words, wide, open spaces.

I lost a nice 10 year old Manouria one time to heat exhaustion. They're black. They can't take sitting in the sun.

 

[Millerlite]

As above said? They tend to overheat, Vic Morgan says they like layers if canopy over them with patches of sun comeing through, lv maybe a little hard to keep one of these guys, why not go with a tortoise that can deal with the heat and dryness a little better,


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[happyjoyjoy]

Wow!!! Thanks guys for all the input i really do appreciate it and i have decided tht this species is what i really want but tht i am going to think long and hard about it first before i jump in and get one. I really want another tort because i cant believe how much ive fallin in love with my little guy! A greenhouse is a great idea and luckily my father and fiance are very handy men i am open to other tort species i know leopards are similar to sulcatas are there any others tht would be a good fit for my location? Ps the larger torts...

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Also! Ive noticed these guys have indented looking skutes when younger is tht common or am i seeing sick torts at my local petstore and online???

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

You might then consider radiateds. They cost 1k to 1.2k for a hatchling, 5 to 6 times a hatchling manouria, but climate and size are more or less in line with your location and size interest. I wouldn't put them in with a sulcata either though.

Four hatchling pardalis type leopards and you got a radiated, you know?

It is normal for neonate manouria to look that way.

Will

 

[happyjoyjoy]

You might then consider radiateds. They cost 1k to 1.2k for a hatchling, 5 to 6 times a hatchling manouria, but climate and size are more or less in line with your location and size interest. I wouldn't put them in with a sulcata either though.

Four hatchling pardalis type leopards and you got a radiated, you know?

It is normal for neonate manouria to look that way.

Will

thats a little crazy for a tort i feel id pay that for an aldabra but thts about it..... thanks for the advice tho!

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

The initial cost for a tortoise, when looked at over the expected lifetime of the animals is a very small amount.

1 radiated = 4 leopards 'pardalis' type,
1 radiated = 1/2 Aldabra,
1 radiated = 1/5 Galop,

Values in terms of what you like and want, can't be quantified, but no matter that, the cost of the animal versus the cost of keeping will make the Galop, the radiated or the four leo's about the same in ten years.

These are lifetime pets.

The idea is 'get the species you want first', and that will be the driver for the best care possible. We bred galops at the Philadelphia Zoo, way out of a 'good' climate to keep them, while many groups in good climates have failed. Your desire and resulting care for the animal is most important. Don't let animal 'cost' be the driver, over time it loses significance.

Even with your first stated interest, a manouria. In a year or two, you can create the right year 'round outside environment for them (with a night/green house).

Think in terms of "what if you couldn't fail", not what if you do. That's a more scary perspective. What species would you seek, if you couldn't fail.

Will

 

[happyjoyjoy]

So after all the inspiring input everyone gave me (BTW thanks everybody) I was set on a burmese Mt. Tortoise i was determined to make it work! So i drove down to my local exotic store today to get one and when I got there and spent time with there selection of yearlings I just didn't feel like it was a fit, i also got overwhelmed with the ppl at the store saying they will likely overheat here no matter what i do from their own experiences... so I decided to look at all of their torts which they pretty much have every species, hatchling all the way to adults, and I fell in love with all of the leopards they had! I was so surprised how outgoing they were and just gorgeous especially this 6 inch female but ofcoarse she was already sold I was very close to purchasing one but I decided to go home and do a little bit more research... I have decided that my nxt tort will be a leopard and I am very excited Thanks for help everyone and if anyone has any advice on the BEST place to get a pardalis pardalis leopards that would be awsome!!!

 

[tortadise]

They do great in my climate. However. I do keep the adults under some ancient tree canopy and misting systems. In the winter they go in a greenhouse with misting systems as well and very was temperatures. It is a lot of work keeping them in this climate. But I choose to allocate the best natural care and environment. I'd say a suitable species for your climate would be a radiated. They are packed with personality and are arid dwellers by nature. Or a small testudo species.