Hello from London!

[ElectricTongue]

Hello!! I've just joined this forum and although I don't own a tortoise yet, I will be getting one in September. I have done a lot of research and now I'm looking to get advice from experienced people on this forum So my first question is, in your opinion, what is the best tortoise species to own in London? And when I say London I mean at the heart of Central London

 

[JaymeFrances]

Hey! I'm a really new tortoise mum, living in oxford! I have a horsefield ☺

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

 

[Rachael403]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Yvonne G]

Quite a few UK folks keep Greek tortoises. Can your expected tortoise spend any time at all outdoors?

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome from Kent, UK.

Greeks (Testudo ibera and Testudo graeca graeca) and Hermann's (Testudo hermanni) both are commonly available and do pretty well in our climate.

Russians aka Horsfields (Testudo horsfieldii) are another that will be fine.

All 3 can hibernate - not all species can. Here in the UK you will not be sold a wild caught tort; they're all captive bred. It's only the old pre CITES torts like my Joe that were wild caught.

 

[Stuart S.]

Hello and Welcome!!

 

[ElectricTongue]

Thank you everyone!! Alright so I'll be looking more into Greeks, Horsfields and Hermanns

 

[ElectricTongue]

Quite a few UK folks keep Greek tortoises. Can your expected tortoise spend any time at all outdoors?

Yes there are 2 of London's major parks near me, one of them a 2 minute walk away and the other no more than 10 minutes away

 

[RosemaryDW]

Yes there are 2 of London's major parks near me, one of them a 2 minute walk away and the other no more than 10 minutes away

Unfortunately your tortoise cannot spend time in a public park. The grass and plants are full of pesticides and the chances of escape are extremely high.

Are there any options for an outdoor enclosure where you live? (Trying to remember what I can of London.) Garden? Roof? If not outdoors, at least a sunny window?

They don't have to be outdoors; if you can't arrange it, you'll need a good sized indoor enclosure, properly set up for lighting and exercise.

 

[JoesMum]

I completely agree. The only safe place outside for a tort is in a proper enclosure.

In the park there are many risks

- Escape - so many do. Don't say it won't happen to you. We get sad posts on here regularly from people who let their tort roam free and got distracted

- Pesticides and Herbicides

- Dog, fox and bird poop - all of which contain parasites which could seriously harm your tort. Torts quite like eating poop, but even if the poop has been cleared there may be parasites on the ground

- Dogs too often treat torts as a chew toy