Hello! New to forum and researching :)

[daniczo]

Hello and welcome. I commend you for taking the time to do the research ahead of time.

Having once been where you are, I can tell you that the things you envision for your future right now are very likely to change and change again over the next three years. Since you are asking for advice, I would advise you to wait until you get where you are going, settle in, and have the time and space for a tortoise. We are all here to promote and celebrate the joys of tortoise keeping, so I don't make this recommendation lightly. Having a pet tortoise can be done in your circumstances, but with the amount of stuff that will be on your plate for the next few years, the question is: Should you embark on this journey at this time? Tortoises really do best with large indoor enclosures and large outdoor enclosures for fair weather. It doesn't sound like you'll be able to do this in your current lifestyle, so I'd suggest a different pet for you to enjoy. If you like the reptile thing, then look into a corn or king snake, a small python or boa species, a blue tongue skink, a bearded dragon, leopard or crested gecko, or any number of others that can thrive in smaller quarters with no outside time. Or a cat. Or a pet rat. How about a ferret?

Whichever way you decide to go, we are happy to help.

Thank you very much for your advice. I have tried researching Blue Tongue Skinks, because I have heard they also have awesome personalities. However, it is my understanding they grow rapidly and reach quite large sizes (up to 2 feet long?!) which I imagine would mean an enormous tank size. I have found very little information about them but know I am not comfortable feeding mice or live worms.

 

[Tom]

Thank you very much for your advice. I have tried researching Blue Tongue Skinks, because I have heard they also have awesome personalities. However, it is my understanding they grow rapidly and reach quite large sizes (up to 2 feet long?!) which I imagine would mean an enormous tank size. I have found very little information about them but know I am not comfortable feeding mice or live worms.

The northerns can reach up to 20-24". That is true, but they don't need anything larger than a 60 gallon tank. 18x48". If you got a really big one and wanted to house it in a 100 gallon tank, 18x60", that would be great. Even a small tortoise would need something quadruple that size.

No need for mice or live worms. The best diet for them, no joke here, is canned Pedigree beef dog food mixed with defrosted frozen mixed veggies. I know, I know… this sounds horrible, but this advice is directly from the mouths of some of the tops breeders of some of the most rare and difficult species out there. They have decades of experience using all sorts of feeding regimes and they swear that nothing works better than this. I've been keeping them for several years now and I can't find fault with their advice. If you want to throw in more variety and insects, you can, but you won't need to unless you just want to.

They are amazing pets. See my experience here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

Look here for tips and advice on BTS:
http://www.bluetongueskinks.net

 

[daniczo]

The northerns can reach up to 20-24". That is true, but they don't need anything larger than a 60 gallon tank. 18x48". If you got a really big one and wanted to house it in a 100 gallon tank, 18x60", that would be great. Even a small tortoise would need something quadruple that size.

No need for mice or live worms. The best diet for them, no joke here, is canned Pedigree beef dog food mixed with defrosted frozen mixed veggies. I know, I know… this sounds horrible, but this advice is directly from the mouths of some of the tops breeders of some of the most rare and difficult species out there. They have decades of experience using all sorts of feeding regimes and they swear that nothing works better than this. I've been keeping them for several years now and I can't find fault with their advice. If you want to throw in more variety and insects, you can, but you won't need to unless you just want to.

They are amazing pets. See my experience here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-blue-tongue-skink.30188/

Look here for tips and advice on BTS:
http://www.bluetongueskinks.net

Oh wow thank you so much! I have read your experience and they do sound like they would make an excellent pet for me. I will look on the website you suggested also. I want to do thorough research and be completely prepared before I do anything either way, definitely not rushing this decision. I have never seen a BTS in even a reptile specific pet store and there doesn't seem to be much available online. Would you be able to point me in the direction of where I could find healthy, preferably hatchling or juvenile individual?

 

[Tom]

Oh wow thank you so much! I have read your experience and they do sound like they would make an excellent pet for me. I will look on the website you suggested also. I want to do thorough research and be completely prepared before I do anything either way, definitely not rushing this decision. I have never seen a BTS in even a reptile specific pet store and there doesn't seem to be much available online. Would you be able to point me in the direction of where I could find healthy, preferably hatchling or juvenile individual?

CB Northerns, which is what you would want, are seasonal. The good breeders tend to sell out of them pretty quick. Send me your contact info in a private message and I'll forward it to Jeff. He's a really good guy and he will steer you in the right direction.