Hi I'm new and looking for advice

[KassyO]

Hi,
My name is Kassy and I live in the Mobile area of southern Alabama . I have wanted to get a pet tortoise for years and I am finally ready to get things put together. I want a tort that has personality, but I am new to owning a one so I want to do as much research as possible on what breed I should get.

I live in a very humid and hot part of the US, I am actually close to the beach (about 20-30 min away) I know that turtles do very well in this swampy climate, but I want to make sure that I get a tort that will be comfortable and healthy in this weather. Personality wise I think that a Russian would be great because I prefer a tort that is strong willed and not shy. I would really love to have a Sulcata but I don't have the room for one of those big guys.

I live in a small house with a large front yard and a smaller shady back yard. I have plenty of time to care for my tort and the only other animals that I have are old declawed cats that stay indoors for the most part and honestly are too lazy to even attack bugs -_- but I know I will have to take them into consideration when I have my tort inside because they could still stress him/her out.

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated and any recommendations on what tort breed would be best for me would be fantastic. Thanks in advance and just a side note this forum is fantastic I have already learned so much about the proper care etc of torts =D

 

[Jacqui]

Hi and welcome! I am a firm believer that if your heart is set on a Russian, but you get something else, it will never "fit" you quite right. I would of course suggest maybe checking into a Cherryhead/Redfoot. Is size (other then big like a sulcata) a factor?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kassy:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

 

[KassyO]

Size really isn't an issue, I just want to make sure that the tort I get is happy with the room he has. My back yard is small and wraps around my house in an "L" shape and has plenty of shade and has a privacy fence, but my front yard is larger and had almost no shade because I have a corner house. I would also be able to bring him/her to my work and it is kind of out in the country so I could let them wonder around the back of the warehouse (with my supervision).

My house itself is kind of awkward because it is one of those old downtown houses built in the 20's that are shaped kind of weird. It is 2 BR 1Bath with a large living room and normal kitchen, but it is basically shaped in a circle (because of the lack of air conditioning they could open windows and a huge fan in the ceiling in the middle would cool the entire house). I'm telling you all this because I don't want to get a breed that would need a lot of square footage indoors.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Hello and welcome! Nice to see another Mobilian here on TFO!

I know several folks in the area that keep both Russians and redfoots successfully outdoors in this area. I think, with the proper accommodations, a Russian would do fine for your situation.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[KassyO]

Thanks for the warm welcomes, feel free to ask (or tell) me anything =D

 

[wellington]

Hello and WELCOME

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum..

 

[KassyO]

Hello and welcome! Nice to see another Mobilian here on TFO!

I know several folks in the area that keep both Russians and redfoots successfully outdoors in this area. I think, with the proper accommodations, a Russian would do fine for your situation.

Thanks for the info I am glad to hear that the crazy weather down here wont affect them. I think I will go with the Russian, I like what I have read about their tenacity and personality. Now I need to find a good breeder, I am a little paranoid because I bought a red tail boa from a bad breeder once and it had parasites and other problems that caused it to be weak and sick and ultimately he died even after I did everything in my power to help the little guy make it. I was told that the person I got him from was basically a shady breeder that didn't take care of the reptiles that he sold. Anyway, I will look around the forum for some good advice on breeders but if anyone has recommendations please feel free to let me know.

 

[MrsStaal]

Welcome! If you can't find a good Russian , Greeks are also great. My little Geno is about 4 months old and has all the personality and things you wanted

 

[pam]

Welcome Russians are Awesome

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Hello and welcome!