Hi everyone!
I'm looking into getting my first tortoise as a pet. I don't really know a great deal about them so I thought I'd ask you guys a few questions to see if I would be a suitable owner and whether I'd be able to look after a tortoise to the necessary standard.
Firstly, I would be interested in a breed that stays relatively small. I think I've heard that a horsefield is a relatively common, small breed?
Also, I'm wondering how much room they need. Obviously this depends on the size of the tortoise but generally speaking how much big would the tortoise table need to be? I can buy one or alternatively my dad (who is a carpenter) would be able to build me one. If we build one ourselves, how would the lighting situation work?
I gather that they will need time outside as well as inside. We have an old enclosure that we used to let our guinea pigs run around in outside and I assume this would be suitable?
I've heard that they can't eat fruit but I'm guessing they eat most other vegetable type food? Do you need to buy specific food for them or will they eat salads and the like that we eat?
One last thing, what happens about hibernation? I've read somewhere that they all need to hibernate and then somewhere else I read that captive tortoise don't necessarily need to hibernate?
Sorry for all the questions,
Many thanks,
Dan
I'm looking into getting my first tortoise as a pet. I don't really know a great deal about them so I thought I'd ask you guys a few questions to see if I would be a suitable owner and whether I'd be able to look after a tortoise to the necessary standard.
Firstly, I would be interested in a breed that stays relatively small. I think I've heard that a horsefield is a relatively common, small breed?
Also, I'm wondering how much room they need. Obviously this depends on the size of the tortoise but generally speaking how much big would the tortoise table need to be? I can buy one or alternatively my dad (who is a carpenter) would be able to build me one. If we build one ourselves, how would the lighting situation work?
I gather that they will need time outside as well as inside. We have an old enclosure that we used to let our guinea pigs run around in outside and I assume this would be suitable?
I've heard that they can't eat fruit but I'm guessing they eat most other vegetable type food? Do you need to buy specific food for them or will they eat salads and the like that we eat?
One last thing, what happens about hibernation? I've read somewhere that they all need to hibernate and then somewhere else I read that captive tortoise don't necessarily need to hibernate?
Sorry for all the questions,
Many thanks,
Dan