cbonza
New Member
Hello! We are considering getting our first tortoise and have a great backyard and a large enclosure for a tortoise. We live in the Atlanta area so we have a generally warm, humid climate. Is it possible to keep a tortoise outside only? We were planning to use a raised plant box that is 7 X 16 feet with sides that are about 18 inches high. We will fully enclose it to keep it safe from predators. There is plenty of room for a tortoise house, rocks, water and plants. The enclosure gets a lot of sun but not much shade. We have a backyard where he can free roam that has shade. We realize that we will have to provide heat in the colder months but are not really sure how to heat the tortoise house. We have researched so much that we are thoroughly confused! What kind of tortoise does well outside in our type of climate? We were thinking about a Hermann's or a marginated tortoise. I would love to get a Sulcata but am nervous about how big he will get. Any recommendations or comments on what type of tortoise does well outside and on our proposed enclosure would be greatly appreciated.