A little bit of advice please ? (Which species? Which enclosure?)

[LadyBossLisa]

Here is our Zola now, with a small picture of him aged 2 on left, and one of him aged 3 on the right. As you see, the pattern changes as they get older.
View attachment 340190

Russians have a pattern of larger dark areas
Angie

Aww so cute. I love the darker pattern. I always thought it was the other way around and it was Hermann’s with the darker pattern when older. Shows how much i know.

 

[wellington]

A lot of people dont have the room for a proper size enclosure sadly.
Some will build a two level enclosure to give the proper walking space. They need enough room to exercise and build muscle strength or they wont walk properly or thrive.

 

[zovick]

Hi everyone ??

I’m new here and would just like a bit of advice. I’ve wanted a tortoise for a every long time but never actually got one. I’ve heard the name Horsfield’s and Herman’s quite a lot so been researching them but can’t tell the difference. I would prefer one that’s quite small only due to the housing situation. I’ve seen some very small enclosures and i don’t think it’s very fair to keep them in something small. I’ve also seen some fantastic enclosures which look quite big and are 2 tier which is what i would like to go for. I’ve been told to have one of those i would have to have it custom made. So my questions are…

Which ? should i go for? Horsfield or Herman? Or are there any other small tortoise you can recommend? Someone i spoke to did mention a few but the only one i can remember is a red-footed tortoise but i think they said they get bigger than the Horsfield and Hermann.

People who own large enclosures? Where do you actually keep them? I do have a lot of space but still wonder as some people only have a limited amount of space so where do you keep your tortoise? and as i live in the UK the weather is very unpredictable even in the summer months, so they have to be kept inside.
Do they always need a special UVB lamp?

What size enclosure is the best? I’ve seen most are around 3ft but i would have thought that would be too small.

How long does it take for them to grow to their full size?

I’ve seen some custom made enclosures online which are quite cute. I think the normal tortoise tables look a bit boring lol

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I would strongly advise you against getting a sulcata. If you happened to get a male, it could grow to a size of over 60 cm long and 110 kilos or more in weight. Keeping it indoors and fed through the winter (they do NOT brumate) will be a true challenge.

I had 4 adult sulcatas which I kept in Connecticut for several years, and it was a LOT of effort. They eat a tremendous amount of food. Additionally, they are like mini bulldozers when they want to get somewhere. They actually broke through my outdoor fencing a couple of times.

 

[zolasmum]

Aww so cute. I love the darker pattern. I always thought it was the other way around and it was Hermann’s with the darker pattern when older. Shows how much i know.

I think the shells vary a lot, at least in some kinds of tortoise, as they grow older - I have never seen one quite like Zola's. It is very shiny, because we stroke him a lot - I have never polished it. He is a sweetie, but very much with a mind of his own. I think tortoises have as much individual personality as any more usual pet, and with the help and advice you can get in this forum, I am sure you will be able to make a good choice. I am no expert, but I know the day we got Zola was a turning point in our lives.
Angie

 

[LadyBossLisa]

I would strongly advise you against getting a sulcata. If you happened to get a male, it could grow to a size of over 60 cm long and 110 kilos or more in weight. Keeping it indoors and fed through the winter (they do NOT brumate) will be a true challenge.

I had 4 adult sulcatas which I kept in Connecticut for several years, and it was a LOT of effort. They eat a tremendous amount of food. Additionally, they are like mini bulldozers when they want to get somewhere. They actually broke through my outdoor fencing a couple of times.

I have no intention in getting a sulcata. I wanted one years ago but then found out how difficult they are to keep.

I’ve heard they can break through fences and destroy the place ???

 

[LadyBossLisa]

I think the shells vary a lot, at least in some kinds of tortoise, as they grow older - I have never seen one quite like Zola's. It is very shiny, because we stroke him a lot - I have never polished it. He is a sweetie, but very much with a mind of his own. I think tortoises have as much individual personality as any more usual pet, and with the help and advice you can get in this forum, I am sure you will be able to make a good choice. I am no expert, but I know the day we got Zola was a turning point in our lives.
Angie

I also forgot to mention i have 3 dogs. A Samoyed and 2 Pomeranians, obviously the tortoise would be in an enclosure but would the tortoise be scared of them going up to the enclosure? I’ve actually seen photos of dogs loose around tortoise in the garden. I would have thought they’d be scared.

 

[zolasmum]

I also forgot to mention i have 3 dogs. A Samoyed and 2 Pomeranians, obviously the tortoise would be in an enclosure but would the tortoise be scared of them going up to the enclosure? I’ve actually seen photos of dogs loose around tortoise in the garden. I would have thought they’d be scared.

If your dogs are well trained, they may never harm your tortoise - but it only needs a moment for their mood to change - a "playful" dog can seriously harm or kill a small tortoise - you would need to keep them well away from each other. And you shouldn't risk the tortoise having to see them just outside their enclosure - yes, they will probably be scared, even if they don't show it, and tortoises can be made very ill through stress.A solid wall or fence would be best.
Angie

 

[LadyBossLisa]

If your dogs are well trained, they may never harm your tortoise - but it only needs a moment for their mood to change - a "playful" dog can seriously harm or kill a small tortoise - you would need to keep them well away from each other. And you shouldn't risk the tortoise having to see them just outside their enclosure - yes, they will probably be scared, even if they don't show it, and tortoises can be made very ill through stress.A solid wall or fence would be best.
Angie

My dogs will definitely try and mess with the tortoise unfortunately so yes would be best to be kept where can be safe away from them. Is it best to have an enclosure with a lid or without?

 

[zolasmum]

My dogs will definitely try and mess with the tortoise unfortunately so yes would be best to be kept where can be safe away from them. Is it best to have an enclosure with a lid or without?

I think a lid would be best - one which you can remove easily , then you can take it off when the dogs are not around, if you want to. I don't think a mesh lid would be suitable, as if your dogs could climb up, they could scare the tortoise then. Or else have an enclosure high up, like on a tank, for instance, where the dogs couldn't reach it.
Angie

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome, Lisa!