Best species for the pacific northwest?

[Pourkinator]

Hello all. I'm currently looking into getting a tortoise. I grew up in Palm Springs and had a rescued Desert tortoise (legally) and it was such an awesome experience, which I would now like my niece to experience. That said, I'm unsure what species may do well here in the PNW. I want a Sulcata, but I also don't want to set the poor thing up for failure. We have a large, fully fenced (not chain link) grassy yard, and plenty of room in the house/garage for a winnter enclosure. Thank you.

 

[Tom]

Hello all. I'm currently looking into getting a tortoise. I grew up in Palm Springs and had a rescued Desert tortoise (legally) and it was such an awesome experience, which I would now like my niece to experience. That said, I'm unsure what species may do well here in the PNW. I want a Sulcata, but I also don't want to set the poor thing up for failure. We have a large, fully fenced (not chain link) grassy yard, and plenty of room in the house/garage for a winnter enclosure. Thank you.

Whatever you get will have to spend the majority of each year indoors. There is no garage large enough to house a sulcata several months of every year, and to keep it at 80-90 degrees is just not practical.

A tropical species will need a large closed chamber, and many of these get too large, so you should focus on smaller species like a male Burmese star, Indian star, or a pancake tortoise.

Russians, Hermanns, and greeks would all be good because you can brumate them during your winters, and as long as you have a large enclosure indoors for inclement weather, they can live outside during fair weather.

 

[Pourkinator]

Whatever you get will have to spend the majority of each year indoors. There is no garage large enough to house a sulcata several months of every year, and to keep it at 80-90 degrees is just not practical.

A tropical species will need a large closed chamber, and many of these get too large, so you should focus on smaller species like a male Burmese star, Indian star, or a pancake tortoise.

Russians, Hermanns, and greeks would all be good because you can brumate them during your winters, and as long as you have a large enclosure indoors for inclement weather, they can live outside during fair weather.

Thank you. Will look into those species.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Keeping a tortoise in the PNW has it's challenges but it is still very do-able with the right commitment.

Like said above, I would never choose to keep a sulcata in this climate. I have a leopard and that's about as big as I would go.

Stars are beautiful! Look into them for sure.
The pancake is a neat one and I'm partial to Egyptian Tortoises. Check them out, too

 

[SinLA]

@maggie3fan

 

[Pourkinator]

Keeping a tortoise in the PNW has it's challenges but it is still very do-able with the right commitment.

Like said above, I would never choose to keep a sulcata in this climate. I have a leopard and that's about as big as I would go.

Stars are beautiful! Look into them for sure.
The pancake is a neat one and I'm partial to Egyptian Tortoises. Check them out, too

Out of curiosity, how difficult is keeping a Leopard in the PNW?

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hi...I am not an expert by any means...and I would never have chosen to keep Sulcata in the PNW...that said...I moved to Corvallis Oregon from the late great state of California 17 years ago and it has been a ride ever since...but people in Oregon stared leaving sick injured or merely Sulcata on my doorstep.
I have a 20'x12' heated and insulated tort shed, right now it's housing a 40 pound female Sulcata. Every morning I go out and open her doggie door...she studies the weather and decides to go out or not...I had Bob, a 100 pound Sulcata who wanted out everyday...Mary is too dainty, and she doesn't care for the snow or rain...so she sits in the doorway for a couple of hours before she makes a decision.
Knowing what I know now, I would not recommend a big tortoise, but I am set up for it, and I work very hard at it. Spring and summer she eats what I grow...winter, well you know. Inside the shed the floor is divided 1/4 for a long term rescue...and Mary Knobbins...this heater keeps the shed 85 degrees all winter. Every tort in the shed has a basking light hanging down and a CHE on 24/7 winter. There is an overhead light for me...a tort table with a Russian and another Russian under the table. Half of that shed was devoted to 2 Russians and that was really not enuf. They are a very busy species and they are active...they really should have more room than the Sulcata.
but I'm rambling...yes I keep them here, no my electric bill is not high average...$150. I have had Redfoots here and them too, with a little extra work...a humid warm area with plants and hides and stuff to occupy a busy brain...
Mary K is being stubborn about eating now that that stuff is gone and she should be eating hay and liking it...that ain't happening...lol
I didn't mean to hijack your thread, if you have any questions pm me...

 

[Maggie3fan]

oops...this is the heater

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Every morning I go out and open her doggie door...she studies the weather and decides to go out or not.

sits in the doorway for a couple of hours before she makes a decision.

THIS is exactly like Levi! I HAVE to open Levi's door everyday and he decides if he will go out or not. He too sits in the doorway for a while, deciding LOL

Out of curiosity, how difficult is keeping a Leopard in the PNW?

Well, I'm in Medford, Oregon and our weather is different than yours up in Seattle, Washington. I think you said you were in Seattle?

Like Maggie said, if you are set up for it and work hard at it, you can keep a bigger tort (like a leopard) in the PNW. If you start with a hatchling 1- get it from a proper source. You want someone who starts their babies hydrated. 2- raise it in a closed chamber style enclosure in your home. That will buy you 2, maybe 3 years depending on how large your enclosure is indoors. BUT have future plans sooner than later. My leopard was living outdoors all day but still sleeping indoors at 2 yrs old and full time outside with sleeping outdoors in the heated tortoise house at night before he was 3.

I use a fully insulated, heated on a thermostat with an oil filled radiator, tortoise house outside, and Levi has full access to my backyard. I treat my entire yard like his enclosure. My dog isn't allowed to be "put out" there. All the grass/weeds/plants have to be edible and safe. etc. If I lived further north with more rain and snow, I'd have a much larger tortoise shed like Maggie. But for where I am, for now, the 4x4x2 heated house works well.

 

[Pourkinator]

Hi...I am not an expert by any means...and I would never have chosen to keep Sulcata in the PNW...that said...I moved to Corvallis Oregon from the late great state of California 17 years ago and it has been a ride ever since...but people in Oregon stared leaving sick injured or merely Sulcata on my doorstep.
I have a 20'x12' heated and insulated tort shed, right now it's housing a 40 pound female Sulcata. Every morning I go out and open her doggie door...she studies the weather and decides to go out or not...I had Bob, a 100 pound Sulcata who wanted out everyday...Mary is too dainty, and she doesn't care for the snow or rain...so she sits in the doorway for a couple of hours before she makes a decision.View attachment 351290
Knowing what I know now, I would not recommend a big tortoise, but I am set up for it, and I work very hard at it. Spring and summer she eats what I grow...winter, well you know. Inside the shed the floor is divided 1/4 for a long term rescue...and Mary Knobbins...this heater keeps the shed 85 degrees all winter. Every tort in the shed has a basking light hanging down and a CHE on 24/7 winter. There is an overhead light for me...a tort table with a Russian and another Russian under the table. Half of that shed was devoted to 2 Russians and that was really not enuf. They are a very busy species and they are active...they really should have more room than the Sulcata.
but I'm rambling...yes I keep them here, no my electric bill is not high average...$150. I have had Redfoots here and them too, with a little extra work...a humid warm area with plants and hides and stuff to occupy a busy brain...
Mary K is being stubborn about eating now that that stuff is gone and she should be eating hay and liking it...that ain't happening...lol
I didn't mean to hijack your thread, if you have any questions pm me...

Thank you. Yeah, a large species probably isn't best for me, at least unless I ever move south again. I'll stick with a smaller species. The Indian Stars really are beautiful, as are the Pnacakes.