Choosing a Tortoise

[Nikachu0315]

I'm trying to find out what pet tortoise
I should keep outdoors. I live in Corona,California
I'm thinking sulcatas,leopards,red foots,etc
Please be honest even though I'm young doesn't
Mean I can't care for them I've had tons of
Experience.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! The one most perfect for where you livw I would think would be the desert tortoise. It's a native.

 

[kathyth]

Welcome!
What tortoises have you had all of your experience with?
Maybe one of those?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Nikachu0315 and welcome to the Forum!!

Is Corona near San Diego? I think you have wonderful weather for tortoises down there. You may have to do a little heat supplementing during the winter, but basically any of the tortoises you've mentioned would do well in SoCal.

Do you have a big yard for a sulcata? They need a lot of space. And it can be wide open space with lots of grass.

A redfoot will require a heavily planted space, not as big as for a sulcata, but lots of plants and water and humidity.

The leopard prefers to eat broad-leaf weeds and plants, but will graze on regular grass if forced to. They don't require as much space as a sulcata, but nice, wide open space will do fine. They like to hide under a bush to feel safe.

You can probably adopt a male desert tortoise from one of the chapters of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club. There are many in SoCal.

 

[mctlong]

My vote is also for California desert tortoise. As Jacqui pointed out, they're native to the area. Also, Corona has PERFECT conditions (climate, humidity, etc) for a Cali desert tortoise.

The CTTC can help you find an adopt a desert tortoise. They can also give you advise and ongoing support raising the animal. Here's the website for the Inland Empire Chapter:


http://tortoise.org/inlandempire/index.html

 

[Dizisdalife]

Hi Nikachu0315 and welcome to the Forum!

You are just "up the road" from me. If you are going to start with a baby then you will want to be able to keep it inside. They soon get big enough to spend most of their days outside. Let us know which one you choose.

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome....id say a desert tort...

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Hey neighbor!

Is Corona near San Diego?

You can probably adopt a male desert tortoise from one of the chapters of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club. There are many in SoCal.

Not quite by san diego, no..

But, we have great tortoise weather! And no 'beachy' cold weather to deal with.

You should come to the next CTTC meeting for the Chino Valley Chapter. Some of us TFOers from the area attend there. Great info and you can adopt torts.

I keep a Leopard and will be getting a/some Russians eventually.

My vote for you to keep one outdoors full time is either an adult Russian or the CA desert tortoise.

 

[Nikachu0315]

Thx thinking about desert or sulcata we have a big yard

 

[Nikachu0315]

Hi! The one most perfect for where you livw I would think would be the desert tortoise. It's a native.

I'm thinking about sulcata or desert

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Angi]

I love my desert torts. The have great personalities and the recues a full of them. Sullys have great persoalities too .....but they get very big and distructive. Will your parents want to deal with that? Torts live a LONG time and you may not have a big place when you are on your own. Think of it as an 80 year commitment.