Disappointed (made a responsible deicsion)

[rosebice]

After my marathon researching session yesterday (have been reasearching for a while on a tort but yesterday was a marathon) I have decided that even in my new home i will not have the adequate space to provide a good indoor enclosure for a tortoise. Sadly hubby helped me make the decision, as he pointed out they just need a HUGE area even for just one tort. maybe i am just not ready yet. I will put this to rest but continue to be on the forum as i LOVE turtle and have found i love reading your posts. Thank you for your input. I am just overwhelmed with how much care they need and the housing requirements. I will continue to research and maybe find someone in my area who has successfully kept these gentle creatures and see how they have done it

 

[JoesMum]

It's a hard decision to make, but if you don't have room for him as he grows it's the right one.

Hopefully you will have space in years to come

 

[rosebice]

Well i will have the room i think once we move within the next year, just don't think hubby would like a giant pool table sized THING in the family room in order to house ONE tortoise. I don't care what it looks like i just what a tortoise...lol...there is someone that has one and it's 5x3' enclosure on CL for 120 bucks. *sigh* i think i just need to much more research and feel confident that i can house one.

 

[JoesMum]

The trouble is that once you've got one, you keep seeing more cute baby pics on here and one thing leads to another unless you're very tough on yourself (or in my case, it's my husband who puts his foot down too!)

 

[Tom]

Only you know whats right for you and your family. I applaud your self control and good judgement. Maybe in time you will find a solution that works for you. Until then, you are welcome to remain a part of our community here.

 

[lynnedit]

That is a very wise decision. Too many people get them, and find out after the fact that it is more work than they want, and then you see the poor tort on Craigslist.

As you plan for your tort, think in terms of an outside enclosure too. That is perhaps more important than the inside one. If they have several months of sun, walking around outside, eating weeds, then the inside enclosure does not have to be quite as large (although bigger is better!).

Keep up your research and soon you will have a lifelong friend.

 

[rosebice]

Well actually the outdoor for me is much easier. I have several acres that I could make an enclosure for summer. I am just worried I need this GINORMOUS indoor thing. But I've read about ppl using Rubbermaid totes and just worried that really isn't going to be good enough. If that would be a suitable winter inside home I could make it great I have a pretty green thumb too, then I could get one and my 350$ budget would facilitate a baby one. But then I'd need to find a reputable breeder. Thoughts?

 

[Tom]

Here's a thought. They can be hibernated all winter long. You can house them outdoors all year long. It gets much colder in their natural range than it does in Ohio. Or you can hibernate them in a box in the garage or in a refrigerator set to the correct temps. This will eliminate the need for the "ginormous thing" in your living room. Many people do this with CDTs here in CA. They have the run of the yard all year and at hibernation time they either go into a burrow or they get put in a box in a shed or the garage to sleep the winter away.

PM GBTortoises for info on hibernating them outside. His area is colder than yours and some of his tortoises stay outside year round.

Good luck. Where there is a will there is a way.

 

[JoesMum]

A Russian will outgrow a Rubbermaid pretty quickly. You can have a smaller enclosure indoors, but not that small once it stops being a a baby.

 

[rosebice]

so a 50 gallon rubbermaid tote would be too small for an adult for over winter? i'll have to do some more research about hybernation cuz if that's the case it could just stay outside and hybernate right?

 

[Jacqui]

The thing with brumation is you really should not do it the first year you have your tortoise to allow any sickness to show up, get the animal to proper weight, and then do the clean out slow down it needs before it goes under.

 

[wellington]

so a 50 gallon rubbermaid tote would be too small for an adult for over winter? i'll have to do some more research about hybernation cuz if that's the case it could just stay outside and hybernate right?

You could always use two totes and build a ramp to the tote above the other. Some have also built their own two even three story enclosures. If you want to hibernate/brumate (is correct term for torts)in the winter time, the two totes would be the cheapest way for the first winter inside. One my do for just one winter. There are many of use that live in cold climates that house African tortoises. It's all in what you are willing to do and afford Good luck. Sounds like you really haven't come to terms with not having one. So, be sure to post pics of the soon to be new shelled family member

 

[rosebice]

oh i can live without one...i just want to make sure i take proper care of it. i mean i have two asian aquatic turtles and have had them and cared for them just fine....it's just this is different and so i can't be the ONLY person that doesn't have a ton of inside room. so we'll see. just getting my ducks in a row as far as what i need to do thanks for all the advice.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Why can't you keep a russian? Most people keep them indoors, and they stay relatively small....I wouldn't think it would be very hard for you to make an indoor enclosure for one? Just wondering what your reasons are. If you've never had a tortoise before, though, I definitely would not recommend brumation...

 

[sibi]

I, too, have an aquatic turtle for 24 years. Then, last year, I got two sully babies. I thought the owner knew how to care for baby sulcatas, but she didn't. I thought I was doing everything right until one of my babies ate rocks and got compacted. It was then that I started to do research and found this forum. It is a big difference between taking care of aquatic turtles and land tortoises. But, when I think about how my babies didn't die and how healthy they are now, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you have room outdoors, then dealing with them for the first year indoors is nothing. You may want to look for tortoises that hibernate all winter. You'll learn here just what you'll need to do. Only u know what you're ready for and when.

 

[rosebice]

well by reading this forum seems like i need to have a giant indoor thing for any tortoise even a small one. and right at the moment i don't have the inside space. i am moving to 5 acres in the next year in a much bigger house and i will have room but i thought it would be nice to get one now cuz ....well cuz i want one. but i can set it up at the new house as it's my MIL house and she doesn't care if i set it up there but i didn't realize it was going to have to be a GIANT thing indoors. The outdoors not a problem. I actually don't see how in the work people keep sulcata's they get HUGE!!! lol

 

[Eloise's mommy]

I have a 54 gal. rubbermaid tote for my Eloise (she's 4 inches long) and she loves it in there!! I think there is just the right amount of space that she has room to roam and grow....as I understood things an adult RT needs a min 50 gal enclosure for indoors....and a tort table is best for air circulation that comes to about 3-4 feet long and about 2-3 feet deep...Russians don't get as big as Sulcatas and other torts so I'm not sure they need as much room....I have read lots that their out door enclosure can and should be bigger than their indoor ones......I plan on sending her outside in the summer for the days but she will always be inside at night as I am a control freak and need my whole family in ear shot.

 

[kathyth]

I agree with all of the various ideas posted.
Your decision is very responsible, but is there room to be flexible. There are good suggestions here.

I have several aquatic turtles.
One type is a three striped med turtle. Picture of a 1 year old posted.
They stay small, are not great swimmers and can live in a 20G long tank forever.
Mine are in a 40 but they do not need that much.
This type of turtle might be manageable forever for you, or, as mentioned a smaller tortoise.
Good luck in your decision making.

 

[stinax182]

if you buy a baby Russian tortoise, he could definitely live in the 50g tub for his first year. tortoises take many years (10+) to become fully grown. and a Russian would only grow to be maybe 10" AT THE MOST. they really aren't giant creatures and they are very hearty and forgiving of mistakes. and they do burmate. everyone says "bigger is better" and that is true but if that were the actual case, no one has a big enough enclosure....COMPARED TO THE WILD, so you do your best. soo many people have tortoises that are horribly cared for, in tiny enclosures and are fed poor diets that survive for years. i know you can do a better job than most and guarantee a good life for which ever tort you pick for an adult Russian, if he's outside all summer, a table with dimensions of 3'l-6w'-20"d would be great. many people get custom enclosures made so they look pretty, like a piece of furniture.

 

[rosebice]

Thank you guys so much for your responses. i am still thinking about it. I have realized i CAN put the baby in a rubbermaid tub and care for it just fine, the tort WOULD be outside during summer. and when i move to the new house i can have a nice table made so it's not ugly and he can be inside with me during winter. i feel so much better. My aquatic turtles are Reeves turtles and i researched what i wanted for a while and they are thriving. Three years old and in a 50 gallon tank and they do great!