What are the easiest and most difficult tortoises to keep, and why?
Easiest and hardest
- Thread starter GeoTerraTestudo
- Start date
- Status
Wow....that is a crazy fun topic....I am going to be checking back to see what comes of the thread 
Onarock.....that was nice
They are just each so individual, and there are so many factors that go into "ease" and "difficulty..."
I would say that the easiest would be a captive bred yearling, regardless of species. The most difficult would be a wild caught adult. That is the best answer I can give.
I would say that the easiest would be a captive bred yearling, regardless of species. The most difficult would be a wild caught adult. That is the best answer I can give.
But aren't some species more sensitive to drafts, humidity, diet, etc? For example, I have read that Indian star tortoises are very sensitive to humidity, but I have never kept them (or seen them in person), so I don't know if that's true or not.
GeoTerraTestudo said:
I try to avoid generalizing such things, but in my experience my indian stars have shown a lot less tollerance to environmental changes than my leopards. It's usually when something changes, like when the temperatures drop a lot or it's rainy, my indian stars get runny noses where my leopards are totally fine. It never lasts long, once the tortoise is able to warm up and dry out, then they are back to normal.
Maybe it's because they are smaller than my other tortoises, or these ones in particular are sensitive to environmental changes. But to say that the entire species is less tolerant than another, I don't have that type of experience.
Well, considering I have raised both Sulcatas and Stars, which are supposedly humidity sensitive, in 80% PLUS humidity with multiple mistings per day, I would say no, that isn't necessarily true.
It just isn't possible to put in easy and hard terms. Yes there are different requirements, but that doesn't make one harder than the other.
A Sulcata might be harder to keep than a Russian, but that has more to do with size than with species requirements... see what I mean?
It just isn't possible to put in easy and hard terms. Yes there are different requirements, but that doesn't make one harder than the other.
A Sulcata might be harder to keep than a Russian, but that has more to do with size than with species requirements... see what I mean?
Yes, I see what you mean. I think that in general, animals that come from variable habitats tend to be easier to keep as pets than those that come from habitats with nearly constant conditions. In other words, some animals are more forgiving than others because they are more adaptable.
For example, freshwater fishes are usually easier to keep than saltwater fishes because they can handle changes in temperature and pH more easily, and river fish are easier to keep and breed than lake fish for the same reason. The same might even be said about mammals like cats and dogs; they are both very adaptable species.
So with turtles, I think those species with very narrow requirements are not going to do well unless those precise requirements are met. No animal can adapt to all conditions, of course. However, in the genus Testudo, I think Russian tortoises are probably the most adaptable; Hermann, Greek, and marginated tortoises a bit less so, and Egyptians hardly at all. Box turtles are quite adaptable, too. Among tropical tortoises, I think Sulcatas, leopards, and redfoots come from a wide range of habitat types, so they have an easier time adapting in captivity compared to, say, Indian stars or yellow-footed tortoises, for example.
For example, freshwater fishes are usually easier to keep than saltwater fishes because they can handle changes in temperature and pH more easily, and river fish are easier to keep and breed than lake fish for the same reason. The same might even be said about mammals like cats and dogs; they are both very adaptable species.
So with turtles, I think those species with very narrow requirements are not going to do well unless those precise requirements are met. No animal can adapt to all conditions, of course. However, in the genus Testudo, I think Russian tortoises are probably the most adaptable; Hermann, Greek, and marginated tortoises a bit less so, and Egyptians hardly at all. Box turtles are quite adaptable, too. Among tropical tortoises, I think Sulcatas, leopards, and redfoots come from a wide range of habitat types, so they have an easier time adapting in captivity compared to, say, Indian stars or yellow-footed tortoises, for example.
I think you know the answer..
Laura said:I think you know the answer..
Well, just wanted to check with those who have real experience with some more exotic species.
If you do your research ahead of time, I don't think any species would be any more or less difficult to keep...except for the obvious like Aldabs or Galaps...both of which require immense space and diet!
I think it all depends on the dedication of the owner, any tort is easy to look after if you research it's needs,
I have had torts from Russians to sulcatas at work and also in the turtles I've had box turts, snapping turt, and Mauremys Leprosa, falsa map, etc and they have all been easy, to me.
It is a different thing when someone wants to buy one, as with any reptile my first question is have you had reptiles before?
I have had torts from Russians to sulcatas at work and also in the turtles I've had box turts, snapping turt, and Mauremys Leprosa, falsa map, etc and they have all been easy, to me.
It is a different thing when someone wants to buy one, as with any reptile my first question is have you had reptiles before?
I think it depends on many factors, like where you live and what your good at doing and/or are willing to do for your tortoises.
For me, I do better with my wild caught adults then with hatchlings (but then I really don't like hatchlings as well, so I am not sure which came first the lower amount of liking them, which thus makes hatchlings harder for me OR them being harder for me, thus increasing my dislike of them ). Of all the tortoises I have had, overall for me the Leopards have been a bit harder. If you add in turtles, then with those I have a really hard time with the Eastern box turtle.
For me, I do better with my wild caught adults then with hatchlings (but then I really don't like hatchlings as well, so I am not sure which came first the lower amount of liking them, which thus makes hatchlings harder for me OR them being harder for me, thus increasing my dislike of them
). Of all the tortoises I have had, overall for me the Leopards have been a bit harder. If you add in turtles, then with those I have a really hard time with the Eastern box turtle.- Status
