Hello from Arizona!

[MarissaA2911]

Hi my name is Marissa i will be new to tortoise owning soon. I am super excited! I do have a red ear slider turtle that i have had for three years now. I have had him since he was a hatchling . So i know tortoises and turtles are life long partners. I have been doing a lot of research on owning a tortoise. There is a lot of confusing information out there. I have heard this site was a good place to join to learn how to properly care for your tortoise. I do have a few questions
1. What substrate do i use?
As of right now i can't have an outdoor enclosure because we are renting our home and , i don't know how the landlord would feel with a fence and a tortoise outside. There maybe a chance next year (about a 90% chance) that we will rent to own then i can build one with no issues. So it'll be housed indoors for now. I do plain to take my tortoise outside daily as much as i can since i am home a lot now,and i have no excuse on why i can't.

2. How big of a plastic tub or book shelf would i need to house one?
I am not looking for the minimal size i can go big, just as long as i have enough room for a bed and desk. I know everyone says no on using any types aquariums to house them indoors.

3. What kind of lettuce, vegetables and grass would be good for them to eat? I know no iceberg lettuce and don't give them much fruit. Would it be ok eating lettuce from the store? I would love to grow my own stuff but i don't know if i can with it being hot and dry here.

4. What supplies would i need other then the substrate, lights and the calcium powder for the food?

5 What age of tortoise would be good for a first time owner? A hatchling, Yearling or a full grown adult?
6 what breed would be good for a first time owner? I am looking at Russians, Greeks and Redfoots. I really like Redfoots a lot but i know they can get big. Then i also like the Russians and the Greeks since they do stay kinda small.
7. What websites would be good to order one off from?
I live in a small town and the nearest reptiles rescue is three hours away. Then the only tortoises I'm seeing on craiglist is suclata and no matter how badly i want one i know i could not provide a big enough outside enclosure for when he or she gets big. Then the only petstore here is petsmart and they don't have any. I am looking at tortoisesupply.com and LLLReptiles.com. are they good places to order from?
8. Because i live in the desert would the tortoise be ok walking on the dirt outside or would i have to plant a grassy part for him\her? I don't have much of a grassy lawn it all dirt. Lol. There is a few spots that have grass but that is it.

9. How often would you soak a tortoise especially an adult?

10. How often would you clean the enclosure ?

11. If i have him or her outside all the time and we have a storm, would i bring them inside or would i keep them outside?
Hopefully that wasn't a lot of questions l. I'll probably have a lot more when i get my tortoise. I am not planning on getting one till i get the enclosure set, ready and perfect.

Now here a little about my area.

I live in southwest Arizona. It is always hot here, temps can be 100+ during the day then at night it usually 80-90's. The fall I've heard here is suppose to be nice. I just moved to Arizona from Tennessee so i don't know how the fall is here actually. But i know it won't be 20-below zero here... i hope haha.
Inside my house we keep the temperature around 79-80 degrees. We do that because when we moved here we heard if you keep your air conditioner below 78 it will cost you an arm and leg and mess up the air conditioner. I do have other animals including a dog, two cats and a turtle. The dog and one of my cats is really good about leaving the turtle alone but my other cat not so much. I will make sure though the tortoise will be safe. I'll lock my room so he cant go in to bug it.


Thank you for reading!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Marissa welcome to the TFO from Phx,AZ . Well I spent a year in Tenn. was born in Mich . And I love AZ . Roses bloom at Christmas and the only time I see snow is when I want to go north but it will get cold in the winter. You might Evan see frost in the morning .
But your landlord may like the tort in his yard torts like weeds more then landlords do .but we have a lot of reading in here about torts . And yet you ruled out Marginals , pancakes , Herrmanns , and leopards . Why they are nice . And don't forget our desert torts here in AZ . Well I hope I've helped little . good luck with your choice


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Out of the two places you mentioned to buy from, I would go with tortoisesupple.com.

 

[immayo]

Welcome from Mesa, AZ!

Some of your questions unfortunately won't be able to be answered until you decide on a species as different types call for different care. As a redfoot owner myself, please keep in mind that they are a tropical species. While being awesome tortoises they will require a bit more maintenance than the others you listed. Redfoots require a high amount of humidity that isn't naturally accommodated in our desert environment.

Smaller species or a young tortoise would do well in an inside enclosure since you aren't sure about an outside one yet. All species require the basics: food/water dishes (not too deep so they can't flip and be trapped inside), heating/light source (I prefer a Mercy Vapor Bulb to provide both), substrate (top soil, eco earth, cypress mulch or orchard bark), humid hide areas usually kept with moist green moss or sphagnum moss and lots of love!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Marissa, and welcome to the Forum!

If you read the care sheets at the top of each species section, most of your questions will be answered.

 

[tortadise]

Welcome

 

[MarissaA2911]

Thank y'all for the welcomes! I have pretty much decided on a Russian tortoise since they stay a decent size. I will definitely ( not unless i can find one on craiglist or at petsmart) order from TortoiseSupply since they have a lot of good reviews.

 

[MarissaA2911]

Hi Marissa, and welcome to the Forum!

If you read the care sheets at the top of each species section, most of your questions will be answered.

I will definitely check those out.: )

 

[immayo]

Thank y'all for the welcomes! I have pretty much decided on a Russian tortoise since they stay a decent size. I will definitely ( not unless i can find one on craiglist or at petsmart) order from TortoiseSupply since they have a lot of good reviews.

Tyler is a good man and a personal friend of mine. You won't be disappointed! I also have one of his tortoises

 

[tortdad]

Russians make a good 1st tort, they stay kind of small 9''+/- and are very hearty. The redfoots don't get much bigger 12-14''+/- and it will take years for either to get to that size. Since you are housing indoors for a year or two anyways just start off with a hatchling and a good indoor enclosure. If you change your mind and go with a Redfoot just know that your enclosure needs to be 100% closed up to hold the temps and humidity. Humidity for them needs to be 80% and above. Mine is a closed chamber and it holds 95% humidity with very little care. Even a young Russian needs to have humidify levels higher than what you have in AZ. I grew up in SE Arizona so I know what your up against humidity wise. Check the care sheets for a Russian because I think you need to keep levels of something like 50% for a Russian hatchling. Tyler are Tortoise Supply is a well know member and has tons of positive reviews so you can feel safe that you will get a healthy tort from them.

 

[smarch]

Hello and welcome from MA! Good choice on the Russian, I have one and I love him, they have spunk You probably can find one at petsmart easily ... but they would be wild caught and more timid and likely of having health issues. But Franklin was from Petco and while 2 years later he's still kinda shy he has warmed up to me.
Age I'd say go with whatever you want, pet stores will have adults (cant sell <4in) but if you went through someone here on online you could get a hatchling, it'd be more fragile but if you do research you should be fine. I use just rgular old dirt from our yard as substrate (we have an untreated tort safe yard) and I plan to add coco-coir since i'm having a very low humidity problem. Mulch in my experience molds and sand is a no-no due to impaction.
My tort loves dirt he digs like crazy, but he also likes to graze on clover and dandelions in our yard. I'd say try to plant some grasses in a portion so when you take him out he has the option to graze, they make a great tortoise plant mix you could get with all the weeds and stuff they love (this has always been pointless to me we grow them easily here)
I try to soak weekly, or extra if he looks especially dry. I clean out left over food and poops daily, clean the water mostly daily, and have to rearrange his "furnature" daily since he gets busy during the day. but I only clean out substrate if it gets really stinky or buggy, a lot of people here seem to like once or twice a year.
I'd take them in during storms, when a storm is coming Franklin gets a terrified look on his face and digs like crazy or just sits there head up breathing looking around, and this is while inside. A little rain is good though as long as its warm, just not downpours or thunder in my experience

 

[Arnold_rules]

Just curious, why choose a Russian when you can adopt a desert tortoise? Right now there is an over abundance of them for adoption. OK, I am biased in that I only want to keep desert tortoises and have had them all my life.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Arnold where you been all my life when I was looking for a pair of desert torts . Now I have a few but I think they are all boys . It's nice to see there are other people that like desert torts .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[littleginsu]

I would love a desert tortoise.. I just always seem to be late to the party when people have them up for adoption!

 

[MarissaA2911]

Just curious, why choose a Russian when you can adopt a desert tortoise? Right now there is an over abundance of them for adoption. OK, I am biased in that I only want to keep desert tortoises and have had them all my life.

How big do they get? And i thought it was illegal to own them in AZ. Sorry if i sound stupid lol.

 

[littleginsu]

You cannot take them out of the wild, but sometimes they have to be rescued and then you can adopt them from like the Desert Museum.

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome. Good to have you here.

 

[MarissaA2911]

Hello and welcome from MA! Good choice on the Russian, I have one and I love him, they have spunk You probably can find one at petsmart easily ... but they would be wild caught and more timid and likely of having health issues. But Franklin was from Petco and while 2 years later he's still kinda shy he has warmed up to me.
Age I'd say go with whatever you want, pet stores will have adults (cant sell <4in) but if you went through someone here on online you could get a hatchling, it'd be more fragile but if you do research you should be fine. I use just rgular old dirt from our yard as substrate (we have an untreated tort safe yard) and I plan to add coco-coir since i'm having a very low humidity problem. Mulch in my experience molds and sand is a no-no due to impaction.
My tort loves dirt he digs like crazy, but he also likes to graze on clover and dandelions in our yard. I'd say try to plant some grasses in a portion so when you take him out he has the option to graze, they make a great tortoise plant mix you could get with all the weeds and stuff they love (this has always been pointless to me we grow them easily here)
I try to soak weekly, or extra if he looks especially dry. I clean out left over food and poops daily, clean the water mostly daily, and have to rearrange his "furnature" daily since he gets busy during the day. but I only clean out substrate if it gets really stinky or buggy, a lot of people here seem to like once or twice a year.
I'd take them in during storms, when a storm is coming Franklin gets a terrified look on his face and digs like crazy or just sits there head up breathing looking around, and this is while inside. A little rain is good though as long as its warm, just not downpours or thunder in my experience

Russians make a good 1st tort, they stay kind of small 9''+/- and are very hearty. The redfoots don't get much bigger 12-14''+/- and it will take years for either to get to that size. Since you are housing indoors for a year or two anyways just start off with a hatchling and a good indoor enclosure. If you change your mind and go with a Redfoot just know that your enclosure needs to be 100% closed up to hold the temps and humidity. Humidity for them needs to be 80% and above. Mine is a closed chamber and it holds 95% humidity with very little care. Even a young Russian needs to have humidify levels higher than what you have in AZ. I grew up in SE Arizona so I know what your up against humidity wise. Check the care sheets for a Russian because I think you need to keep levels of something like 50% for a Russian hatchling. Tyler are Tortoise Supply is a well know member and has tons of positive reviews so you can feel safe that you will get a healthy tort from them.

Thank y'all for the advice!!


I'll keep that in mind about the Redfoots. I may still change my mind and get a Redfoots because i like to change my mind a lot lol. Now how would you keep the humidity up?