Hi,I am new.

KAGDR

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
North Central Florida
I dont have a tortoise yet,checking out information,not sure what kind I want,
but would probably want one that can spend most of its time in a outside pen.
I'm in Florida.Kinda in the Gainsville area...
I've always wanted one but was never in a position to get one till now.
Looking forward to advice ,such as should I start with a baby ,or an adult,how big of a pen,should I plan on replanting grass,or bring in sod.....
 

Cowboy_Ken

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
17,560
Location (City and/or State)
Suburban-life in Salem, Oregon
Most, (read all) tortoises live very long lives when taken care of properly. Starting with a baby should be seen as a 75 year commitment. Often times an older tortoise can be adopted from a shelter.
Look how cute this little guy is …almost a walnut View attachment 259893
Some years later and a few pounds, this is a sulcata tortoise, one of the more common
View attachment 259894
 
Last edited:

LaLaP

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
959
Location (City and/or State)
Portland, OR
Hi and welcome to the forum!
I think a baby will need to be kept inside for awhile but an adult could go out right away. There might be exceptions to this.
How much room do you have and how big of a tortoise do you want? Species vary a lot. You can get one the size of a soup bowl or one the size of a coffee table... big difference. Some species eat grass, some eat weeds, others like fruit and some are carnivorous and eat worms and bugs. You could narrow it down by deciding on size and diet first.
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
I dont have a tortoise yet,checking out information,not sure what kind I want,
but would probably want one that can spend most of its time in a outside pen.
I'm in Florida.Kinda in the Gainsville area...
I've always wanted one but was never in a position to get one till now.
Looking forward to advice ,such as should I start with a baby ,or an adult,how big of a pen,should I plan on replanting grass,or bring in sod.....

If new to torts and will be using an outdoor set up....i would not start with a baby....just my 50 cents worth :)
 

KAGDR

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
North Central Florida
Thanks for the welcome ,Yes I was thinking an adult would be best, I have 20 acres,so I can set up a large pen ,Is cinderblock better or plywood? I've read to dig it down from 1 foot to 2 foot...Is there a guide that says ...if they are this big they need x amount of grazing space ? Is it better to adopt and not shop,or am I safer buying one? I think I want a desert species...need the pro and cons on them. Is one breed more personable than another?
Also,bigger is better....I have Great Danes ,they wont be playing together...but I like big ,with anything but bills.....
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
Hello from North Florida, and welcome to the Forum! Currently I have a box turtle and a couple mud turtles. No tortoise yet, but that's only a matter of time. ;) I've been researching what types of tortoises would do well in Florida, also considering what species have the greatest need for new homes.

Redfoots are a more tropical species, but they do well in Florida. @ZEROPILOT is traveling right now, but he lives in South Florida. He would be a good one to ask about keeping redfoots in Florida. Redfoots periodically need adopting or rehoming, and apparently they're one of the most agreeable species to keep in a group. (NOT a pair, you'll hear that repeatedly regarding all types of tortoises, and for good reasons.)

Sulcatas come up for adoption on a regular basis, and it sounds like you have the space if you can fortify the enclosure walls to contain them. @ALDABRAMAN (in Southwest Florida) periodically picks up Sulcatas needing adoption, so if you decide to go that route, get in touch with him to let him know you're interested in adopting. Sulcatas often outgrow their keepers' homes and resources.

There are plenty of other options to consider. Those were just a couple that came to mind. I hope that helps.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
By the way, @Tom shares your interests in Great Danes and desert tortoises. Many members on the Forum can give you great advice (and tons of amusing stories) about Sulcatas, but Tom is considered one of the best breeders and can advise you on various desert type tortoises.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
So you can keep more than one together ? I thought they were all so territorial they needed to be kept single ? Going to have to research redfoots...
The answer is, "It depends." It's possible for a group, but NOT as a pair. From what I've read on the forum, groups don't always work out, but if you have the right mix or ratios of male/female redfoots, they get along better than most and can do well in a group. @ZEROPILOT and other redfoot keepers can give you more details.

If you're thinking about a group, you'd probably be looking at three or more females with perhaps a male. Part of it would depend on whether you were wanting to breed them or not. The species and individual personalities matter when considering keeping a group.
 

KAGDR

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
North Central Florida
yeah...no...I dont think anyone wants a newbie breeding them.... Maybe some day...but I have lots of learning first.....
I just want a tortoise buddy....who tolerates my presence ,who seems happy when I put treats in their dish. I went to one ladys house ,
she had a HUGE sulcata....he comes out of his pen,investigates all the inhabitants in the yard.....I fell in love.....
I have never seen anything that wonderful.....
I have been thinking about the age thing...I did just turn 60 ,so I do think I should leave the young ones to young people....
There has to be a older one looking for a home. Thou...I have already made plans for all my animals incase something happens to me.
I have parrots,they were rescues ,no idea on their ages,but chances are they will out live me ,and I dont want them to go to another rescue.
And my dogs will NEVER be rescues.......so its already planned where they will go....as will plans be made for the tortoise....
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
So you can keep more than one together ? I thought they were all so territorial they needed to be kept single ? Going to have to research redfoots...
Groups of Redfoot are possible with enough space and if all tortoises are cooperative. Even with Redfoot, some will not want to be part of a group.
Solitary tortoises are truly the happiest ones.
Plan on building a low cost outdoors enclosure for the warmer parts of the year as well as an inside enclosure. Make both as large as you can. Most new keepers think tortoise equals large fish aquarium....
More like tortoise equals entire spare guest bedroom.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
@ZEROPILOT How personable would you say redfoots are with people? Am I right in thinking some of the studies on tortoise intelligence involved redfoots?
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
@ZEROPILOT How personable would you say redfoots are with people? Am I right in thinking some of the studies on tortoise intelligence involved redfoots?
I've only owned one that was very interactive with me. A Male named Pedro.
To be fair, I don't spend a great deal of time 1 on 1 with my tortoises unless they're I'll. So I'm not one to answer that.
I see very little what I would call intelligence. I mean nothing like I've seen in small mammals.
But I've heard others with first hand stories. Mostly in the larger breeds.
Maybe its larger tortoises...Larger brain?
 

Redfool

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
379
Location (City and/or State)
Central Florida
I have 5 Redfoots, 3 female and 1 large male and one smaller male. All 3 females and the 1 smaller male are very interactive. The large males machismo keeps him sort of aloof except when he smells food. The large male luckily has always totally ignores the smaller male, no quarrels. The smaller male no longer head bobs, like he did when he was first introduced, as if he has learned his place in the pecking order. 4 of the 5 have been together for more than 25 years. The smaller male was added 5 years ago. All get along well
 

KAGDR

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
North Central Florida
But They kinda grew up together,right? So they established a pecking order long ago....So if I were to get multiples ,they would need to have already been together.....Just how bad do they fight or bully,they cant actually kill each other ,can they?
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
But They kinda grew up together,right? So they established a pecking order long ago....So if I were to get multiples ,they would need to have already been together.....Just how bad do they fight or bully,they cant actually kill each other ,can they?
I think what @Redfool was saying is that his group of redfoots have been getting along fine together for years now, even the small male he added to the group five years ago. So they didn't all grow up together, but redfoots put up with each other much better than other tortoise species. Notice how the females outnumber the male(s) at least two to one.

I also think @Cheryl Hills has a good point. If there were two male Sulcatas or two male Russian tortoises in the same enclosure, they would be in a constant struggle with each other, and the injuries those extremely territorial males can inflict on each other may indeed be fatal.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
WOW....I heard about the territory thing...but it never occurred to me they would actually kill each other.....I think I just want one....no groups
Then consider adopting an adult male Sulcata. They often need rehoming because they get quite large, but you have the acreage to do right by one. Such tortoises come up for adoption on a regular basis in Florida (often free or minimal adoption fee) so you can invest in building the proper enclosure. Several experienced members have said that male Sulcatas are far more personable, so that would likely give you the interaction you desire.
 

New Posts

Top