I don't have a tortoise. (Yet.)

[LuckyB]

Hello! I'm Lucky, and I currently live in the Bay Area (in California). I'm still researching and looking stuff up, but I plan on getting a tort by the end of this year. Currently looking into either a Hermann's or a Russian. If you have any advice, let me know!

My current worries are the humidity and weather. If I have an outdoor enclosure, will these factors be a problem? I'm afraid it will be too cold and too humid. Also, which breed will be more well adjusted with this weather?

Another question I have is how much they're supposed to eat, and at what age. No tortoise site seems to have any recommendations. I also read that tortoises will eat whatever they can because in the wild they're used to fluctuating resources (eating a lot in times of abundance, and hibernating when there's less food). I want to plant dandelions and grasses so he can eat even when I'm not at home, but will he just eat everything in one go?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . You live in Calf. Contact the CTTC in your area and you may be able to adopt a tort . Have a great tort day !

 

[LuckyB]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . You live in Calf. Contact the CTTC in your area and you may be able to adopt a tort . Have a great tort day !

Thanks for the suggestion! I haven't yet decided what kind I wanted, but when I know I'll definitely check them out.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

The CTTC are great people . I lived in AZ and ten years a go I joined cause they were so helpful people .

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lucky, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Tom]

Hello! I'm Lucky, and I currently live in the Bay Area (in California). I'm still researching and looking stuff up, but I plan on getting a tort by the end of this year. Currently looking into either a Hermann's or a Russian. If you have any advice, let me know!

My current worries are the humidity and weather. If I have an outdoor enclosure, will these factors be a problem? I'm afraid it will be too cold and too humid. Also, which breed will be more well adjusted with this weather?

Another question I have is how much they're supposed to eat, and at what age. No tortoise site seems to have any recommendations. I also read that tortoises will eat whatever they can because in the wild they're used to fluctuating resources (eating a lot in times of abundance, and hibernating when there's less food). I want to plant dandelions and grasses so he can eat even when I'm not at home, but will he just eat everything in one go?

Tortoises varieties are species, not breeds.

What you can do is have a large indoor enclosure set up with the correct conditions and temperatures, and then use the outdoor one for fair weather.

Both species will do fine in your climate with the right set up.

Let them free feed on the right foods at any age. Neither of those species eat grass, so you'll need lots of weeds, leaves and flowers. Sure they can survive times of drought and starvation in the wild, but we don't need to intentionally impose that upon them in our artificial captive environments.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[LuckyB]

Tortoises varieties are species, not breeds.

Sorry about that! I've had dogs all my life, so I'm just used to that terminology.

What you can do is have a large indoor enclosure set up with the correct conditions and temperatures, and then use the outdoor one for fair weather.

Do you know when they reach full size? Is 2x8 feet too small for an indoor enclosure? I've seen enclosures with 2 floors where the tortoise can walk up to the second floor. Do you recommend these?

Both species will do fine in your climate with the right set up.

Let them free feed on the right foods at any age. Neither of those species eat grass, so you'll need lots of weeds, leaves and flowers. Sure they can survive times of drought and starvation in the wild, but we don't need to intentionally impose that upon them in our artificial captive environments.

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Oh wow, this is super helpful! Thanks! I read online that they eat grass, but I guess that website was mistaken. D: I'll definitely study those threads come this weekend.

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Tom]

2x8' is adequate. A little bigger would be better.

Two story enclosures are not my cup of tea, but they can work. I've seen some pretty creative ones.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hi, Lucky, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
Torts will eat when they want, if they eat it all in one go, they are too hungry and you haven't given them enough.
They won't get fat if the diet is good and they get enough exercise.

 

[Lyn W]

Welcome Lucky!

 

[IDigGraves94]

I have a Russian tortoise and I do love him, he's got an awful lot of personality for a little dinosaur. Things you might not know: they can move pretty quickly, actually, and they like to climb, so keep an eye on them if you let them roam free at all. Have fun!