I want a tortoise but it seems too difficult

gillsims

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Hi all, I’ve always wanted a tortoise but feel overwhelmed about how to care for it. I want one for the garden. I found one to get but they warned me that they do not hibernate and I needed to bring inside in a glass frame in the winter but I don’t have space for that, don’t feel that’s natural. Do I give up on this dream ? I’ve met some people who just have a tortoise in the garden and say it’s easiest pet to have and one lady had one over 100 years old. How do people do this?
 

Tom

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Once you have the correct set up, the day to day maintenance is fairly easy. Problems occur when people don't have the right set up, and when they try to follow conflicting advice from multiple sources.

Babies need to be mostly inside and using a closed chamber makes maintaining the correct conditions much easier. Depending on the temperatures in the room, older tortoises can do well in a large tortoises table. Outdoors enclosures are good for any size or age tortoise in fair weather. I would not recommend putting a tortoise outside, without properly heated shelter, and leaving it that way. While some people take that gamble and the tortoise somehow survives year after year, it usually ends in disaster.

There are a few concepts to understand about heating and maintain a herbivorous shelled reptile. You can read about the details here and decide if this is for you or not:
 

KarenSoCal

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You shouldn't have to give up on your dream. There are ways to make it easier if you feel overwhelmed.

Some suggestions...
First, get an adult instead of a hatchling. They are more forgiving in their care than hatchlings.

Second, get a tortoise that fits your space and ability to care for it. For instance, I'm a 69 year old woman that lives alone, so I would not get a tortoise that weighs 150 lbs. That tortoise, besides his weight, needs a huge outdoor space, and is a bulldozer that can be very destructive. That's a sulcata, BTW.

Read Tom's care sheet he linked, and compare it to what you are willing to provide. But keep in mind that it is written mostly for people who are starting out with a hatchling. With an adult, you would skip much of the detailed care, like precise temps and perfect humidity.

A Russian tortoise (called a horsefield in UK) pops to mind as a good choice for you. They stay small and don't need to hibernate in winter.

My final word of advice...if you get a hatchling, get it from a reputable breeder! So many of them start babies all wrong, and the baby is sick when you get it. If you go for an adult, try to adopt one that needs a home.

Unfortunately, I'm no help with resources in the UK.
 

gillsims

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You shouldn't have to give up on your dream. There are ways to make it easier if you feel overwhelmed.

Some suggestions...
First, get an adult instead of a hatchling. They are more forgiving in their care than hatchlings.

Second, get a tortoise that fits your space and ability to care for it. For instance, I'm a 69 year old woman that lives alone, so I would not get a tortoise that weighs 150 lbs. That tortoise, besides his weight, needs a huge outdoor space, and is a bulldozer that can be very destructive. That's a sulcata, BTW.

Read Tom's care sheet he linked, and compare it to what you are willing to provide. But keep in mind that it is written mostly for people who are starting out with a hatchling. With an adult, you would skip much of the detailed care, like precise temps and perfect humidity.

A Russian tortoise (called a horsefield in UK) pops to mind as a good choice for you. They stay small and don't need to hibernate in winter.

My final word of advice...if you get a hatchling, get it from a reputable breeder! So many of them start babies all wrong, and the baby is sick when you get it. If you go for an adult, try to adopt one that needs a home.

Unfortunately, I'm no help with resources in the UK.
My plan is to get an adult as I was something easier to start with. I found a lovely 6 year old for sale but suddenly things got complicated about being told about glass houses and heat lamps and things. Can I just make a home outside and have a heat lamp for the cold and not hibernate? I am semi retired and big garden so can give it time and space.
 

KarenSoCal

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What species?
It gets cold where you live, so it would need a suitable indoor table with heat, depending on your house temp. If you left it outside, it would hibernate. And you can't just hang a bulb over it to keep it warm enough.

Assuming you found a horsefield, you need to plan on an indoor tortoise table at least 8ftx4ft, and a large outdoor enclosure. The tort could live outside during summer, but not winter.
 

gillsims

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What species?
It gets cold where you live, so it would need a suitable indoor table with heat, depending on your house temp. If you left it outside, it would hibernate. And you can't just hang a bulb over it to keep it warm enough.

Assuming you found a horsefield, you need to plan on an indoor tortoise table at least 8ftx4ft, and a large outdoor enclosure. The tort could live outside during summer, but not winter.
Thanks, I realise this is getting more complicated and I don’t have space for a table inside. There are so many mixed messages as some advise to have outdoor home heated.
i admire you tortoise people, it must be incredible to live with these beautiful animals but I can’t offer the inside space so not for me.
 

KarenSoCal

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It is possible for some tortoises to live outside in a heated night box at night. That would depend on the species.

It sounds to me like now is not the time for you to have a tortoise. They require more time and effort and space than works for you.

It's good to find this out now, rather than after you already had one.

Best wishes to you!
 

gillsims

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It is possible for some tortoises to live outside in a heated night box at night. That would depend on the species.

It sounds to me like now is not the time for you to have a tortoise. They require more time and effort and space than works for you.

It's good to find this out now, rather than after you already had one.

Best wishes to you!
If you read the thread I do have the time and space but I don’t have space inside for a huge glass tank and also wanted a ‘free’ outside tortoise so was planning on an area being built outside but I’m getting mixed messages on heating outside and hibernating. Some say don’t hibernate some day do. Some say inside with lamps and some say outside with lamps. It’s just so complicated with so many mixed messages. I even read an advice sheet on here but people not saying same. Very complicated.
 

KarenSoCal

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Different species require different care. What species are you looking at?

Also, sometimes folks who respond don't look to see where you live. It makes a big difference at a place that is chilly and rainy a lot of the time, and gets snow in the wintertime vs low desert with temps of 120°F and not a drop of rain for months on end.
 

jsheffield

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Hi all, I’ve always wanted a tortoise but feel overwhelmed about how to care for it. I want one for the garden. I found one to get but they warned me that they do not hibernate and I needed to bring inside in a glass frame in the winter but I don’t have space for that, don’t feel that’s natural. Do I give up on this dream ? I’ve met some people who just have a tortoise in the garden and say it’s easiest pet to have and one lady had one over 100 years old. How do people do this?

If you want a tortoise that doesn't require effort, as ornamentation in your garden, get a statue.

Living animals all have their specific needs, and as others have said, a Russian Tortoise might be able to live successfully in your garden, but you'll have to be willing to work to establish conditions that will help it not just survive, but thrive.

If you don't have room for a 4X8 tortoise table inside for the cooler months, than you could probably help the tortoise navigate brumation (like hibernation, but a bit different), either out in your garden or in a fridge in your house.

These things are all doable, but you have to be willing to work in support of the tortoise's well-being, not just buy it and dump the beast in your garden to fend for itself (which it might be able to do, but which would likely just yield a dead tortoise).

TFO is a wonderful resource for learning about how to care for your tortoise... lots of information and knowledgeable people who can help you tailor your world to meeting your tortoise's needs.

I hope you decide to get a tortoise and decide to make the effort to provide a suitable home environment for it.

Sincerely,

Jamie
 

gillsims

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If you want a tortoise that doesn't require effort, as ornamentation in your garden, get a statue.

Living animals all have their specific needs, and as others have said, a Russian Tortoise might be able to live successfully in your garden, but you'll have to be willing to work to establish conditions that will help it not just survive, but thrive.

If you don't have room for a 4X8 tortoise table inside for the cooler months, than you could probably help the tortoise navigate brumation (like hibernation, but a bit different), either out in your garden or in a fridge in your house.

These things are all doable, but you have to be willing to work in support of the tortoise's well-being, not just buy it and dump the beast in your garden to fend for itself (which it might be able to do, but which would likely just yield a dead tortoise).

TFO is a wonderful resource for learning about how to care for your tortoise... lots of information and knowledgeable people who can help you tailor your world to meeting your tortoise's needs.

I hope you decide to get a tortoise and decide to make the effort to provide a suitable home environment for it.

Sincerely,

Jamie
Jamie I really don’t think you have read this thread. I was saying I do have the time and want to do it properly. I have kept animals for years to a high standard, I was only saying I’m confused with the mixed information I’ve been getting. I’m more than happy to make a good home for it but wanted advice about keeping outside as I have met people that do that, not as an ornament as you rudely suggested but successfully and carefully. I want my tortoise to be free to be safe, warm outside AND cared for.
 

jsheffield

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Jamie I really don’t think you have read this thread. I was saying I do have the time and want to do it properly. I have kept animals for years to a high standard, I was only saying I’m confused with the mixed information I’ve been getting. I’m more than happy to make a good home for it but wanted advice about keeping outside as I have met people that do that, not as an ornament as you rudely suggested but successfully and carefully. I want my tortoise to be free to be safe, warm outside AND cared for.
gillsims,

I'm sorry if I misunderstood your posts when I read them, and sorry that you feel my response to you was rude.

If you do want a tortoise, it can certainly be done in your environment if you make the effort, and this is the place to learn about it... I wish you well in your endeavors.

Jamie
 

gillsims

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I have purchased books, read up on equipment and even contacted sellers for advice. I decided to join this forum for advice as I so want to do the right thing. It is so complicated though. Just met a friend who’s neighbours tortoise is 93 and lives outside so I’m going to contact him and see how he keeps it so well, I was looking for natural environment for my tortoise not a glass cabinet, and even read they have to be extremely large for them, that I can’t do. If I can’t do the right thing then I will just have to hold tortoise owners in admiration instead of owning.
 

Helen Ruff

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I have purchased books, read up on equipment and even contacted sellers for advice. I decided to join this forum for advice as I so want to do the right thing. It is so complicated though. Just met a friend who’s neighbours tortoise is 93 and lives outside so I’m going to contact him and see how he keeps it so well, I was looking for natural environment for my tortoise not a glass cabinet, and even read they have to be extremely large for them, that I can’t do. If I can’t do the right thing then I will just have to hold tortoise owners in admiration instead of owning.
Hi Gillsims,.... I live in the north of the UK and want to warmly welcome you to the forum. In my opinion you are already trying to learn about the fantastic life as a tortoise parent, so don’t be discouraged by comments that you possibly believe to be negative. As a recent new owner I read a lot of informative stuff here but am slightly scared about posting stuff ( especially photos ) for fear of been told off for not doing something quite right ! My torts have been my “Covid lockdown dream” and give me so much pleasure.... though I obviously understand that they are ‘for life and grandchildren’s lives ‘ so are very precious! Good luck and good research and I hope you soon find a lovely tortoise to share your time and space with ?
 

gillsims

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Thank you so much for your beautiful comments. I will continue to learn before I brave it into being a privileged owner.
 

Yvonne G

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It is perfectly fine for you to have a tortoise. The main thing is you need to choose the species of tortoise that is able to live in your climate. Most people in the UK keep either Russians or Greeks, as both of these species can live outside in the UK, and both species will brumate.
 

stigrk

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Disclaimer: This is not my tortoise and I would have provided more care (heat lamp, monitored brumation in a small fridge etc).

That said, this one:


Has been living outdoors in Norway for over 50 years, brumating every winter by digging itself down when it feels the time is right and comes out of the earth again every spring. It is probably around +60 years old now, it was an adult when they bought it back in the days. The only tortoise husbandry the owners provide seems to be a small greenhouse for cold days and some extra food once in a while.

Sorry, the article is in Norwegian and behind a paywall but I read it a few months back on a trial period for that newspaper group.

It is certainly possible to have a Tortoise outdoors in UK which has consistently milder climate than Norway assuming it is an adult and a species similar to this one.

BTW: They claim it is a "Gresk Landskilpadde" which in the Norwegian language means Testudo Hermanni. Testudo Graeca is known as Iberian Tortoise in Norwegian. These name differences was a bit confusing to me in the beginning when I started reading up on Tortoises before getting one.
 
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