MIReptilian
Member
Hello. I'm new to the forum and am trying to figure out which tortoise/turtle is right for me and my family. I posted a thread in the general discussion forum but i'm not sure how much traffic that forum gets compared to the species specific forums. Sorry this is going to be long. I tend to be a bit long winded.
I have a few torts on my short list - Eastern Box, Hermann's, Redfoot, and Leopard (I think I've already ruled out the Leopard due to it's size)
I live in Michigan where we have hot, humid summers and cold snowy winters.
I have 11 aces of land in a very rural area. I also have a 2000 sgft unfinished basement for any kind of indoor enclosure. Space is not a concern.
The eastern box is native to my area of Michigan. This is the reason i'm considering it. I have a feeling a box would be much more able to adapt to out temp swings here in MI and our cold winters. I would love to have both an indoor and outdoor enclosure. My understanding is that these little guys are pretty hardy.
a few questions:
Can I successfully burmate a box turtle in my unfinished basement? or is it necessary to do this outside? This past winter we had wind chills here of -30 degrees below zero. Doesn't happen all the time, but it does get very cold. Do I have to burmate them? Or, if temps are keep constant during the winter can I keep them up?
My initial search for Eastern box breeders tells me that there aren't a lot out there. Or, maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. Hatchling vs yearling??? I'm not sure... I do know that many states have outlawed their sale and maybe that explains why there isn't much availability. I know here in Michigan I can buy an eastern box, but must order from an out of state source and retain my proof of purchase.
Can anyone give me suggestions and maybe some insight on Box Turtle care vs care of other torts I'm considering? I've read some articles saying Box turtles are more difficult to care for than other torts but i'm not sure if that's true or not. I'm researching each species I listed above to try and figure out which would be best for me. I'm posting on the species specif forums with questions.
I have a very large fenced vegetable garden complete with berries (rasberry, blueberry, blackberry and elder berry) and a 20 tree Apple/pear/peach/plum orchard here on my 11 acres.
If anyone can offer up suggestions, opinion, respected breeders to contact etc. i would be grateful.
Thanks
Jeff
I have a few torts on my short list - Eastern Box, Hermann's, Redfoot, and Leopard (I think I've already ruled out the Leopard due to it's size)
I live in Michigan where we have hot, humid summers and cold snowy winters.
I have 11 aces of land in a very rural area. I also have a 2000 sgft unfinished basement for any kind of indoor enclosure. Space is not a concern.
The eastern box is native to my area of Michigan. This is the reason i'm considering it. I have a feeling a box would be much more able to adapt to out temp swings here in MI and our cold winters. I would love to have both an indoor and outdoor enclosure. My understanding is that these little guys are pretty hardy.
a few questions:
Can I successfully burmate a box turtle in my unfinished basement? or is it necessary to do this outside? This past winter we had wind chills here of -30 degrees below zero. Doesn't happen all the time, but it does get very cold. Do I have to burmate them? Or, if temps are keep constant during the winter can I keep them up?
My initial search for Eastern box breeders tells me that there aren't a lot out there. Or, maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. Hatchling vs yearling??? I'm not sure... I do know that many states have outlawed their sale and maybe that explains why there isn't much availability. I know here in Michigan I can buy an eastern box, but must order from an out of state source and retain my proof of purchase.
Can anyone give me suggestions and maybe some insight on Box Turtle care vs care of other torts I'm considering? I've read some articles saying Box turtles are more difficult to care for than other torts but i'm not sure if that's true or not. I'm researching each species I listed above to try and figure out which would be best for me. I'm posting on the species specif forums with questions.
I have a very large fenced vegetable garden complete with berries (rasberry, blueberry, blackberry and elder berry) and a 20 tree Apple/pear/peach/plum orchard here on my 11 acres.
If anyone can offer up suggestions, opinion, respected breeders to contact etc. i would be grateful.
Thanks
Jeff