MuffinTort
New Member
Deciding whether or not I should rescue this Blonde Greek Tortoise....Here's the current set-up for my one and only tortoise.
I currently have a female red foot tortoise, about 7 years old. Every day I take her out and let her roam my backyard freely (over 1,000 sf of area). Water mister on timer to help keeps things humid outside. Every evening I find her and bring her into a warm box of sphagnum moss, lightly moistened with a wet towel draping over to maintain humidity. Pretty simple set-up during the spring and summer.
During the winter, I have an exterior 3'x6' greenhouse (intended for plants) that has a heating lamp and UVB light hanging overhead with a fogger plugged into a hygrometer. She goes in and out as she needs to stay warm, and I bring her in again every evening. On rainy days, we built this 3'x6' box that's under our deck and she can walk around in there. Heating lamps and lights all included.
A friend is now asking me to adopt a 1-2-year-old Blond Greek Tortoise(unidentified sex). I've read up about all the issues of mixing species and I want to be respectful of it.
1) Is the Greek tortoise too young to roam the backyard without supervision? Should it be kept inside and only outside on weekends (hypothetically) when under supervision? At what age or size is considered a mature adult to be outside independently?
2) In the future, can both tortoises roam the large backyard freely? Or do I need to create physical barriers?
3) For night conditions, I do plan on creating a separate box so that they each have their own sleeping quarters. Plus the Greek tortoise needs less humidity.
4) Do you think I need to consider another greenhouse AND rainy day 3'x6' box for the Greek tortoise like I already do for my Red Foot?
What are the boundaries for "mixing" species? If they're free to roam during the day but share the same yard, is that still an issue? If I separate them at night but put them in the same "rainy day" box, is that still mixing species? Do you think there's room for trial and error with this? Or should the 2 never be in the same box; ever.
I love tortoises but might have to reconsider adoption of the Blonde Greek if it over-complicates the living conditions. Or, am I over-complicating their living conditions and environment? I just feel guilty leaving them in a pen all day.
Thanks
I currently have a female red foot tortoise, about 7 years old. Every day I take her out and let her roam my backyard freely (over 1,000 sf of area). Water mister on timer to help keeps things humid outside. Every evening I find her and bring her into a warm box of sphagnum moss, lightly moistened with a wet towel draping over to maintain humidity. Pretty simple set-up during the spring and summer.
During the winter, I have an exterior 3'x6' greenhouse (intended for plants) that has a heating lamp and UVB light hanging overhead with a fogger plugged into a hygrometer. She goes in and out as she needs to stay warm, and I bring her in again every evening. On rainy days, we built this 3'x6' box that's under our deck and she can walk around in there. Heating lamps and lights all included.
A friend is now asking me to adopt a 1-2-year-old Blond Greek Tortoise(unidentified sex). I've read up about all the issues of mixing species and I want to be respectful of it.
1) Is the Greek tortoise too young to roam the backyard without supervision? Should it be kept inside and only outside on weekends (hypothetically) when under supervision? At what age or size is considered a mature adult to be outside independently?
2) In the future, can both tortoises roam the large backyard freely? Or do I need to create physical barriers?
3) For night conditions, I do plan on creating a separate box so that they each have their own sleeping quarters. Plus the Greek tortoise needs less humidity.
4) Do you think I need to consider another greenhouse AND rainy day 3'x6' box for the Greek tortoise like I already do for my Red Foot?
What are the boundaries for "mixing" species? If they're free to roam during the day but share the same yard, is that still an issue? If I separate them at night but put them in the same "rainy day" box, is that still mixing species? Do you think there's room for trial and error with this? Or should the 2 never be in the same box; ever.
I love tortoises but might have to reconsider adoption of the Blonde Greek if it over-complicates the living conditions. Or, am I over-complicating their living conditions and environment? I just feel guilty leaving them in a pen all day.
Thanks