New from Ohio

[Covey88]

Hello all,
New member here from the Akron/Canton area of Ohio. Been a reptile fan my whole life and now that I have a house and wife that allows me to I'm looking into getting a tortoise. Had a box turtle and a couple of red eared sliders when I was young, but have always wanted a tortoise. My love is the larger breeds like a sulcata tortoise but living in Ohio know it's just not a good choice for the tortoise. So now looking around, have been reading on this forum for some time so decided to join. Love all the information here! So if anyone is in Ohio and around my area I would love to pick your brain.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome your in the right place. Lots of great members here to help you.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Hi Covey88, welcome to the forum. I too am from Youngstown. Ohio. I am raising Sulcatas and Russians. It can be done but it is not easy. You have to provide them with heated night boxes or a shed that is heated. Currently mine live indoors but not for long.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

 

[Olibojoli]

Hello!

 

[Covey88]

Thanks for the welcomes, is there anyone else in Ohio or surrounding areas with the similar climates? Have tons of questions and seem to read a lot about people with tortoise in southern states and fully understand why. Just looking for more information from people that have to deal with fall, winter and spring were climates can change 30+ degrees from day to day.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Cherry Hills is very knowledgeable. Good luck and stay warm.

 

[xMario]

Thanks for the welcomes, is there anyone else in Ohio or surrounding areas with the similar climates? Have tons of questions and seem to read a lot about people with tortoise in southern states and fully understand why. Just looking for more information from people that have to deal with fall, winter and spring were climates can change 30+ degrees from day to day.

Not from Ohio.. im from Germany but we also have not the best climates for a sulcata I have my sulcata indoors for 8 months of the year.. right now it's easy cause he's still very tiny.
I'm lucky enough to be in the position that I don't need to worry about space later on when he's fully grown cause I already have the spare room to upgrade him to as he gets bigger with that I basically mean 2 full sized rooms waiting for him... the rest of the year I got a big garden to put him in what I'm trying to say is if u want a big tortoise make sure u can provide enough room I played with the thought about getting a big tortoise when I was 16 I the started working with 18 to safe enough money to fulfill my dream of owning such a beautiful creature... now I'm 24 and enjoying every day seeing my little friend growing [emoji1]

 

[mark1]

anything is doable , but it is an expensive undertaking to keep tropical species in northern ohio ... to keep a large one outside here for 5-6 months out of a year requires a lot of work and/or expense ………… i'd definitely go with natural gas heat as much as possible , and a well insulated garage for the winter ……….. I keep one small room 10x12 feet , certainly not big enough to appropriately house a grown sulcata for 7 months a year , up to environmental standards for a tropical species , and a $400 electric bill does not surprise me ……..

 

[Covey88]

Love the help, I own 1.5 acres, fenced in 1/4 of it, but also house a rottweiler, a boxer and soon to be kid, a room in basement or majority of it could be used for seasonal housing. Seen plans for DIY green house, house is natural gas. Just want to plan and research, I would never buy or rescue a tortoise without knowing I can provide for its entire life.