New, hoping to get a tortoise (or 2 or 3) soon!

[ethan508]

Hi forum peoples. My name is Ethan I live in Northern Utah and I'm looking into getting a pet tortoise or two for my family. I haven't ironed out all the details. I want to have 2-3 tortoise (Russians, Hermann's or Greeks) if possible but I don't want them fighting/territorial.

I have a nice 8'x12' garden against my house in the backyard (south and a little east facing) that I believe would make a nice Tortoise run. The perimeter would be fenced with stacked pavers or landscaping timbers 18-24" tall.

The plan is to build the habitat with a cold frame, a nice dug in hide, a shallow water feature, some perennial shrubs and maybe a couple of 4'x4' pastures of clover/dandelions/greens that I would barricade with pavers so I can allow the plants to recover between grazing. I would also need to irrigate (micro sprinklers or drip lines) the pastures and shrubs as we don't get enough rain to keep plants alive without supplemental water. I'd also add a few drip emitters to the water feature to do part of the job of keeping the water fresh.

I want to hibernate my tortoises from late Oct to early May using a fridge I have in the garage, but would be willing to keep them in a large Rubbermaid tub with proper lights/temps as their health dictates.

Any thoughts or advice. Am I missing anything? I've read a lot of the forum posts, and still just can't quite decide if I'm tracking in the right direction with everything. What tortoises would work well in my climate (semi-arid, getting 100 °F in July and a down to the mid/low 40s°F on some nights in May/September)? And which tortoises would work best in with companions (1 male, 2 females)?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome.
Before it's too late. Buy one. Not two. Unless you intend to have two pens for them. (They are solitary in nature.)
Also, avoid the mistake of purchasing coiled compact florescent bulbs.
The species you decide on will dictate what you will need to house it and care for it.
If you have a huge enclosure, then groups of 3 or more become possible. I keep four Redfoot together. One male and 3 females.

 

[ethan508]

Welcome.
If you have a huge enclosure, then groups of 3 or more become possible.

How big is huge (area-wise)?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

For example mine with the sleeping quarters included is around 350 square feet.
The bigger the better.
Also, In my opinion, sub adult or adult tortoises are much sturdier and hardier than tiny babies. I suggest a larger, older tortoise for a beginner.
They can also often be found very inexpensively.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!

Please keep in mind that these cute little animals are used to living in the wild, where they roam around without "red lights," so as to say. Therefore the bigger the enclosure(s), the better.

And good luck!

 

[Jodie]

You're thinking in the right direction. One or three, no more than 1 male. 1 would be best. Pairs are bad. Even with three You may have to separate. You will need a heated night box outside.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Ethan !

 

[Jacqui]

Why are you wanting more then one? Are you planning on breeding or another reason?

Welcome!

 

[ethan508]

You will need a heated night box outside.

Would a Ceramic emitter in the cold frame work? Or do I need a more dedicated heated box? Or would it be okay to bring him inside on night that are forecast cooler than 50? °F?

 

[ethan508]

Why are you wanting more then one? Are you planning on breeding or another reason?

A little bit of impulse (ultimately I'll do what is best based on the resources/space I can provide), A little bit of just nice to have more than 1 for all the resources it takes to set up a habitat correctly. A little bit of letting each of my kids 'have' their own to give them interest in caring for them (they would really be mine). And a little bit of a better chance that at least one would be out and active when I go out to watch them . This would also spread the attention my kids would give them among multiples rather than it all being focused on one. And a little bit of breeding (babies are stinking cute).

 

[Jodie]

You could bring them in at night and on icky days. I built, well my husband built, insulated boxes. I use an oil filled radiant heater on a thermostat to maintain a low of 65 F in the box. Because I am in Spokane Valley WA, and my spring and fall are so all over the place, I also have lights in there for cold days. This allows me to raise the temp over 80F. Search night boxes. Tom has done some great how to threads.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Ethan, and welcome to the Forum!

As long as you have the space to provide a separate yard for each tortoise, go ahead and get as many as you want, but please realize - tortoises are solitary by nature. Because the type of food they eat is usually in short supply, they chase other tortoises out of their territory...sometimes to the death of one of them.

 

[ethan508]

So what species would be happiest in N. Utah out of Russian, Hermann's, or Greek?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Ethan

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

Welcome

 

[Sara G.]

I'd think your best bet, with your location, would probably be Russians. Though I think Russians have the tendency to be more territorial than other species (although, all torts are territorial by nature).

 

[JoesMum]

Hi

I really recommend that you read the following as it will help

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Pairs
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/

If you're considering Russians
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Russians are very scrappy. But some owners love the personality.
Also, it seems most Russians are still wild caught and arrive with parasites.