new little friend

[redreatta]

ok. so i have all the stuff for a sulcata tortoise, and i am ready to get a new little friend, hopefully things go better this time.
does anyone have any recomendations on where to go or how to find a tort in good condition? we have a reptile show coming up on the 20th of march and i want to go there and see what they have(columbus Ohio)
i would love to get another sulcata, but i am hearing that Russian Eastern Hermanns and Dalmatian Hermanns might be the best for my region. any input would be great. thanks

 

[Weloveourtortoise]

being in ohio I would think about when the sulcta gets to be Bob Sized. I live in MA and have a Russian and love him. He is just as rambuctious and inquisitve and any other animal I have had.

 

[Yvonne G]

Because of where you live, and thinking long-term, I think you would be wise to get a smaller tortoise. I have no experience with Hermanns but I know that Russians are great little tortoises with a personality similar to a very large tortoise. They get very people oriented and quite friendly.

 

[Tom]

I agree with Yvonne. Once they settle in, Russians have a great personality. Plus they are very hardy, relatively easy to house and care for, and if you get tired of taking care of him, you have the option of hibernating him for a few months every year. Try to find a captive bred one if possible. There are still a lot of wild-caughts around and those can be more problematic.

P.S. I'm jealous. We don't have any shows coming up here for a while. At least none that I know of. Please take some pics and tell us how the show is, so that we may live vicariously.

 

[redreatta]

I agree with Yvonne. Once they settle in, Russians have a great personality. Plus they are very hardy, relatively easy to house and care for, and if you get tired of taking care of him, you have the option of hibernating him for a few months every year. Try to find a captive bred one if possible. There are still a lot of wild-caughts around and those can be more problematic.

P.S. I'm jealous. We don't have any shows coming up here for a while. At least none that I know of. Please take some pics and tell us how the show is, so that we may live vicariously.

will do. pics will be posted on the 20th. also what are the differances on raising a russian tort, heat, humidity, lighting requirements, food etc.

 

[GBtortoises]

"i would love to get another sulcata, but i am hearing that Russian Eastern Hermanns and Dalmatian Hermanns might be the best for my region. any input would be great. thanks"

I live in upstate New York, with a climate similar to yours in Ohio. If you're considering a tortoise to keep outdoors as much as possible (or always) then a Russian tortoise or one of the Northern Mediterranean species (Hermann's, Ibera Greek or Marginateds) are the way to go here in the North. Sulcata can be kept outdoors during the middle of the summer but as you know, here in the Northeast our summers are typically short and cool. Not condusive to good Sulcata keeping! Keep in mind that Sulcata will eventually grow to several times larger than any of the above mentioned species and if being kept in the northern U.S. you will need large accomodations indoors for most of the year. VERY large accomodations!

The smaller species such as the Russians and Hermann's don't have the enclosure size or higher heat requirements that a Sulcata will. Both species also have very curious, outgoing "personalities".

Both Russians and two of the three Hermann's subspecies (Easterns & Dalmatians) are usually readily available at shows, from online suppliers and from breeders.

 

[harris]

I've been to the shows in Columbus. By far the best shows in Ohio. You will find what you're looking for there.....And then some. Leave the credit card at home.

 

[dreadyA]

At the show you are running higher chances of getting a Better deal without shipping cost.
Don't settle in on one either-as some booths will be less in$$. Also, ask what they're kind of diet they're on.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

I am excited for you. If I ever got another tortoise, it would be a Russian. They seem to have Sulcata personalities in a smaller body.

There are several celebrity tortoises on TFO that are Russians: Nelson (Chikat), Trevor (Tortoisenerd), Ernie (Sammi), Crush (Kymiie)...and I think they are close relatives of Greek/Jordanian/Syrian tortoises, which we have a lot of here, too.

You will have lots of experienced keepers to bug for advice. And I will be here to read all of the posts and responses and drool over the pictures!

 

[sammi]

I don't know much of anything about northern climates since I'm in California, but I do agree that a Russian would be the best choice for you, due to hardiness and size. I also suggest against getting a hatchling, as juveniles or even an adult will be hardier than a baby. I'll tell you about my setup for my Russian, Ernie.

I have a Trex 100W MVB and the temps right under it are 90-98 and his cool side hovers around 70. It does drop down at night, but by only a few degrees. To keep up with humidity, I have a "dry" side, and a "humid" side. You can look at it here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-11260.html

The "dry" side also keeps his little wooden huts from getting moldy on the bottom. Watch for mold if you plan of putting in huts, or Grapewood.

Though that was a couple months ago, I've only removed the moss, and switched a couple pieces of "furniture" around, but I still keep it half covered, and I added one more little hut for him. I think I'll update some pictures later. Anyways, make sure you provide him with some stimulation in his enclosure, Ernie LOVES to climb up and over the little hut you see in the enclosure there.

As for food, variety is always the key. I buy organic spring mix from my local farmers market, and throw in treats every so often, or mix it in with different veggies. I find the occasional dandelion to give him and he goes CRAZY! [Russians LOVE dandelions] I give him a tomato or carrot once every week or two. I am also currently growing my own Russian mix from Carolina Pet Supply, so soon his diet will consist of that as well. I keep a water dish in his enclosure at all times too. He never drinks with it, but I keep it on the "humid" side, so it helps also keep the humidity up.

Fake plants also do wonders. They provide places to hide, shade from the light, and again, help keep humidity up on the "humid" side. Don't buy the ones from the pet store, go to a craft store and buy some decorative silk/fake plants. They're much cheaper, and in my opinion look nicer.

 

[redreatta]

thank you for all the advise. i cant wait till the show comes, i look forward to having a new little buddy. most people i talk to say to get a young one but not a baby. this time i hope things will go better,

 

[chadk]

I pretty much keep my russians the same as my little sullie.

 

[-ryan-]

My vote is russians because those are what I keep and breed, aside from my red foot male. Let me put it this way, my red foot is only 8 pounds and he can be quite the handful sometimes, and surprisingly very destructive. I can't imagine an 80 pound sulcata, let alone a 150 pounder (if you got a male). I mean, I have heard stories of their destructive power and I believe it.

The russians are just such a pleasure. They don't eat you out of house and home (when you have as many as I do they will, but I'm assuming you're just looking for a single animal). Their heating requirements are super easy, and as an extra benefit if the power goes out in the winter you don't usually have to worry about them developing health problems from the cold. They are a species that hibernates naturally in the wild, and some people choose to replicate this. I don't.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits is that they have such great personalities yet there size is so easy to accommodate. In my experience russians will do very well even in relatively small enclosures, but if you are considering a sulcata anyway (and I assume this means you have some space to play with) you could create an absolutely incredible enclosure for a russian.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to go with. I will say that from what I understand most Mediterranean torts also make great pets, but my experience has been mostly with russians. Right now I have 1.4.2.4 (the last number is the eggs currently in the incubator), though I only keep 1.4.1 as pets (the other hatchling will be finding a new home once he is over 6 weeks old).

 

[tortoisenerd]

I suggest the following: Please think about getting a tort other than a hatchling. At shows it would be rare to see anything but hatchlings. With enough patience you can find a Russian to adopt that is a bit older. Hatchlings are so fragile and I regret getting Trevor as a little hatchlings, as cute as he is, even with nothing serious going wrong. Have the enclosure set up before you get a tort. Have a vet appointment set up for the following week to get a check up and fecal test for parasites. A tortoise should not be a rush decision. Best wishes.

 

[-ryan-]

I suggest the following: Please think about getting a tort other than a hatchling. At shows it would be rare to see anything but hatchlings. With enough patience you can find a Russian to adopt that is a bit older. Hatchlings are so fragile and I regret getting Trevor as a little hatchlings, as cute as he is, even with nothing serious going wrong. Have the enclosure set up before you get a tort. Have a vet appointment set up for the following week to get a check up and fecal test for parasites. A tortoise should not be a rush decision. Best wishes.

I think that the problem with hatchlings is that they are often not started correctly. The first two weeks after they hatch are the stressful time for me, but after that they seem nearly indestructible. I have one hatchling wandering around his enclosure right now that hatched mid February. I wasn't sure he was going to make it because he was very weak when he hatched. Now he is started well (good heat, enough moist substrate to burrow in completely, lots of food), and he is a little tank. I have noticed that once they get to this point all of the hatchlings I have raised act the same. they get up in the morning and wait where their food dish goes, and if it is late they start pacing the walls. Once they get their food (assuming I give them enough), then I get to see the ultimate picture of contentment. Tiny tortoise napping under the basking light I would say in my experience they are mostly just fragile in that you do not want to handle them too much (at all). However, I would also argue this is the same with any tortoise regardless of size/age.

I'm not disagreeing though, because I know that most baby tortoises are not started well and they can be a risk. I think it's just a matter of weighing the pros and the cons, because the biggest con is that it is going to be very difficult to find a CB russian that is anything but a hatchling.