Redfoot for the classroom?

[omgamylee]

Hey y'all. My husband and I have two sulcata hatchlings that traveled back and forth to school with me last year. They are getting ready to turn one and growing quickly, so they will officially become our own home pets this school year.

That being said, I'm now known as the tortoise teacher! They enriched our classroom so much last year - I'd like to find a tort that will stay a manageable size for classroom life long term (stay in the room overnight, but come home on weekends and holidays).

I've been told that a redfoot is the way to go - and my research seems to agree... BUT before we buy one, are there any words of advice or potential negatives I'm not considering?

Also, I'd love advice on terrarium sizes. My current classroom terrarium is 24"x18". Our sulcatas are in a 36"x18" that they will soon outgrow and my classroom will inherit. Are these two sufficient for a while? What is the minimum dimensions of a long-term enclosure for a redfoot, in your experience?

Thanks so much!
Amy

 

[abclements]

Hi Amy! I think it's very cool that you're exposing your kids to torts! In my opinion, 36" by 18" is barely big enough for a red foot Hatchling. It would maybe last about 6 months maybe a tiny bit more... a red foot will grow to about 12 inches. Maybe slightly less and possibly more. They require at a minimum 8' by 4' enclosure when full grown and I mean this really is a minimum. I think if you're planning on having a tort in your classroom fulltime, I would consider a herrman's or a Greek. They stay small and they can be house in a 6' by 3' when they are full grown. That being said a 6' by 3' would still be on the small side but ok.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

A box turtle is a good "small sized" option, too.

Getting a hatchling would let you use the 36"x18"for a while. Then as an adult it would still be manageable to keep in a classroom.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I wouldn't keep a box turtle in a space that small either. I think it might be easier to keep Russian tortoises happy over the winter than box turtles, or so it seems to me.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Box turtle don't do very well inside. I would go with a Russian or Hermann's - but he would need to go home with you as much as possible so he can walk around and graze. Good luck!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I agree that a Russian is sml but my female herrman is almost as big as a red foot she is 11 or 12 in long and her baby's grow fast in 2or 3 yrs their as big as a Russian

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Ok...glad boxie people chimed in. I don't keep any and didn't know they wouldn't do well. I just knew they stay small

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Mgridgaway]

I disagree with others about box turtles (although outdoors is obviously ideal), but completely agree that Redfoots would really not make a good classroom pet. In reality, no tortoise should live in a 24" by 18" except for maybe hatchlings.

 

[FLINTUS]

Russians need even more space than reds generally, due to their behaviour. They are not indoor tortoises, which is why it is best to hibernate them in winter. What about something like a pancake? Stays relatively small, is awake year round, but needs some specialist care. However they are nearly always CB and not fragile, so with enough research you could make it work.

---

Or what about going for other animals? Some of the smaller geckos, or maybe some GALs?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Why reptiles or animals ? Why not insects to teach student for example Hissers the get 2or 3 inches long they eat vegs not meat they are good in pairs or groups if it gets in the 70s they don't eat as much they don't mate but if they get in the 80s they eat more and mate

 

[FLINTUS]

Are insects not animals lol?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Sorry my wife says they aren't!!!!!

 

[FLINTUS]

http://uk.ask.com/question/are-insects-considered-animals
Going off topic by a long way lol. Sorry

 

[Redstrike]

I disagree with others about box turtles (although outdoors is obviously ideal), but completely agree that Redfoots would really not make a good classroom pet. In reality, no tortoise should live in a 24" by 18" except for maybe hatchlings.

I agree with this 100%.

I often think "what is the largest possible area I can give my redfoots?". An adult redfoot needs as much space as you can provide it. 24x18 is too small.

---

Oh, and yes, insects are animals.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Yes Flintus showed me they are animals but I'm not going to try to tell the wife my daddy didn't raise a fool HaHa

 

[FLINTUS]

Yes Flintus showed me they are animals but I'm not going to try to tell the wife my daddy didn't raise a fool HaHa

lol. What about hermit crabs?

 

[Beck]

Or some frogs with a nice terrarium setup to teach them habitat?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using TortForum mobile app

 

[FLINTUS]

So just to summarise the suggestions lol:
frogs
geckos
GALs
cockroaches
hermit crabs
I might add to that and say what about a small aquarium set up?

 

[omgamylee]

Box turtle don't do very well inside. I would go with a Russian or Hermann's - but he would need to go home with you as much as possible so he can walk around and graze. Good luck!

The tort will definitely come home frequently. Last year, we brought the sully hatchlings outside for recess. We would do the same thing this year - so they at least have a 20 minute roam & graze session in the middle of the day.

---

I disagree with others about box turtles (although outdoors is obviously ideal), but completely agree that Redfoots would really not make a good classroom pet. In reality, no tortoise should live in a 24" by 18" except for maybe hatchlings.

I think I must not have been clear about my intentions with the terrarium. The 24" x 18" was the terrarium in my classroom for our sully hatchlings last year. Obviously, I would never keep a fully grown tort in that size terrarium.

My question was - will these terrarium sizes be sufficient for the first, say, year of the tort's life and then we can build a larger, "permanent" enclosure? - NOT "can I keep an adult tortoise in a prison cell for its life?" LOL.

---

So just to summarise the suggestions lol:
frogs
geckos
GALs
cockroaches
hermit crabs
I might add to that and say what about a small aquarium set up?

I'm in a private school that doesn't allow for, well, basically anything that could climb out of its enclosure. When I first started looking at pets, I got shot down on any kinds of bugs, lizards, or frogs. I have considered hermit crabs or fish, but many of my students have been there, done that at home or in another classroom. I'd like to expose them to something different.

 

[InvertaHerp]

Tarantula? Or maybe a snake?