I have experience keeping box turtles, but I have not yet had a tortoise. I would like to get my first tortoise but am having trouble deciding on which one. I don't want a small tortoise. Not as small as a box turtle anyway. But I don't want a mammoth tortoise like a sulcata. So a medium sized tortoise I guess. I have it narrowed down (I think!) to three that appeal to me. Can you all help me narrow it down based on your personal experiences? These are the three I am considering.
Yellowfoot - These for some reason appeal to me more than the redfoots, though I understand they are not quite as hardy and need more humidity. And they are also more shy.
Marginated - This may be a good choice. From what I understand they are more outgoing than my other two choices. And they don't need a lot of humidity so that would be one less worry.
Leopard - I would love a leopard tortoise. I understand this is another shy species. And I'm concerned about size. But I really, really like the idea of a leopard tortoise.
Keep in mind, I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area. We have long cold winters, so whatever tortoise I have would need to be able to live in indoor accomdations for the winter. Would that work for yellowfoots or leopards? I do have a separate reptile room, so I don't have to worry about setting up something very large in the main living area! I would appreciate your feedback!
Yellowfoot - These for some reason appeal to me more than the redfoots, though I understand they are not quite as hardy and need more humidity. And they are also more shy.
Marginated - This may be a good choice. From what I understand they are more outgoing than my other two choices. And they don't need a lot of humidity so that would be one less worry.
Leopard - I would love a leopard tortoise. I understand this is another shy species. And I'm concerned about size. But I really, really like the idea of a leopard tortoise.
Keep in mind, I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area. We have long cold winters, so whatever tortoise I have would need to be able to live in indoor accomdations for the winter. Would that work for yellowfoots or leopards? I do have a separate reptile room, so I don't have to worry about setting up something very large in the main living area! I would appreciate your feedback!