tortoise care

[neubauer geckos]

i want to get a tortoise but dont no how to care for one.i want a smaller one.please name some good ones and info on them like care,husbandry,cost,stuff like that.also,i need to no how to house them outside.

 

[Chewbecca]

Russians and Greeks are pretty small.

Do a google search on Russian tortoise care and one on Greek Tortoise care.

:main_yes:

 

[leoman777]

Russians and Greeks are pretty small.

Do a google search on Russian tortoise care and one on Greek Tortoise care.

:main_yes:

:main_thumbsup: great beginner tortoise

 

[goReptiles]

Either way, no tortoise is cheap. Russian tortoises may be cheaper to purchase than Greeks, or many other species, but in terms of care, it's not going to matter. They can call be expensive to care for and to maintain enclosure for.

You should have an outdoor enclosure, which can be quite spacious and expensive to properly build. You'll need to make it escape proof with hardware cloth in the ground and some kind of lip or top (which really is more to protect against predators).

You'll also need at least a 50 gallon tub for in the house for either Russian or Greek species, which is nearly 4 feet long. Plus a heat emitting UV bulb. This can be the main enclosure, but in order for a fully healthy tortoise, you'll need outside play for exercise and natural UV rays. coconut coir (bed a beast) bedding, house, water bowl filled all the time (clay flower pot trays work well), food bowl (fed every other day if the tort is solely inside; they can be over fed), wide varied diet of grasses, greens, and weeds.

Depending on the tortoise species, the exact husbandry will vary as will the diet. Both Russians and Greeks are about the same size, and even though they may be two of the smaller species, they still need a good bit of room. Don't think about housing one in a glass aquarium. For one it'll be too small unless you purchase a 100 gallon, and for 2 being able to see through to the other side can greatly stress them out because they'll want to go there and will never be able to get there.

If you're wanting to house them outside, it's still recommended during bad weather, cold weather, and at night, that they are still brought inside. You'll want the hardware cloth at least 6-8 inches in the ground to prevent digging out. Some recommend just covering the outer portion of the enclosure about 6-12 inches from the outside toward the inside, but they can still dig in the inside, and torts are pretty good diggers. I covered my entire pen in hardware cloth, side to side and the middle area. I don't want to come home from work with a hole and missing a tort. And, let me tell ya, it was a pain to dig that much dirt up and bury the harware cloth (which is like chicken wire but galvanized so it lasts longer).

Check out russiantortoise.org for info on Russians. I'm not as familiar with Greeks, so I don't have a reference for them. But, I want to say they're about the same requirements and diet.

 

[nrich]

^ Second everything that has been said there. They are a pretty expensive pet, especially compared to geckos, but maybe about the same as getting a bearded dragon. I can't personally speak about Greeks, as I have never owned one, but I do know Russians tend to be much cheaper than Greeks (usually by about $50)

Another downside of Russians in particular is that they are usually wild caught specimens and often come with a big bacteria load. They have specific dietary needs and can get respiratory infections pretty easily if not kept in suitable environments. They also prefer to brumate a good portion of the year, so if you get one, expect it not to be too active unless you stop brumation.

All that being said, they are wonderful pets and I adore my Turbo. She comes running (or bumbling) towards me whenever I come towards her enclosure and begs for food like a puppy. I do keep her in a tank for aesthetic purposes, but she also spends a majority of her time out on our patio when it isn't too hot or too cold, so I have not noticed any signs of stress, thank goodness.

Overall, keep in mind that most tortoises are a lifetime commitment. If you get one, it is very possible that it will end up outliving you.

 

[chansbrow]

If you get one, it is very possible that it will end up outliving you.

:main_thumbsup: