Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We're looking to get a Tortoise as a pet for my young son. we are in northern NJ so would like something that fairs well in an indoor habitat ( for most of the year) and is of small to moderate size. Since we are talking about a long term commitment, and he is attracted to the 'flashy' pattern of the star tortoises; we would prefer to get him one animal that he really likes rather than starting off with a more beginner tortoise.... IF this is realistic (with a little help from Mom).

We have read several care sheets, but still have a few questions-
- Are they much harder to maintain than a herman or russian?(We already have some experience with maintining habitats for exotics via my small ball and borneo python collection.)

- Is moderate handling ok, or would handling stress these out?

- Do they fair well as a solitary animal, or is it better to keep a pair?

- Is there a certain local that we should consider ( I've seen both Sri Lanka and India)

Any thoughts, considerations, insights or advice is greatly appreciated!

Best regards,
Andrea
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"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART

Russians and Herman's are fairly bullet-proof. With Stars they tend to be a bit more sensitive to higher humid environmnets since they are savannah torts. You really need to watch out for breezy/drafty conditions and make sure they're fairly dry most of the time. I do soak my 2 Stars in warm water and create humid hides for them once in awhile. They're fairly easy to care for if you do the research on diet and conditions.
But... I do not own an Indian or Sri Lankan. I have a Radiated and a Burmese. I went with these 2 because they are a bit more out-going and are hardier than the 2 mentioned( from talking to breeders and reading from other sources ). They are considerably more expensive, but to me they are worth it. But I'm sure there are some Indian and Star owners out ther that have different experiences. Hope this helps.

I've had a sri lankan for over a year. I live in New England. I've had no problems with an emitter and an under the tank heating pad placed on the far side of the enclosure; on for him ALL THE TIME DURING WINTER. I soak him everyday for 10 - 15 minutes in mild warm water so he can drink and poo. Rinse clean, dry him after so he wont chill. Timothy hay is his substrate. I adore him- he's my buddie! He's very shy and sensitive compared to my Leopard and Redfoot. But when I hold him @ eye level and talk softly he'll bob his head seemingly understanding the good vibes.

I would recommend NOT starting with a Star Tortoise. Beautiful as they are, they are quite shy as a general rule and do need to be kept fairly warm to do really well. 90F is not too hot for them. They do best when night time temps do not get too much below 65-70 also.

As the other person mentioned, the Burmese Stars are somewhat hardier by virtue of their being a totally different species than either Indian or Sri Lankan Stars (both of which are just geographic races of the same species), but Burmese Stars are still pretty shy for quite some time after birth. Their patterns are not exactly the same, either, so before deciding on a Burmese Star, you should look at photos. Most Star Tortoises of any type do not like to be handled.

Thank you for the replys . It doesn't sound like this will be a good match, mostly because of the shy disposition.
We will do some more research and choose another hardier breed.

Thanks again for your opinions and advice.
BRGDS,
AVD
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"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART

Have you looked at Western hermanns tortoises? They tend to be more colorful than easterns. Spider tortoises are another colorful tort, although I do not know how hardy they are. Or you could look into box turtles as well, some of them can be extremely colorful.

I read several care sheets on the spiders, they seem even more sensitive.
Will check out the others, Thanks for the recomendation.
BRGDS,
AVD
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"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART