Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife wants a red footed tortoise and i'm just wondering if this is a good starter or not and if anyone has a suggestion on one for her, thanks

red footed tortoises do require some specialized care. they do live quite long and require alot of space once they reach adulthood. they are better to keep outdoors when the weather permits, specially in areas of mid to high humidity. if weather conditions don't allow outdoor enclosures year round, you will need to bring it indoors for the colder times of the year. this being canada, there really isn't anywhere that stays above 50f at night year around.

they need both a basking area and full spectrum lighting which includes uvb when housed indoors and about 6'x4' ground space for their enclosure as adults. young tortoises can be housed in smaller cages till they grow.

i am not much an expert on these tortoises but giving their need for spacious accomodations, it may be better to look for a smaller turtle species. however, other than taking alot of room and needing both types of specialized lighting, they are nearly completely vegetarian eaters of leafy greens and fruit with a little bit of animal protein. if you have the space to house the tortoise once it reaches adult size and don't think you will grow tired of it after a few years, then it may be the kind of pet to get.

i do suggest using the internet to search for various care sheets on red footed tortoises, to get a basic understanding of their care requirements and natural history. hopefully others more experienced with this turtle will post as well, especially those who have or do own them.