Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I've recently built a 4' x 13' outdoor pen that I plan on keeping a tortoise (or tortoises if more than one will fit) during the warmer months. I live in Kentucky, so the summers are kinda humid. The only issue is that I'd like to keep it outside all the time during the summer, so I'd like to get something that is large enough to be unappealing to predators. Originally, I'd thought of WC adult red-foots or WC adult hingebacks. My preference is usually captive bred animals, but finding captive bred tortoises of that size seems pretty difficult. Any suggestions?

A couple of Redfoots or even Elongateds in an outdoor enclosure that size would do well. They need a good amount of shade as well as sunlight being "forest" tortoises. Of the two, Redfoots are usually more outgoing and personable. Other good choices would be Eastern Hermann's (and/or Dalmatian Hermann's). They are both require a full sun but need hiding places in the shade in order to regulate their body temperature. Redfoots especially would benefit from higher ambient air temperatures as long as the ground isn't damp. Hermann's are from the coastal Northern Mediterranean and are also tolerate of higher humidity levels as long as it is not excessive. They require a dry substrate. It's always advisable to guard against predators with a secure, screen top rather than simply taking chances on the tortoise(s) being big enough that a predator won't bother them.