Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I would like to get a tortoise sometime in the near future to be kept (for the most part) indoors. I know that limits me severly on what can be kept, and I know that a lot of people here are firmly against housing any tortoises indoors, but I just want everyone's opinion on what would make the best 'indoor' tortoise.

To start off, the starting cage will be 4'x2'x2' (I have not yet completed it, so I would like recomendations on how much ventilation is necessary...I assume more than my lizards need?). I would like to be able to keep it in this cage for the next five years. There's a very very good chance that within two or three years I would be in a situation where I could easily build a better enclosure....maybe more of a pen type setup, with screen over the top to keep the cat out. I would probably go as big as 4'x6' if entirely necessary. I plan on having a thin layer of dirt as substrate in the starting tank (with hiding spots of varying humidity....and a section with some deeper dirt to dig in if necessary), and if I eventually had to build a larger cage, I could probably put a lot more dirt in.

So here's the species I have come up with so far, and their Pro's and Con's. Let me know any opinions you have:

Russian Tortoise
-Pros- Stay small (small enough that I might not ever need a bigger enclosure than the starting one...though I most likely would build one anyways), have an extremely high success rate when kept indoors, Seem like a personable species, not overly expensive.
-Cons- WC tend to have lots of issues (parasites and such), and CB can be hard to find.

Star Tortoise
-Pros- Stay small but not too small (I believe they get slightly bigger than russians?), have a decent success rate when kept indoors, very attractive markings, exclusively CB.
-Cons- Expensive, probably not able to spend its entire life in a 4x2 enclosure (again, not a big problem).

Red-footed tortoise
-Pros- Personable, usually available CB, Not too expensive, get fairly large (I like the larger tortoises).
-Cons- They get fairly large (I count this as a con too, just because it means that I would definately need to eventually move him up to a larger enclosure), omnivorous (which means I have to feed it insects...not a big problem since I have reptiles now that eat insects).

So any input on those species or others is greatly appreciated. I'm kind of undecided as to whether I want something really small, or something that can get kind of big (not huge....red-footed tortoise would be where I draw the line). How long does it typically take for these species to reach adult size?

I'll comment on the russians, since I keep and breed them.

They do stay small. My largest male is about 5.25" and a little over a pound, and my largest female is about 7" and over 2.25 pounds.

Captive bred specimens are not hard to find if you are willing to buy over the internet. There is currently a flood of CB hatchlings available in the classifieds sections, and I myself have supplied about 20 hatchlings over the last couple years. (I don't sell them myself. I supply them to someone else.)

Prices range from about $75 up to maybe $150 for CB hatchlings.

4'x2' would be a good size for one russian. With good landscaping (rocks, logs, etc.) you could create an interesting and stimulating environment. I wouldn't count on keeping a "thin layer of dirt" anywhere. The tort will scrape it away. Maybe a layer of hay or newspaper, with a deeper pan of dirt sunk into the floor of the enclosure. I think some people just use hay, leaving a pile in one corner for the tort to dig into at night.

If you get a hathcling, you could start it in a smaller plastic tub for ease of maintenance. Say 10"x20" with a layer of sand mixed with topsoil. Hatchlings are less messy than adults and easier to keep on sand/soil mix. Adults can be messy when they defecate, making it harder to keep sand/soil clean. It's easier to just remove soiled hay or newspaper. I think ease of cleaning results in more frequent maintenance.

Good luck!

regarding russians: ditto to everything brad mentioned.

what i would add is go to russiantortoise.org for advice and recommendations on purchasing a tort. i advise that you not put your trust in the health and well-being of cheaper end torts from dealers. some are good, some are bad, and you don't know where the torts have been and what they've been exposed to.

i suggest getting your tort directly from a breeder or rescue organization. health concerns will be minimized this way and you can count on continued support and advice from both groups.

good luck,

matt

There are more & cheaper CB Russian tortoises available now than ever before.
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As the others mentioned, the Russian tortoise would be great choice considering the unreal prices that hatchlings are available at right now. They seem to be slow growers so you could keep a bunch (I'd say up to 10) in the enclosure you're suggesting. Raise them up to where you can tell the sexes and sell off the ones you don't want (I know this can be tough).

Another tortoise you might consider is the Egyptian tortoise. It is a delicate and expensive tortoise but I found that the majority of the people that have been the most successful with these had them as a 'first tortoise'. Full sized adult Egyptians are between 4 to 5 inches SCL max.

I think the Russian is your best bet though. Email me off list for a reliable source.

>>I would like to get a tortoise sometime in the near future to be kept (for the most part) indoors. I know that limits me severly on what can be kept, and I know that a lot of people here are firmly against housing any tortoises indoors, but I just want everyone's opinion on what would make the best 'indoor' tortoise.
>>
>>To start off, the starting cage will be 4'x2'x2' (I have not yet completed it, so I would like recomendations on how much ventilation is necessary...I assume more than my lizards need?). I would like to be able to keep it in this cage for the next five years. There's a very very good chance that within two or three years I would be in a situation where I could easily build a better enclosure....maybe more of a pen type setup, with screen over the top to keep the cat out. I would probably go as big as 4'x6' if entirely necessary. I plan on having a thin layer of dirt as substrate in the starting tank (with hiding spots of varying humidity....and a section with some deeper dirt to dig in if necessary), and if I eventually had to build a larger cage, I could probably put a lot more dirt in.
>>
>>So here's the species I have come up with so far, and their Pro's and Con's. Let me know any opinions you have:
>>
>>
>>
>>Russian Tortoise
>>-Pros- Stay small (small enough that I might not ever need a bigger enclosure than the starting one...though I most likely would build one anyways), have an extremely high success rate when kept indoors, Seem like a personable species, not overly expensive.
>>-Cons- WC tend to have lots of issues (parasites and such), and CB can be hard to find.
>>
>>Star Tortoise
>>-Pros- Stay small but not too small (I believe they get slightly bigger than russians?), have a decent success rate when kept indoors, very attractive markings, exclusively CB.
>>-Cons- Expensive, probably not able to spend its entire life in a 4x2 enclosure (again, not a big problem).
>>
>>Red-footed tortoise
>>-Pros- Personable, usually available CB, Not too expensive, get fairly large (I like the larger tortoises).
>>-Cons- They get fairly large (I count this as a con too, just because it means that I would definately need to eventually move him up to a larger enclosure), omnivorous (which means I have to feed it insects...not a big problem since I have reptiles now that eat insects).
>>
>>So any input on those species or others is greatly appreciated. I'm kind of undecided as to whether I want something really small, or something that can get kind of big (not huge....red-footed tortoise would be where I draw the line). How long does it typically take for these species to reach adult size?
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

not sure what you mean by 'email me off list'....what's off list mean?

Thanks for the help. I think that realistically, even though I do like red footed tortoises, a russian is probably the best choice.

Russians are looking better and better!

What I like about them is definately that they are small enough to live in the enclosure I have, and they seem to be a somewhat personable species. Part of me kind of wants a red footed tortoise, but that's something I'm really not sure about. I think mostly what I like about them is that they grow bigger, and that probably shouldn't be my reasoning for wanting it...right? Not sure. I'd better figure it out though, because this is a reptile that I'm going to end up having and taking care of for a good portion of my life....if not all of it! (that would be awesome) So part of me says that I should get the tortoise I really want, and not just one that can live out its life in the enclosure I currently have available, but another part says that with the larger tortoise comes a bigger responsibility on my part (meaning I have to be ready to build it a much larger enclosure when the time comes.

Also, it seems kind of like russians in general seem to do better as an indoor tortoise than a red footed....?

Thanks for the info! Keep it coming!

Every research the dwarf cherry head red foot, they're not as big as the RedFoot I heard... If you're not in a great hurry, they've been posted in the classifieds once in awhile.

Red foots are not the best indoor pets. Even if there small. The reason is because they need high humidity like a box turtle and indoors it gets dry fast. I dont think a red foot would ever be good for indoors all there life. I actually think no tortoise should be housed indoors all its life. Tortoises need a outdoor enclosure so they can thrive. Unlike Lizards and snakes they are less active when kept indoors all there life. ALso they wont live to ther full like span. Keeping a tortoise indoors will make the tortoise want to do nothing but sit. If i were you and you really want a tortoise but you can keep it indoors only i would stick with a russian. Red foots will never be happy indoor. Go russian stay away from- Red foots,sulcatas,leopards. Those species get to big.

Yeah, I did some research and came to the same conclusion. I have rethought my idea of how the tortoise will be setup too. I think we're going to get a russian and start it in a big rubbermaid container, and then build an enclosure for it that's just basically like a tortoise table with really short legs and a plexiglass top (with lots of holes for ventilation, of course)....it will be the 'coffee table' in the family room.

I'm going to post a new post with all of my 'rethought' information when I get back from my piano lesson (or maybe a little later).

Dont use a plexi glass top. If you want a top just use all chicken wire. With all my tort. tables and stuff i dont even have a top.