help finding an ideal tortoise

vickyad · 01-07-2008, 04:17 PM

I have been considering getting a tortoise fpr a while but i have no indoor space to keep one. Is there any species of tortoise that can live outdoors in the garden? im new to this and any advice would be appreciated. ta

sandy · 01-07-2008, 06:20 PM

If you can get some sort of heating outside for the Spring and Autumn, in a shed, coldframe or
the like. Then yes you can keep them outside. Adults are far easier kept outside than smaller
ones, during the Spring/Autumn.

vickyad · 01-07-2008, 08:34 PM

your advice is appeciated. do you mean a uv lamp? can i let it have the run of the garden rather than an enclosure? there seems to be such conflicting advice

sandy · 02-07-2008, 07:30 AM

It would depend on the size of the tortoise. If a hatchling, then you would find it difficult to
find him/her if they hide in a large space, so most keepers keep smaller torts in enclosures for
ease of finding them. Then when tort grows you can let them just roam. Provided the garden
is escape proof. Torts are great climbers.
It can take me an hour to find a adult let alone a hatchling<g>.
And yes if a smaller tortoise then they would need a UV sorce of some sort.

vickyad · 02-07-2008, 11:26 AM

is a horsfield or a hermans the best for me and ive been told that the dig deep, is this true?

linda · 02-07-2008, 01:52 PM

horsefields love to dig tunnels

so you would need to remove the soil from the enclosure

line it with something such as chicken wire then replace the soil

hermans do not tunnel as much

**sarah** · 02-07-2008, 04:13 PM

I would say the best outsidey tortoises are

Marginated
Ibera
Horsfeilds
Hermanns

donstapley · 12-07-2008, 04:26 PM

ive got a hermann and she loves it outside, the main worry obviously when keeping them outside is predators: foxes, cats, dogs, and birds.
so if you plan on keeping you tortoise outside you will need some sort of shelter that would keep them either out of harms way or give them somewhere to hide just in case.

vickyad · 12-07-2008, 07:52 PM

yeah ive had him for a week and he seems to be enjoying it- he ih on the grass in the rain and when i put him back in he goes back onto the wet grass !! he has a sun house and a wooden hut to hide in...

01-07-2008, 04:17 PM	#1
vickyad Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: tyne and wear Posts: 58	help finding an ideal tortoise I have been considering getting a tortoise fpr a while but i have no indoor space to keep one. Is there any species of tortoise that can live outdoors in the garden? im new to this and any advice would be appreciated. ta __________________ vicky xxx new mum to Stig the hermann

01-07-2008, 06:20 PM	#2
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	If you can get some sort of heating outside for the Spring and Autumn, in a shed, coldframe or the like. Then yes you can keep them outside. Adults are far easier kept outside than smaller ones, during the Spring/Autumn. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

01-07-2008, 08:34 PM	#3
vickyad Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: tyne and wear Posts: 58	your advice is appeciated. do you mean a uv lamp? can i let it have the run of the garden rather than an enclosure? there seems to be such conflicting advice __________________ vicky xxx new mum to Stig the hermann

02-07-2008, 07:30 AM	#4
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	It would depend on the size of the tortoise. If a hatchling, then you would find it difficult to find him/her if they hide in a large space, so most keepers keep smaller torts in enclosures for ease of finding them. Then when tort grows you can let them just roam. Provided the garden is escape proof. Torts are great climbers. It can take me an hour to find a adult let alone a hatchling<g>. And yes if a smaller tortoise then they would need a UV sorce of some sort. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

02-07-2008, 11:26 AM	#5
vickyad Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: tyne and wear Posts: 58	is a horsfield or a hermans the best for me and ive been told that the dig deep, is this true? __________________ vicky xxx new mum to Stig the hermann

02-07-2008, 01:52 PM	#6
linda Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: west midlands Posts: 17,134	horsefields love to dig tunnels so you would need to remove the soil from the enclosure line it with something such as chicken wire then replace the soil hermans do not tunnel as much

02-07-2008, 04:13 PM	#7
sarah Administrator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Newcastle-Under-Lyme Posts: 11,914	I would say the best outsidey tortoises are Marginated Ibera Horsfeilds Hermanns __________________ Click: www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk STRUGGLING TO FIND WEEDS? LOOK AT OUR DRIED WEEDS 'READY TO FEED' Home of 'Grow Your Own Food' Bearded Dragon, Tortoise, Rabbit, Hamster seed mixes from 89p FREE POST Livefood, Thermostats, Housing, Heating, Mercury Vapour bulbs, UVB etc etc CHEAP PRICES TORTOISES ARE MY PASSION

12-07-2008, 04:26 PM	#8
donstapley Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 9	ive got a hermann and she loves it outside, the main worry obviously when keeping them outside is predators: foxes, cats, dogs, and birds. so if you plan on keeping you tortoise outside you will need some sort of shelter that would keep them either out of harms way or give them somewhere to hide just in case.

12-07-2008, 07:52 PM	#9
vickyad Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: tyne and wear Posts: 58	yeah ive had him for a week and he seems to be enjoying it- he ih on the grass in the rain and when i put him back in he goes back onto the wet grass !! he has a sun house and a wooden hut to hide in... __________________ vicky xxx new mum to Stig the hermann

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