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Looking for starter tortoise to do well in Florida

S

saphire884

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Hi!
I want to get a tortoise for my boyfirend. He has never had one before but LOVES them and has always enjoyed checking in on our native gopher tortoises that live far out in our back yard. I would like to get him one that doesnt get to big ( no more then a 1 1/2 feet) and would do well living on our patio( it is partly shaded partly open to sun). We live in SW Florida and it gets really hot in the summers. Typically it doesnt get colder then 50 degrees in the winter but if it got to cold we could always bring him/her inside. My ideal tortoise would trive in the florida enviornment with little help (we dont want to mist it 5 times a day!) not get to big, be attractive, and friendly. Anyone in Florida have good suggestions? I have been having trouble figguring out which "starter" tortoise would be best for florida's environment.
Thanks!
 
I'd say given your climate and natural humidity, a Redfoot would be a good choice.
Living in that area though, most of the medium sized species would do fine there.
If it's going to be outside pretty much year round though, I'd probably avoid the smaller species.
Even with a redfoot, or other similar sized tort, if you got it as a hatchling, you'd still want to keep it inside primarily until it was quite a bit larger, or at least construct a protected pen outside until it got some size on it.
 
Keep in mind they will rearrange the patio! Yesterday I found my can of recycle aluminum halfway down the sidewalk and cans scattered all over. My wheel barrow was not where I left it, everything leaning against the fence or wall is knocked over and the patio furniture seems to grow it's own legs and move around.

And the output is a bit to clean up, it pretty much needs to be picked up and the rest hosed off.

It's iffy even having 2 of the same species in the same yard. I have to go out regularly and flip someone back over that has lost the recent battle. They can flip themselves back over, but it is very hot here and I don't want them being wrong side up in the hot sun.
 
I second the redfoot recommendation. They're really personable little guys, and are fairly easy to care for.
 
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