Which Tortoise Is Best For Me?

Riparian Farms, Home of the “Ivory Tortoise”

By Richard Fife April 2008

This key is to help you determine the best pet tortoise for your particular circumstances. By answering the
following questions you will be provided with a list of tortoises that should do well for you. In order to
determine if you would do best with a humid species or
desert species you will be asked is if you live east or west of
the 98th meridian (east or west of about Fort Worth Texas).
You can find this information in an atlas. You will also be
asked which USDA climate zones you live in. This
information can be found by going to
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html or by
looking at a USDA Plant Handiness Map in a gardening
book.

The tortoise species in this key include: Sri Lankan Star, Burmese Star, Indian Star, Radiated, Spider,
Hinge-back, Red-foot, Yellow-foot, Elongated, Hermann’s, Greek, Marginated, Russian, Egyptian,
Leopard, African Spurred, Pancake, Burmese Mountain, Galapagos, and Aldabran.

Start at number 1 and pick (a) or (b), whichever best applies to you, then go to the next referenced number.
Continue all the way through the key and you will find the species, which will best suit you.

Key to selecting a pet tortoise

1a. The tortoise is to be kept inside all the time……………………..………………..……..……………. 2

b. The tortoise is to be kept outside all or part of the time, follow (1a) for inside enclosure size…......…5

2a. I would like to use a 10-gallon aquarium (10” X 20”) ……………………………………………….20

b. I can provide a large inside terrarium ………………………………………………………………….3

3a. I can provide an inside enclosure up to 2’ X 4’………………………………………………….…….21

b. I can provide an inside enclosure over 2’ X 4’………………………………………………….…….. 4

4a. I can provide and inside enclosure that is a least 4’ X 6’………..…….………………………………22

b. I can provide and inside enclosure is a least 8’ X 10’…………………...…………………………….23

5a. I live east of the 98th meridian? ………………………………………………………………………..6

b. I live west of the 98th meridian?………………………………………………………………………13

6a. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 1-6……………………………………………..7
b. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 7-10………………………………………… .10

7a. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 1-3……………………………………………..8
b. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 4-6 ………………………………………….… 9

8a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 1-3………………………………………………..32

b. I will keep my tortoise outside but brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 1-3…..…24

9a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 4-6………………………………………………..33

b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 4-6…………25

10a. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 7-8……………………………………………11
b. I live east of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 9-10……………………………………….….12

11a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 7-8…………………………………………….…34

b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 7-8………..26
12a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 9-10………………………………………..……35
b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 9-10…..….27

13a. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 1-6…………………………………..………14
b. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 7-10………………………………..………..17

14a. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 1-3………………………………….….……15
b. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 4-6……………………………………..……16

15a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 1-3………………………………………………36

b. I will keep my tortoise outside but brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 1-3…....28

16a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 4-6………………………………………………37

b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 4-6……….29

17a. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 7-8…………………………………………..18
b. I live west of the 98th meridian in USDA climate zone 9-10…………………………………………19

18a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 7-8……………………………………………….38

b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 7-8………..30

19a. I will keep my tortoise outside, year round, in zone 9-10………………………………………..……39

b. I will keep my tortoise outside, brought in during the winter and on cold nights, in zone 9-10………31

20 A 10” X 20” terrarium such as a 10-gallon aquarium is only suited for hatching tortoises. There are no
adult species that should be kept in such a small enclosure. Return

21. Species that are suitable for a terrarium that is about 2’ X 4’ are Indian Star tortoises, Pancake tortoises,
hinge-back tortoises, spider tortoises, Egyptian tortoises, Russian tortoise, Western Hermann’s tortoise, and
some of the rarely available South African Species. Obviously the larger the enclosure the better. The
number of tortoises and their maturity will also affect the size of you terrarium. Return

22. Species that are suitable for a terrarium that is about 4’ X 6’ include the species listed in No. 21 as well
as the Hermann’s tortoise, Greek tortoise, Marginated tortoise, Elongated tortoise, Burmese star tortoise, Sri
Lankan Star tortoise (large adult stars may need a larger enclosure), and Cherry Head Red-foot tortoise.
You can also consider younger Red-foot tortoises, some of the smaller Leopard Tortoises, and younger
Radiated tortoises. Remember this is the minimum size of terrarium and a larger enclosure is better. Return

23. Species that require a large inside enclosure that is at least 8’ X 10’ or larger include the species listed in
number 21 and number 22 as well as the leopard tortoise, Red-foot tortoise, Yellow-foot tortoise, African
spurred tortoise, Burmese Mountain tortoise, Galapagos tortoise, and Aldabran tortoise. The last four
species in this group will require a pen that is twice as big and even larger as the tortoise grows. Return

24. There are no species that do well if kept outside (even if brought inside during the winter and on cold
nights) in USDA zone 1-3 east of the 98th Meridian. All species can be put outside on the occasional warm
summer day. Return or Start Over

25. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 4-6 east of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include the Hermann’s tortoise and Marginated tortoise.
Return

26. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 7-8 east of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include those listed in number 25 as well as the Red-foot
tortoise, Elongated tortoise, Yellow-foot tortoise, Burmese Mountain tortoise, some species of hinge-back
tortoises, Radiated tortoise, Galapagos tortoise, and Aldabran tortoise. Return
27. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 9-10 east of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include those listed in number 26 as well as African spurred
tortoise, all the star tortoises, Greek tortoises, pancake tortoises, and some leopard tortoises (most leopard
tortoise do not do well with extremely high humidity). Return

28. There are no species that do well if kept outside (even if brought inside during the winter and on cold
nights) in USDA zone 1-3 west of the 98th Meridian. All species can be put outside on the occasional
warm summer day. Return or Start Over

29. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 4-6 west of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include the Hermann’s tortoise, Russian tortoise, some races
of Greek tortoises, and Marginated tortoise. Return

30. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 7-8 west of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include those listed in number 29 as well as the Red-foot
tortoise, Elongated tortoise, Yellow-foot tortoise, Burmese Mountain tortoise, some species of hinge-back
tortoises, Radiated tortoise, Galapagos tortoise, African spurred tortoise, and Aldabran tortoise. Return

31. Species that can tolerate being kept outside in USDA zone 9-10 west of the 98th meridian (and will be
brought inside during winters and cold nights) include those listed in number 29 and number 30 as well as
African spurred tortoise, all the star tortoise, Greek tortoises, pancake tortoise, and leopard tortoises. Return

32. There are no species that can be kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 1-3 east of the 98th Meridian.
Return

33. There are no species that can be kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 4-6 east of the 98th Meridian.
Return

34. Species that can tolerate being kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 7-8 east of the 98th meridian
include the Hermann’s tortoise and the Marginated tortoise (caution in zone 7). They require a well-
insulated (straw, leaves, etc.) dry place to hibernate. Return

35. Species that can tolerate being kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 9-10 east of the 98th meridian
include those listed in number 34 as well as the Burmese Mountain tortoise, African spurred tortoise, and
the Greek tortoises. Most of these will need some form of protection on extra cold nights such as an
insulated tortoise house, a pig blanket, or heat lamp. Return

36. There are no species that can be kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 1-3 west of the 98th Meridian.
Return

37. There are no species that can be kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 4-6 west of the 98th Meridian.
Return.

38. Species that can tolerate being kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 7-8 west of the 98th meridian
include the Hermann’s tortoise, Russian tortoise, some subspecies of Greek tortoises, and the Marginated
tortoise. They require a well-insulated (straw, leaves, etc.) dry place to hibernate. Return

39. Species that can tolerate being kept outside, year round, in USDA zone 9-10 west of the 98th meridian
(not including cool coastal zones) include those listed in number 38 as well as the Burmese Mountain
tortoise, African spurred tortoise, Leopard tortoise, spider tortoises, star tortoises, and the Greek tortoises.
Most of these will need some form of protection on cold nights such as an insulated tortoise house, pig
blanket, or heat lamp. Return

Go to http://www.ivorytortoise.com for information on select species. Start Over↑