Tortoise....what do I need to know

[fluckityfluckfluck]

I have 3dc. Single mum and work full time. I want an indoor pet but something relatively low maintenance. Is a tortoise a good idea?

They need a pretty specific diet and equipment. I would guess that it would cost several hundred pounds to get the correct enclosure, light and heating.

Do you want a pet for the rest of your life? Tortoises live a really long time. Info on keeping tortoises here: www.reptileexpert.co.uk/keepingtortoisespets.html

My DS really REALLY wants a tortoise and we did look into it, but the set up needed is expensive and we just don't have space for it. Once you have everything, I do believe that tortoises are pretty low maintenance, but I imagine younger children might get bored quite quickly and tortoises live a long time!
We have a lovely Syrian hamster, and had a lovely one before him too. He just needs cleaning out a couple of times a week, food and water, and he likes to come out to roam around and have some attention a couple of times a day. He doesn't bite and is a very comical and friendly little fella!

I have met people who have inherited a tortoise from older family members ( one man in the supermarket was so pleased to get his Aunts tortoise , he was so happy she left it to him ) .
I suppose its the sort of inheritance you discuss first though, the tortoise might have outlived him so a long term commitment .

The most gorgeous ones I saw was a few years ago in Turkey . Our bus trip stopped at a cafe. They had a walled off area (about 3' high) with scores of them, all sizes , wandering round the grass and rocks .
They were quite surprised when I said they were hard to get in the UK and imports had been restricted .
But seeing them in this habitat was lovely .

No, they’re not indoor animals. They need the sun and heat to grow properly. Young tortoises can be brought inside during the colder months and they also will need to be brumated for slow smooth shell growth. The indoor setups need to be large open tables with specific uv light and heat. They also need a diet of weeds and flowers and calcium supplements. Adults need permanent outdoor set ups with heatlamps. It’s quite a bit of work. Tortoise protection group has a really good website with info on what they need and shopping lists.