Roaming in the house

Reptilian Feline · Jun 27, 2017

I'm thinking of making an exercise pen that can be used outside and indoors both. Keeping the little one off the ground where the ants are and off the floor where all the dust and dirt and carpet is. Plant it with different plants, place rocks inside for extra explorations, and so on. Make sure there is a drain if it rains... although I would not keep mine outside when it rains... but this is Sweden, and too cold when it rains anyway. A 30 min exercise a day in a safe place, then a soak and back to the closed chamber. Just a thought. It won't work on a grown tort very well, but for babies and small ones it should be enough, right?

Tom · Jun 27, 2017

Reptilian Feline said:
...but for babies and small ones it should be enough, right?

Yes. Right.

RosemaryDW · Jun 27, 2017

OP, you asked a question about letting your tortoise roam and you got answers!

No one here is looking to berate you; they are just owners with experience you don't yet have. And their experience tells them roaming is a bad idea.

orv · Jun 27, 2017

As a mere child 60 years ago I kissed my special tortoise on the beak from the perspective of a small boy. As I've grown into adulthood, I kissed my precious wife of 47 years with a bit more of a romantic heart. Now, as a father of three grandchildren, a kiss on their precious cheeks makes my heart flutter. I suppose that it's all a matter of maturity and long experience. I still thoroughly enjoy my long-time California Desert Tortoise, just from a bit more of a mature and experienced viewpoint.

Samantha Fritsch · Jul 1, 2017

My tort just LOVES being out of her enclosure - people might completely disagree with this but I don't care. She seems to enjoy being by people, when she's in her cage she digs at the sides trying to get out - once she's out she roams and just kind of chills out .. I don't watch her like a hawk, and hate me all you want but sometimes I forget she's even out - but she's insanely healthy and very happy

BevSmith · Jul 6, 2017

Cowboy_Ken said:
Something else that normally is not mentioned in these talks concerning torts roaming the house in they do tend to crap. If they gotta go, then they go where they are. That's always fun. Not such a big deal for a russian, compared to say a sulcata roaming your house, but you may not find the turd until your in-laws find it will enjoying a lovely dinner at your home and then you've got explaining to do. Really just trying to give you help here.

Oh my gosh the smell of tortoise poop....

Tom · Jul 6, 2017

Samantha Fritsch said:
My tort just LOVES being out of her enclosure - people might completely disagree with this but I don't care. She seems to enjoy being by people, when she's in her cage she digs at the sides trying to get out - once she's out she roams and just kind of chills out .. I don't watch her like a hawk, and hate me all you want but sometimes I forget she's even out - but she's insanely healthy and very happy

You don't care that your tortoise is likely to get killed, injured or impacted?

I don't hate you, I just think it is sad that you will have to learn the hard way, and your tortoise will pay the price for your lesson.

Every person who is struck by this disaster thought: "I won't happen to me." Each of them was wrong. Eventually you will be wrong too.

If your tortoise is digging at the sides of its enclosure, that is an indication that you need to re-examine your housing situation and make some changes. Your tortoise should love being in its enclosure. We'd be happy to help in that regard. If you'll explain the size, substrate, temps and conditions, we can make suggestions for improvement.

Yvonne G · Jul 6, 2017

People don't seem to realize that if they always keep the tortoise in its own large and safe habitat, it doesn't 'know' there's more to his world than what's within the four walls of his habitat. He's happy and content to live in there because he doesn't know any different. Once you allow him out of that safe place, he realizes he's being contained and wants out. That's when you see the scratching at the corners, the climbing the walls, the trying to escape, etc.

RosemaryDW · Jul 6, 2017

Tom said:
Every person who is struck by this disaster thought: "I won't happen to me." Each of them was wrong. Eventually you will be wrong too.

If I have my threads correct, Samantha recently lost her tortoise while he was outside? I am sure she feels badly about the situation.

Tom · Jul 6, 2017

RosemaryDW said:
If I have my threads correct, Samantha recently lost her tortoise while he was outside? I am sure she feels badly about the situation.

Thank you for the update. Sometimes it really sucks to be right. I wish she would have heeded our earlier warnings. I hope she finds her tortoise and everything works out okay. Sometimes we get to learn this lesson without any lasting harm.

Samantha Fritsch · Jul 11, 2017

Wow appreciate the cold hearted replies, I'm sure we all have different ways of keeping our babies; that doesn't mean any of us love them any less. Very rude however.

Grandpa Turtle 144 · Jul 11, 2017

Samantha Fritsch said:
My tort just LOVES being out of her enclosure - people might completely disagree with this but I don't care. She seems to enjoy being by people, when she's in her cage she digs at the sides trying to get out - once she's out she roams and just kind of chills out .. I don't watch her like a hawk, and hate me all you want but sometimes I forget she's even out - but she's insanely healthy and very happy

I'm sorry a "Vet" would talk like this . These people are great they spend their free time trying to help you and many other people . I hope God has a great place for these people . And I wish you would keep a open mind about the help they are trying to give you , homes are not safe cute little torts ! And please don't tell others to let torts run around unwatched !

Tom · Jul 11, 2017

Samantha Fritsch said:
Wow appreciate the cold hearted replies, I'm sure we all have different ways of keeping our babies; that doesn't mean any of us love them any less. Very rude however.

I saw no "cold-hearted" replies. I saw people trying to help you prevent the disaster that you are now experiencing.

If "different" ways of keeping tortoises cause the disappearance or death of your tortoises, then your "different" ways should be discouraged. Don't you agree?

This has nothing to do with how much anyone loves their tortoise. This has to do with recommending against practices that result in the death or loss of tortoises.

I'm still hoping you find your tortoise and learn from your mistake, so it doesn't happen again, and so something worse doesn't happen.

Reptilian Feline · Jul 12, 2017

To be perfectly honest... before I bought my own leo I had this vision of a large tort roaming around the livingroom/kitchen area at home after both dogs had passed away. Having it bask and sleep under a heat lamp with a basking light and letting it out into the garden when the weather was nice. Under a bit of supervision of course, and with the place tortoise safe (like child safe but for torts). I understand now why that usually isn't a good idae, but still, the vision remain, now I'm just trying to figure out how to turn my living room into a tort enclosure without the land lord figuring it out. The idea of having the tort come begging for veggies in the kitchen, just like the younger whippet does now, giving it leftover veggie parts when it climbs my leg.

It might not be a good idea, it might even be really a bad one, but oh so entising!

Tom · Jul 12, 2017

Reptilian Feline said:
To be perfectly honest... before I bought my own leo I had this vision of a large tort roaming around the livingroom/kitchen area at home after both dogs had passed away. Having it bask and sleep under a heat lamp with a basking light and letting it out into the garden when the weather was nice. Under a bit of supervision of course, and with the place tortoise safe (like child safe but for torts). I understand now why that usually isn't a good idae, but still, the vision remain, now I'm just trying to figure out how to turn my living room into a tort enclosure without the land lord figuring it out. The idea of having the tort come begging for veggies in the kitchen, just like the younger whippet does now, giving it leftover veggie parts when it climbs my leg.

It might not be a good idea, it might even be really a bad one, but oh so entising!

You are not alone in this idea.

But the first time you pick up, feel and smell a dead tortoise that used to be alive and well, the idea quickly loses its appeal. I intend to get video that shows the sights and sounds of a tortoise carapace being sawed open, then pried the rest of the way open so that the intestines can be pulled out, cut into, have an object removed and then sutured back together, stuffed back into the body, and the carapace chunk fiberglassed back in place to begin the months or years long healing process. Just the sounds and smell of that surgery will turn your stomach...

Reptilian Feline · Jul 12, 2017

Tom - no need for that, my imagination is way to strong in that department... but for others, it might be needed.

There is only one place a tort can roam free, and that is in its enclosure, outdoors or indoors doesn't matter. As I said, if I could turn my livingroom into a tort enclosure I would, but I'll have to settle for just a portion of it, since we rent it... and that is years away anyway.

Now, if I could cut a hole in the floor and make a pond for Medusa as well, that would be perfect

Cowboy_Ken · Jul 12, 2017

Tom said:
You are not alone in this idea.
I intend to get video that shows the sights and sounds of a tortoise carapace being sawed open, then pried the rest of the way open so that the intestines can be pulled out, cut into, have an object removed and then sutured back together, stuffed back into the body, and the carapace chunk fiberglassed back in place to begin the months or years long healing process. Just the sounds and SMELL of that surgery will turn your stomach...

While at this stage of technology we lack,
"smell-o-vision" (Walt Disney word) to help folks out, but the smell of cutting the carapace or plastron is just like compressed aburning hair. To get a good reference point, clean your hair brush or someone else's, roll the cleaned out hair into a tight ball, and burn it outside. While it's smoldering take a nice deep breath of that smoke. I say to do this outside because the odor is not fit for inside your house,(trust me here). I say give it a go and then let us know what you think.

Levi the Leopard · Jul 12, 2017

Reptilian Feline said:
I had this vision of a large tort roaming around.

The idea of having the tort come begging for veggies

giving it leftover veggie parts when it climbs my leg.
!

But you CAN have a tortoise that approaches you, wanting food...only outside.

My leopard has never roamed inside my the house rather he roams the backyard. As soon as we come outside, he comes running.

Tom · Jul 12, 2017

Team Gomberg said:
But you CAN have a tortoise that approaches you, wanting food...only outside.

My leopard has never roamed inside my the house rather he roams the backyard. As soon as we come outside, he comes running.

We should point out though that your back yard has been made tortoise safe, and the whole yard is his enclosure...

TammyJ · Jul 12, 2017

I would post something here but I don't want to be rude.

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