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I will have to try that with my bookshelf next. It's quite a shame that the market does not have readily available options of pre-built houses for tortoises that are larger in size. Thanks for the help.

I actually have 2 bookcases that may fit that build....their backs are made of the cheap soft paper backboard. I'm guessing replace that somehow with a piece of plywood? I'm not handy with woodworking lol.

Ok. Thanks for the link. The surface area size of that item is about the same as to what I have now. I'm looking to upgrade to dimensions of 50 inches by 30 inches. This is about 20 by 30.

Thanks for the responses so far. Can anyone provide a direct link to the product that you're referring to? Also, are there any pre-built enclosures that would be about 50 inches by 30 inches? I'm not crafty and can't make my own. Cosmetics are somewhat important to keep the wife happy...

Hi All, It's been a while since my last post here. I've been looking to upgrade Yuri's enclosure to a standard 50 Gallon Tub that everyone keeps recommending. I've noted that some folks mentioned these tubs are inexpensive. Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers have these bins at around $90...

Hi Guys. To answer some of these questions: -There's a 100W heating lamp that is on about 12-14 hours a day and off every night. The UVB lump is on for those 12-14 hours as well and is also turned off at night. -Nighttime temperatures are definitely in the mid to upper 70s. -The substrate...

Hi, So Yuri, has been doing well. Recently, he's been very quiet and not very active. He would come out of his hole (hiding space) only about once every few days to look for food and he goes right away back inside. Inside, he's dug himself a hole that he goes in. When I look at him throughout...

Anyone else have any thoughts or concerns?

The main piece is that the enclosure is too small for your Russian tortoise. Think about getting a larger container at least 4 feet by 3 feet. You can build it yourself or take the lazy way out and buy pre-made enclosures which can cost between $80-$160. If you don't care how your home looks to...

Yes - the daily temperatures here have been between 72-80 so far with highly in the low 60's and mid to upper 50's. I'll be using the tarp for the time being and I might bring the outside enclosure inside to give him more room in the winter. He does seem to recognize both environments now and I...

Haha yup, that's true. I'll use some type of furniture cover on it unless I can drill a few holes at the bottom for drainage. Thanks for the insight![hr] Any recommendations on how many hours to leave him out there for? I want to eventually leave him out overnight but right now the low's are in...

I think I can... My only concern would be that I wouldn't want it too visible since I don't want to get kicked out of the apartment building lol and I don't want the tarpaulin to block any direct UVB rays and other beneficial sun "elements." Hmm I'll have to be creative here!

Well done. One of the few "cosmetically eye-appealing" homemade enclosures out there! Good job! Style for the home AND comfort for the tortoise :)

I mean I could take a drill and make a few holes in there but I suspect he'll only use the outdoor enclosure during the summer months so June through early September. After that, he'll be inside since we're up in Pennsylvania here and it gets quite cold. As a back-up, I might bring in his...

Thanks. I lined it with protective plastic and I duck tape them together so it still looks really nice. I put Yuri in it just now and he's loving it! He's roaming all over it and exploring and climbing on top of everything he can get himself on. My only concern is that if it rains too much...

Yes, I'll agree that's too small for one tortoise, especially if he'll be in there all the time. Look at combining 2 "Tortoise Houses" from Zoo Med. Amazon has them for about $85.00 a piece right now. If you put 2 of them together it will be enough for 1 tortoise (6 feet by 2 feet.) I'd also...

Hey All. So I have put together 2 Tortoise Houses from Zoo Med for a total of 6 feet by 2 feet for my 4.5 inch Russian tortoise. I had 2 questions: 1. Does anyone know what the really connect the 2 houses together with? 2. Should I put some sort of plastic or cover on the inside of the...

Would this still apply if he's not out on the actual dirt? I'll have mine on a balcony up 5 stories in his own 6x2 enclosure with about 4-6 inches of Eco-Earth coconut mix substrate - would he be OK in that enclosure to take out if the temperates are in the 60's and above? I too can't add a...

Ah great. Yeah I didn't want to overdo the humidity because of the possibility of them getting sick or getting shell rot from constant humid areas. I'll work to keep it about 50% max within his enclosure and then he can crank it up to 60-70% if needed through his "tricks". Good explanation.

Ok - I get that. So what level of humidity do RT's need that's healthy and normal for them? The inside of my place here moves around 30-45% humidity given on the day but I have not seen it lower or higher than that. I just want to make sure that I don't have to do anything extra about the humidity.