hi im new here

Lyn W

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That's the same as 4 x 2 1/3!
It doesn't matter which way around you put the numbers if you multiply them to get the area, just over 8 sq feet is still a lot less than 32 square feet
 

gamera154

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what if i add a raised section that goes over the lower half like a two story enclosure because your telling me that i have to double my space and if i have a two story enclosure i can do that
 

gamera154

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ok so im getting a lot of different minimum enclosure sizes some say 2x2 some say 2x3 some are 2x4 and now i get 4x8 so i dont know what to do because right now we only have room for a 2x4 and i dont want to give up on tortoise keeping and a 4x8 is probably not going to fit in our room with two beds that are 2 1/2 x 6ft but i realy want a tort and like i said on week days it will get an hour or more out side while the dogs are in and we have quite a big yard but it's not safe enough to be a place to house a tort
 

SarahChelonoidis

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4x8 is the minimum for an adult Russian. Anyone recommending 2x2 likely has very limited experience with tortoises. A 2'x2' enclosure during the day would be cruel.
 

gamera154

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right now i have room for a 2 1/3 x4 is that good enough and if it has another level would it be big enough to house an adult
 

SarahChelonoidis

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right now i have room for a 2 1/3 x4 is that good enough and if it has another level would it be big enough to house an adult

Adding another full level (which is hard to do) would still make it only half the size you need it to be. What about building a secure enclosure outside?
 

gamera154

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we have dogs and i don't trust them enough when they go out to be safe for a tort and ay mom runs a home day care the kids are not allowed in the rooms but they do go out side i will however be able to take it out during nap time witch is from 11:30 to about 1 and thats when it starts getting hot to and i dont want to risk it being killed by racoons or cyotes or even the owls, falcons, and hawks in the area
 

Tom

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All you need for the great outdoors is an enclosure with a lid. Its an easy thing to do. Here is one example:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

Here is something similar. Hinges and a latch or two will keep dogs out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/

You could also use a large dog kennel with a roof on it. Just make some solid sides around the bottom out of something smooth and opaque, like 12" tall strips of thin plywood. The closed in kennel will keep dogs and other critters out and you can pad lock it to keep the kids out.

I can see that you are frustrated about the enclosure size, be we aren't here to tell you what you want to hear. We are hear to tell you what tortoises need, so you can figure out if you are able to provide it. Not everyone has the space to dedicate to a pet tortoise. There are plenty of other really cool pets that will do very well in something that will easily fit into the space you have to offer. A tortoise just isn't one of them.
 

gamera154

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what if i made an out door enclosure for a majority of the day and the indoor enclosure for night time early morning and when the dogs go out because they will brake the lid there pit collie mix and the boy sparky is about 100 plus pounds and our girl lily is one of those dogs that will try to kill any thing that gets in her area exept for other dogs and people
 

gamera154

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and what if i just bought a 50 gal storage bin and have the enclosure i have now as a extra level or holding tank
 

Tom

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and what if i just bought a 50 gal storage bin and have the enclosure i have now as a extra level or holding tank

With a large outdoor enclosure, a smaller indoor enclosure is more acceptable, but a 50 is still far too small to be in all day on the colder or hotter days.

2 points about the dogs:
1. Train the dogs to leaves the tortoise alone.
2. Put the cage somewhere out of the dogs reach, like a side yard, or something. AND no dog is going to be able to break into a sturdy dog kennel, any more than they would be able to break out of such a kennel.
 

gamera154

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ok first about indoor enclosure so a 50 gal is about 4x2 and the bins i have now are 18in by 24in and if i make the enclosure i have now a second layer or story doesn't that that increase the floor space



an second our yard goes all around our house only getting cut off where the dogs are put in at 7pm and taken out agian at 6pm
 

SarahChelonoidis

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ok first about indoor enclosure so a 50 gal is about 4x2 and the bins i have now are 18in by 24in and if i make the enclosure i have now a second layer or story doesn't that that increase the floor space



an second our yard goes all around our house only getting cut off where the dogs are put in at 7pm and taken out agian at 6pm

Make sure you measure the floor space of the 50 gallon you're thinking of - very few have a footprint of 4x2. It may be too shallow for deep enough substrate if it does.

Talk to your family about building a secure outdoor enclosure with you. If you explain to them what a tortoise needs, they may be willing to help.
 
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