I know the advise that russians do better housed outdoors than indoors, I believe this is strictly due to UV exposure. In my case of apartment living a permanent outdoor cage is not a possibility. But if I do provide supplemental UV lighting indoors and regular daily/several times per week visits outside when the weather warms up will that be enough to maintain a healthy active pet? I don't want to get one as a pet if I cannot keep it in the best possible health and do so safely. thanks in advance for your help.
Housing a russian tort indoors, newb question
- Thread starter Dragoon
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My main reason for advising people they need to be outside is because they are such wanderers. They do an awful lot of walking. It's really hard to provide a large enough enclosure indoors for his mental well-being. (IMO)
Yvonne
Yvonne
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I completely agree with Yvonne! Not only are tortoises "wanderers" but I've never felt that there is a long term substitute for real sunshine, fresh air and the ability for them to act naturally as they do when they are outdoors.
I've seen and had tortoises that were raised exclusively indoors and they are different looking and in many cases, different acting than tortoises that have been kept outdoors either exclusively or for most of the year.
So if you must keep your tortoise indoors most or all of the time the more space you can give the better!
I've seen and had tortoises that were raised exclusively indoors and they are different looking and in many cases, different acting than tortoises that have been kept outdoors either exclusively or for most of the year.
So if you must keep your tortoise indoors most or all of the time the more space you can give the better!
For most people, they truly cannot give a tortoise as much space indoors as outdoors. For example, even an indoor 10 sq ft enclosure for an adult Russian can be rather small compared to what you could easily provide outside, and they would get in the wild. It is tricky to make them happy indoors, but it can be done. You have to be prepared to put a lot of time, space, and money into it. Some people have an opinion such that Russians do fine indoors, some say they must be housed outdoors, and I take more of a moderate approach in that it really varies. I know my tort would probably be happier outside once he got used to it, but I think I do a pretty darn good job of trying to make him happy. Maybe someday.
I don't think you will ever be able to replicate an outdoor type enclosure indoors, but if you can get pretty close that may be good enough to raise a healthy and happy tort. The Mercury Vapor Bulbs are the best your money can buy for UVB. You can provide a lot of space, use a substrate that replicates what they would have in the wild, and feed them a good diet of weeds and natural goodies (grow some in boxes in your kitchen).
If you plan to bring the tort outside every once in awhile, do keep in mind that common areas of apartments/townhouses/condos and parks are all 99.99% sure to use chemicals, so you don't want the tortoise to be on the grass. You will need to use a Rubbermaid container for them to get their sun. I so this on my patio with my little guy and frankly he is still scared of the outdoors and doesn't enjoy it yet. We live in a climate where between only being able to take him out on weekends due to my work schedule, and only a few months a year, he doesn't get out much.
For indoor enclosures, also keep in mind that if you give them a huge space to start with as a hatchling or juvenile, you will still need to increase the space as they grow because or else you will get the shrinking enclosure effect because they are getting larger. So, don't give them all the space at first. For example you can build a huge tort table if you want, but block off part of it. Or, increase the container sizes over time (although I find the Rubbermaid type containers don't really come in large enough sizes for my liking for anything past a juvenile tort size for Russians). I gave my hatchling Russian 8 sq ft to start, and plan to add a second story in the next year or so. If he turns out to be a she or is a larger size, then I will need to increase this even more as he has been used to the space. I had planned to block off part of it at first but all the cage furnishings add up quickly!
A tortoise with not enough space will climb the walls, pace, dig, not be as active, etc. Some things you can do to stimulate them are: make sure they cannot see across the enclosure (breaking up the line of site), change around their cage furnishings and buying new ones, and get them out to exercise outside as much as you can (but make sure they have a penned area not too much larger then their indoor enclosure with a hide).
Best wishes.
I don't think you will ever be able to replicate an outdoor type enclosure indoors, but if you can get pretty close that may be good enough to raise a healthy and happy tort. The Mercury Vapor Bulbs are the best your money can buy for UVB. You can provide a lot of space, use a substrate that replicates what they would have in the wild, and feed them a good diet of weeds and natural goodies (grow some in boxes in your kitchen).
If you plan to bring the tort outside every once in awhile, do keep in mind that common areas of apartments/townhouses/condos and parks are all 99.99% sure to use chemicals, so you don't want the tortoise to be on the grass. You will need to use a Rubbermaid container for them to get their sun. I so this on my patio with my little guy and frankly he is still scared of the outdoors and doesn't enjoy it yet. We live in a climate where between only being able to take him out on weekends due to my work schedule, and only a few months a year, he doesn't get out much.
For indoor enclosures, also keep in mind that if you give them a huge space to start with as a hatchling or juvenile, you will still need to increase the space as they grow because or else you will get the shrinking enclosure effect because they are getting larger. So, don't give them all the space at first. For example you can build a huge tort table if you want, but block off part of it. Or, increase the container sizes over time (although I find the Rubbermaid type containers don't really come in large enough sizes for my liking for anything past a juvenile tort size for Russians). I gave my hatchling Russian 8 sq ft to start, and plan to add a second story in the next year or so. If he turns out to be a she or is a larger size, then I will need to increase this even more as he has been used to the space. I had planned to block off part of it at first but all the cage furnishings add up quickly!
A tortoise with not enough space will climb the walls, pace, dig, not be as active, etc. Some things you can do to stimulate them are: make sure they cannot see across the enclosure (breaking up the line of site), change around their cage furnishings and buying new ones, and get them out to exercise outside as much as you can (but make sure they have a penned area not too much larger then their indoor enclosure with a hide).
Best wishes.
I understand the need to gradually increase the size of the cage. I am experienced with ball pythons and they have that need or they will become overly stressed and stop eating. I also checked no herbicides or pesticides are used here and I planned to use mercury vapor bulbs. I also live in wisconsin where it can be either too humid or too cold a large portion of the year also forcing me to keep one indoors for that reason.
My Russians are due for a larger enclosure. But everyday I let them roam my room after eating. Its cute to see them inspect all the new sights. They wander for about an hour til they get tuckered out and find a place to sleep. My one always finds my slippers and wedges himself inside. My other one crawls into a bunch of wires that are under my Tv stand, (They hang down off of my game consoles. They are not power cords nor are there any jacks nearby. My rooms is tortoise proof.) Until good weather comes back this will be their exercise. Once they have slept i usualy put them back into their enclosure and they fall back to sleep. Oh and I think tortoises like red lights. On an AV plug their are multiple lights. The torts always go and inspect the red one and no other. There is also a red light on my computer that they are strangely drawn to.
Torts and turtles are drawn to red for whatever reason.
I don't agree with letting a tortoise wander any open space, no matter what the temperature (most floors are way too cold and drafty for them) and how safe it is (even hair or string can be quite a hazard), because then they get penned up again in their "small" enclosure, which will seem even smaller after having a short dose of freedom. Also, sometimes they will run around and get tuckered out because they are looking for a safe place to hide as this is a "new" surrounding for them without hides (maybe why the tort likes your slipper), and it can be stressful. Something to keep in mind. I won't let my tort out of his enclosure. I used to think it was a good thing for him, but not the only time he gets out of it is in a safe Rubbermaid tub, until someday I can build him an outdoor enclosure to become accustomed to.
I don't agree with letting a tortoise wander any open space, no matter what the temperature (most floors are way too cold and drafty for them) and how safe it is (even hair or string can be quite a hazard), because then they get penned up again in their "small" enclosure, which will seem even smaller after having a short dose of freedom. Also, sometimes they will run around and get tuckered out because they are looking for a safe place to hide as this is a "new" surrounding for them without hides (maybe why the tort likes your slipper), and it can be stressful. Something to keep in mind. I won't let my tort out of his enclosure. I used to think it was a good thing for him, but not the only time he gets out of it is in a safe Rubbermaid tub, until someday I can build him an outdoor enclosure to become accustomed to.
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