Is there a need to take tortoise out?

[Janelle Green]

Also when my tortoise spends the day outside he comes in so tired and sleeps all night and now is starting to sleep in lol I would recommend using an outdoor enclosure because they are faster than we think lol and can be lost very easily . I spent $10 making my outdoor play pen you can look online at Walmart their $10 and he can't climb out at all it's working perfectly for a small play pen while I build his big backyard enclosure

 

[Janelle Green]

I am going to vote for natural sunlight and exercise being beneficial !

I agree! My Franklin comes in side after a day out all day and is so tired sleeps very good I only use his indoor for sleeping and bad weather because we do get cold winters and tons of snow.

 

[Tom]

View attachment 188065 View attachment 188064 You can make a small play pen for limited outdoor time . My tortoise was never outside before I got him and I've had him over a week now and I've already noticed his mood change since I take him outside everyday he's very happy and active. They love being outside and it's a new scenery adventures for them ! I made a small front yard play pen which was really easy to make they sell the play pens made already for $10 at Walmart / petsmart it's for small animals and I dug it into ground and bought tent stakes and staked it in(he can't escape at all) I am also currently building a backyard enclosure he can be in full time but we have bad winters so he has indoor as well . Here's a picture of my Russians front yard play pen. Your girl will love any amount of outdoor time! They also can handle cold temps so maybe on warm winter days take her out for a bit

While it is a very good idea to contain your tortoise, they really need a visual barrier. See the way he's looking out and pushing against the barrier? Over time they can injure their snouts and rub leg scales off. Or simply push through and under the barrier. This happens with larger sulcatas housed behind chain link too.

Here are three easy ways to do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/cheap-easy-simple-sunning-enclosure.14680/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

 

[Janelle Green]

It is a visual barrier different colored wire and he is not able to push through or under the barrier I have it going underground and staked in the thing isn't moving anywhere all tortoises try and get out of their enclosures he is not running his snout all day. A lot of people use wire/chain for tortoise enclosures

 

[Tom]

It is a visual barrier different colored wire and he is not able to push through or under the barrier I have it going underground and staked in the thing isn't moving anywhere all tortoises try and get out of their enclosures he is not running his snout all day. A lot of people use wire/chain for tortoise enclosures

If they can see through it, it is not a visual barrier, by definition.

Yes, you are right, a lot of people use see-through fencing to contain tortoises. That doesn't make it a good idea, and that doesn't mean many of them are not injured this way. I had a new neighbor move in a few years ago with a sulcata. I told them this same thing and they ignored me. Within two days the tortoise had turned gray where his legs and shell were rubbing the fence, and after less than a week he had removed half of his leg scales and his snout was bleeding. They had to learn the hard way. I hope that people reading this won't.

 

[Janelle Green]

It's working really well because he can not climb
Or dig out I can put s visual barrier on the outside of the pen few inches high but so far everything is working out great with his play pen and am almost finished with his backyard enclosure which walls are wood

 

[Janelle Green]

I am worried that he'll be able to climb if I add a barrier to the bottom any materials that you can recommend me putting at the bottom so he can't use it to climb but so he can't see out as well? I was going to order a tortoise box because I want a small play pen in front yard because my kids are always riding bikes and I do yard work. His main enclosure is getting worked on now and that's in my backyard. He also has indoor enclosure because I live in Colorado and we have cold winters , he seems really happy in his indoor home now he's not crowded with other tortoises and diff tortoise species

 

[cmacusa3]

I am worried that he'll be able to climb if I add a barrier to the bottom any materials that you can recommend me putting at the bottom so he can't use it to climb but so he can't see out as well? I was going to order a tortoise box because I want a small play pen in front yard because my kids are always riding bikes and I do yard work. His main enclosure is getting worked on now and that's in my backyard

For a small play pen.......If you can find a small kiddie pool they work great for temporary enclosures. Check Craigslist too. Something like this would be great with a little dirt added.

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/tag/5766091402.html

 

[Gillian M]

Hey everyone,

My tortoise 'Lexa' has pretty much been indoors 100% of the time since I got her due to really bad weather conditions here in Kuwait (it can reach up to 122+ degrees Fahrenheit here ). However, only in the next month or so the weather will be good enough for her to be outdoors then its gonna be too cold afterwards.

Anyways during this month or so, I was wondering if there is any need for me to take her out to like the park for a few hours for some sunshine while the weather is good. Obviously I'm going to have to improvise some kind of small enclosure eg: a kiddie pool or something b/c i would never let her free roam due to dangers. I mean, is there any benefit since she can only be out for a month?

Only benefit I can think of is the sunshine, otherwise, everything else would be the exact same as her indoor enclosure except slightly bigger space to move and no temperature gradient.

Thanks!

A very interesting thread. Thanks for posting @Dosu .

I live quite near: Jordan. I very often take Oli for a "walk" in the sun, which he loves, I can tell. I was told that he would not like his enclosure any more, and he'd keep trying to get out of it. This may/may not happen. If he comes back home dead tired, he falls asleep after I soak him in warm water.

Even if lights are available, I believe that the natural sun is something different: it is NATURAL. Moreover, I live in a relatively small flat, and I really do not think it is fair for any animal to be "imprisoned" in a "cage/enclosure" AND a flat.

 

[Dosu]

Here are three easy ways to do it:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/cheap-easy-simple-sunning-enclosure.14680/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

Thank you for posting these threads. They're really helpful

It is a visual barrier different colored wire and he is not able to push through or under the barrier I have it going underground and staked in the thing isn't moving anywhere all tortoises try and get out of their enclosures he is not running his snout all day. A lot of people use wire/chain for tortoise enclosures

I would like to agree with the others here Janelle. I think a visual barrier is pretty important. I used to soak Lexa in a clear plastic tub and while soaking she would always try to escape etc. However, when I switched to an opaque plastic tub, she stopped doing that. I think by having a visual barrier, you give your tortoise a sense of where his boundaries are.

A very interesting thread. Thanks for posting @Dosu .

I live quite near: Jordan. I very often take Oli for a "walk" in the sun, which he loves, I can tell. I was told that he would not like his enclosure any more, and he'd keep trying to get out of it. This may/may not happen. If he comes back home dead tired, he falls asleep after I soak him in warm water.

Even if lights are available, I believe that the natural sun is something different: it is NATURAL. Moreover, I live in a relatively small flat, and I really do not think it is fair for any animal to be "imprisoned" in a "cage/enclosure" AND a flat.

Hey Gillian,
If you don't mind me asking, how often do you take Oli out for a walk? Like, do you only do it between the end of summer to the beginning of winter (due to climate) or do you do it through out the year? Also, how exactly do you take Oli out of a walk? Like, do you take him to the park on the grass and let him roam (im scared of that because im afraid that the grass might have some sort of pesticides etc) or so you take him like on flat ground somewhere (like on concrete)?

Sorry for the questions

 

[JoesMum]

Gillian lives in the Middle East - in Jordan. The climate and lifestyle there is very different to what most people experience.

 

[Dosu]

Gillian lives in the Middle East - in Jordan. The climate and lifestyle there is very different to what most people experience.

Yeah I know, I live in Kuwait, which is in the middle east too Climates here are similar and sometimes even worse

 

[JoesMum]

Yeah I know, I live in Kuwait, which is in the middle east too Climates here are similar and sometimes even worse

In which case, you two know exactly what you're talking about and the rest of us haven't a clue

 

[Gillian M]

Thank you for posting these threads. They're really helpful




I would like to agree with the others here Janelle. I think a visual barrier is pretty important. I used to soak Lexa in a clear plastic tub and while soaking she would always try to escape etc. However, when I switched to an opaque plastic tub, she stopped doing that. I think by having a visual barrier, you give your tortoise a sense of where his boundaries are.




Hey Gillian,
If you don't mind me asking, how often do you take Oli out for a walk? Like, do you only do it between the end of summer to the beginning of winter (due to climate) or do you do it through out the year? Also, how exactly do you take Oli out of a walk? Like, do you take him to the park on the grass and let him roam (im scared of that because im afraid that the grass might have some sort of pesticides etc) or so you take him like on flat ground somewhere (like on concrete)?

Sorry for the questions

Hi. I take Oli out for "walks" whenever the weather permits. In Summer, this takes place before sunset due to the fact that the sun is VERY HOT during Summer. In Winter we go out whenever there's sunshine.

Unfortunately, thee are NO parks around. We stay on the PAVEMENT and I stand beside him literally like a BODYGUARD! You ought to see the way people surround us.

Please do not apologize for having asked questions: we are, after all, here to help. Ask questions whenever you need help.

 

[Dosu]

Hi. I take Oli out for "walks" whenever the weather permits. In Summer, this takes place before sunset due to the fact that the sun is VERY HOT during Summer. In Winter we go out whenever there's sunshine.

Unfortunately, thee are NO parks around. We stay on the PAVEMENT and I stand beside him literally like a BODYGUARD! You ought to see the way people surround us.

Please do not apologize for having asked questions: we are, after all, here to help. Ask questions whenever you need help.

Thank you for the great info! You have no idea how much this helps me

 

[kelii]

I think you should take him out. Tortoises live long lives, and could get very bored in the same enclosure. I take my two red foots outside and they seem to still enjoy being at home.

 

[Gillian M]

I think you should take him out. Tortoises live long lives, and could get very bored in the same enclosure. I take my two red foots outside and they seem to still enjoy being at home.

That's one of the reasons that make me take Oli out. I also believe that no matter how big an enclosure is, torts are happier outside in the wild (where they come from). I do know however, that certain members disagree with me here.