New to forum

[Redfoot mom]

Hi all. I am new to the forum. I have had a redfoot tortoise for about 7 years now. He has an awesome outside enclosure for summer but has out grown indoor enclosure. Looking for ideas and where to find large enough enclosure or just keep letting him wander the house like he has for some time.

 

[BILBO-03]

Hi and Welcome! how big is your tortoise we will need to know this before you make a enclosure I would say the minimum size for a adult redfoot would be 8x4 feet. Do you mind me asking where you are located?

 

[Redfoot mom]

He is 11 1/2 inches. I live in North idaho. For two years now he has roamed the house during winters but I would rather he have his own room. I wanted to purchase something but nothing is local and shipping is so expensive.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! *waves*

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Hello & Welcome !!
How much room do you have to spare? One of our members houses her Leopard tortoises indoors. They get their own room (or maybe 2? I don't remember). If anything, try searching "indoor enclosures" for ideas

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings, and it's good to see that you are looking at creating a proper indoor enclosure for your tort. Many reasons not to let it roam about the house, bad temperatures, bad humidity, no place to burrow into a substrate, and much higher riisk of injury and potential to eat something harmful.

Lots of ideas under the "Enclosures" section, but a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood as the bottom makes a good start, and seems to be what is often recommended. Add some sides, put down a cover over the bottom, a few bags of clean cypress mulch, hang a basking light, make a hide with an inverted larger tupperware bin with the side cut out for an entrance, a terracotta plant saucer for water and food. Add your tort, and your done.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, mom and welcome to the Forum!

Here's what one of our members made for her RF tortoise:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/heres-dales-new-enclosure-picture-heavy.11023/#post-95174

 

[Big Ol Tortoise]

Hello and welcome! Are you able to make him a warm box he go in when it gets cold?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome.
I also keep Redfoot. Outside, though.
I do not recommend ever letting a tortoise roam around on the floor inside of a house.(Ever).

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
I agree, roaming the house is a very bad idea, even a dust bunny can be dangerous. Our enclosure section has so many great ideas.

 

[TammyJ]

Hi and welcome! You came to a good place for advice and good conversation too!

I agree, don't go with the free roaming, it's too alien in every way living with us humans!

 

[Redfoot mom]

I don't have a truck so I am unable to get large pieces of wood. I did see that one person made an enclosure with c&c grid cages. I know tortoises can climb but I was wondering if it would work as the frame if it was lined with pond liner or shower curtain. And could do higher coroplast walls?

 

[Redfoot mom]

I know people are really anti roaming. But he is quite healthy and happy a big part of the family. When he was little he would hear me get up in the morning and want out of his enclosure. I would let him out while i supervised. He gets steam when we shower. And drinks from the dog bowls. Bathes atleast weekly. Knows where all the warm spots are in the house and gets along well with our 3 dogs and cat. He has his outdoor enclosure during spring summer fall. It is just gross when he pees on the heater vents which is why I want him to have his own spot inside the house. But I am sure he will still want out to visit frequently.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I'm sorry but this is a recipe for disaster.
As well as the risks of eating something as simple as dog hair or a piece of plastic that could prove fatal, or a least hugely expensive at the vets, we hear constant horror stories here about calm, placid lovable dogs that get on fine with a tortoise for years and then they decide it's a chew toy.
Here are a couple of recent examples http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...-other-another-sad-dog-tortoise-story.150473/
This is just the latest of so, so many.
Please read it as the member has posted to help others.
No dog is safe.
And the tortoise needs a dedicated enclosure.
I don't know what c&c grid cages are, but if I'm guessing right, then lined with a shower curtain or the like, it should be fine.