Vivariums

mrhoyo

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All the research we did before getting our tortoise in 2015 said that vivariums were a no go and they had to be kept in tables so that's what we bought. We're lucky to have a dedicated reptile room but keeping humidity up can be tricky with no lid.

Can anyone enlighten me as to why tables are suggested for tortoises instead of vivariums where the air temperatures are more stable and humidity and be controlled easier?
Our other reptiles are kept in vivaria and seem to do fine.
Sheldon goes out during the "summer" but here in Yorkshire that's not a very long period and even then is a bit on the cool side (it's currently 3c / 37.5f and raining in mid March) so we need to make sure his indoor accommodation is perfect.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Because one time a well regarded British chelonian keeper was aghast that people had large tortoises in aquariums. In that persons experience the aquarium were indeed often way to small, and mismanaged. A really large aquarium is a hassle as it is heavy and the glass can break. Their solution was a wooden table. Based on so many successful ideas coming from that person the "Tortoise Table" ignited like a wild fire. That person has also published that humidity was not correlated to shell deformities. So the dogma of the table was born.

It's sorta actually about the same as saying we should not have a roof over our homes. It would work in a few places around the globe, but most places it would not work.

It's all about managing the micro-climate for the tortoise, and in some cases an open top table might work well enough. For the most part an enclosed space when managed, can be much easier to deal with. But like a table, it has to be managed.

Look at this thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tortoise-table-project.152487/

I guess tortoise table does not in and of itself mean open top.
 

mrhoyo

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Because one time a well regarded British chelonian keeper was aghast that people had large tortoises in aquariums. In that persons experience the aquarium were indeed often way to small, and mismanaged. A really large aquarium is a hassle as it is heavy and the glass can break. Their solution was a wooden table. Based on so many successful ideas coming from that person the "Tortoise Table" ignited like a wild fire. That person has also published that humidity was not correlated to shell deformities. So the dogma of the table was born.

It's sorta actually about the same as saying we should not have a roof over our homes. It would work in a few places around the globe, but most places it would not work.

It's all about managing the micro-climate for the tortoise, and in some cases an open top table might work well enough. For the most part an enclosed space when managed, can be much easier to deal with. But like a table, it has to be managed.

Look at this thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tortoise-table-project.152487/

I guess tortoise table does not in and of itself mean open top.
Interesting, thanks for the reply. I may now start looking at housing the little man in a vivarium at some point.
 

teresaf

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Look up 'closed chamber' here on forum for ideas. Lots of people Had great ideas. I hear part of the reason that tanks were discouraged was lack of circulating air...I would say that was a myth. Using the methods here they thrive in closed chambers as long as they are big enough for the tortoise size. Exchanging the air by opening and closing the doors daily is all that is necessary. Keeping temps up when humidity is up is the biggest problem I think. Humidity is good for them. Keeps them hydrated. But simply adding humidity doesn't work because that lowers temps by default. Torts get sick. People didn't know to raise the temps too. Ugh! And those STICK ON BUTTON HYGROMETER/THERMOMETERS Pieces of s##t probably killed more tortoises than helped. People thought their temps were up when they were really too low so of course it's the tanks fault! Sorry, I'm ranting. My torts did great in my tanks. Only problem was moving to Florida I couldn't bring my 200 gallon tank and I can't afford a new one: ( they outgrew it anyway....But I really liked that tank! It was low profile so I could reach in without a stool.
 

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