Long time away but I was thinking and...

loki.the.tort

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Long time away but when Loki gets big I don't know what set up he should have. My sister claims that free-roaming in the living room will reduce his basking time and is bad for him. We cant house him outdoors because it is too cold in the UK. I also thought about a indoor pen, but he wont be able to keep a soil substrate. Any Ideas?
By the way, Loki is only 1 at the moment so long way too go!
 

ZenHerper

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No matter what species of tort you have - your sister wins the internet!

The floor is indeed too cold for an ectothermic pet (one that needs a heat source outside the body to heat the inside of the body).

Additionally, many torts get injuries when free-roaming houses. They get stepped on, get shut in doors, fall down stairs, chewed by domesticated predatory pets. There are not enough food plants placed where the tort can reach them to make a wanderer's lifestyle successful. There is nowhere to burrow.

If you tell us what species you are keeping, people can give more specific tips about how to upgrade.
 

loki.the.tort

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No matter what species of tort you have - your sister wins the internet!

The floor is indeed too cold for an ectothermic pet (one that needs a heat source outside the body to heat the inside of the body).

Additionally, many torts get injuries when free-roaming houses. They get stepped on, get shut in doors, fall down stairs, chewed by domesticated predatory pets. There are not enough food plants placed where the tort can reach them to make a wanderer's lifestyle successful. There is nowhere to burrow.

If you tell us what species you are keeping, people can give more specific tips about how to upgrade.
Ok thank you. I have a Hermanns tortoise
 

ZenHerper

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Ok thank you. I have a Hermanns tortoise

So these guys are a good size when full grown. They do need a fair bit of space in order to thermo-regulate through a range of temperatures, to exercise, and to keep the digestive organs working properly. (Heh...I originally typed pooperly...)

So you want an enclosure that is no smaller than 4x6 feet (for an individual hermanns that approaches 10-inches long, this is still rather claustrophobic). For an animal living exclusively indoors, bigger is always better. Larger enclosures or tables also give you the opportunity to provide a more enriching landscape.


It can be cost-prohibitive to buy a very large enclosure, but many folks re-purpose things like bookcases and cabinets to build their own.
 

loki.the.tort

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So these guys are a good size when full grown. They do need a fair bit of space in order to thermo-regulate through a range of temperatures, to exercise, and to keep the digestive organs working properly. (Heh...I originally typed pooperly...)

So you want an enclosure that is no smaller than 4x6 feet (for an individual hermanns that approaches 10-inches long, this is still rather claustrophobic). For an animal living exclusively indoors, bigger is always better. Larger enclosures or tables also give you the opportunity to provide a more enriching landscape.


It can be cost-prohibitive to buy a very large enclosure, but many folks re-purpose things like bookcases and cabinets to build their own.
Thanks I'll read the care sheet
 

loki.the.tort

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So these guys are a good size when full grown. They do need a fair bit of space in order to thermo-regulate through a range of temperatures, to exercise, and to keep the digestive organs working properly. (Heh...I originally typed pooperly...)

So you want an enclosure that is no smaller than 4x6 feet (for an individual hermanns that approaches 10-inches long, this is still rather claustrophobic). For an animal living exclusively indoors, bigger is always better. Larger enclosures or tables also give you the opportunity to provide a more enriching landscape.


It can be cost-prohibitive to buy a very large enclosure, but many folks re-purpose things like bookcases and cabinets to build their own.
So I have been looking really deeply into it and I cant find any tortoise tables 4*6ft I even looked at wardrobes and cabinets that I could turn into a enclosure. No luck. They are all too small.
 
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I would suggest building your own. Maybe get a large piece of plywood and attaching walls to it. You could also add pond liner as a moisture barrier.
 
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Tom

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So I have been looking really deeply into it and I cant find any tortoise tables 4*6ft I even looked at wardrobes and cabinets that I could turn into a enclosure. No luck. They are all too small.
Nobody makes the right size tortoise table that you can go buy in a store. You have to make your own, or have one made. Its pretty easy to attach some walls to a sheet of plywood and put some legs on the bottom. If you want to get fancy, you can add wheels so you can move it around.

Also, I wouldn't use soil for substrate for a tortoise. You can't know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. Plus, most of them have additives like perlite or fertilizers. The soil makers do not intend for animals to live on their product in indoor enclosures. Coco coir, orchid bark or cypress mulch work better.

Roaming loose on the floor is a recipe for disaster that often ends with a tortoise that is sick, injured or dead. Your tortoise needs to be able to meet its exercise need inside its enclosure.
 

jeneliza

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Long time away but when Loki gets big I don't know what set up he should have. My sister claims that free-roaming in the living room will reduce his basking time and is bad for him. We cant house him outdoors because it is too cold in the UK. I also thought about a indoor pen, but he wont be able to keep a soil substrate. Any Ideas?
By the way, Loki is only 1 at the moment so long way too go!
I have a redfoot, she's about ten, I keep her indoors, Mich is cold, o let mine out to walk around for a few hours, about 2-3 days a week, depend on the week, I let her outside when warm for the same, I use a heat lamp, flood 125 watt, and a uvb or uva can't remember which it is but it's the sunlamp , my encloser is about 5 feet and 31/2 feet wide, for now she soon be getting a larger one, I need to build her a bigger one soon, but here's the picture of mine, note that the back part isn't living space this is for her fogger, she smashed one before so I have a space for it15856667554801194300452573625188.jpg15856667554801194300452573625188.jpg15856668274878494282900239369559.jpg15856668570662803128765252184555.jpg15856669298843000622267262683645.jpg
 

loki.the.tort

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Nobody makes the right size tortoise table that you can go buy in a store. You have to make your own, or have one made. Its pretty easy to attach some walls to a sheet of plywood and put some legs on the bottom. If you want to get fancy, you can add wheels so you can move it around.

Also, I wouldn't use soil for substrate for a tortoise. You can't know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. Plus, most of them have additives like perlite or fertilizers. The soil makers do not intend for animals to live on their product in indoor enclosures. Coco coir, orchid bark or cypress mulch work better.

Roaming loose on the floor is a recipe for disaster that often ends with a tortoise that is sick, injured or dead. Your tortoise needs to be able to meet its exercise need inside its enclosure.
Ok thanks for Info.
 

loki.the.tort

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I have a redfoot, she's about ten, I keep her indoors, Mich is cold, o let mine out to walk around for a few hours, about 2-3 days a week, depend on the week, I let her outside when warm for the same, I use a heat lamp, flood 125 watt, and a uvb or uva can't remember which it is but it's the sunlamp , my encloser is about 5 feet and 31/2 feet wide, for now she soon be getting a larger one, I need to build her a bigger one soon, but here's the picture of mine, note that the back part isn't living space this is for her fogger, she smashed one before so I have a space for itView attachment 289334View attachment 289334View attachment 289335View attachment 289336View attachment 289337
Nice setup it looks quite natural! ;-)
 

Yvonne G

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I just took four cheapy, 4 shelf book cases to the Good Will store. Do you have stores like that in the UK? Salvation Army, Disabled Veterans? these places take donations of clothing and furniture and re-sell them to make money for their cause. I don't know how much they will sell my book cases for, but they only cost around $30 new, so they won't charge too much for them. You would lay the book case on its back, remove the shelves, add a plastic sheet or shower curtain inside to protect the wood, then add your tortoise stuff (hiding places, plants, substrate, etc.). My four shelf book cases were about 6' tall and 3' wide. That's plenty big enough for your Hermanni.
 

Samantha Graham

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Have a look at the deep Billy bookcase range in Ikea to give you an idea of what you can purchase here in the U.K. - people do sell them second hand also ?
 

loki.the.tort

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Nobody makes the right size tortoise table that you can go buy in a store. You have to make your own, or have one made. Its pretty easy to attach some walls to a sheet of plywood and put some legs on the bottom. If you want to get fancy, you can add wheels so you can move it around.

Also, I wouldn't use soil for substrate for a tortoise. You can't know what composted material it is made of and it could be something toxic. Plus, most of them have additives like perlite or fertilizers. The soil makers do not intend for animals to live on their product in indoor enclosures. Coco coir, orchid bark or cypress mulch work better.

Roaming loose on the floor is a recipe for disaster that often ends with a tortoise that is sick, injured or dead. Your tortoise needs to be able to meet its exercise need inside its enclosure.
due to the lockdown here we got the new substrate delivered. when it came we put it straight in. He loved it, Thank you.
 

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