First Time Tortoise owner

[Mixcoatl]

Hello! I adopted my Eastern Hermann's tortoise about a month and a half ago from someone I knew who had to give him up. I've been doing as much research as I can and trying to give him the best living situation an apartment can offer (a large vivarium right now, soon to be upgraded to a raised garden bed out on the balcony) until I've moved in with my fiancé where he will have a backyard to stomp about and graze in.

I frequent these forums often even before I got him and it's been incredibly helpful in learning what's best for this little dude. This is my first time owning any sort of reptile so please be patient with me, I still have a lot to learn.

Here is Mixcoatl (Mix). He's about 2 years old and loves hibiscus flowers.

 

[Mixcoatl]

More full body pics of him during a soak and stomping on one of his vivarium plants. Another with a flower hat

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome to you and Mix. Mix is a beautiful tort.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome to you and Mix - he looks quite a character and a very handsome tort!
You could use a bookcase on its back with shelves removed and lined with a shower curtain as a temporary measure for a bigger enclosure. Although torts can be good climbers so whatever you use on your balcony make sure he can't get out of it and go over the top

 

[Mixcoatl]

Welcome to you and Mix. Mix is a beautiful tort.

Thank you kindly! I will pass your compliments on to him

 

[Mixcoatl]

Hi and welcome to you and Mix - he looks quite a character and a very handsome tort!
You could use a bookcase on its back with shelves removed and lined with a shower curtain as a temporary measure for a bigger enclosure. Although torts can be good climbers so whatever you use on your balcony make sure he can't get out of it and go over the top

Thank you Lyn! I was very surprised to see how much character torts have, everyone who meets him thinks he's a goober.
And thank you for your suggestion with the gutted bookcase.
Are you suggesting that as an alternative to his current vivarium or as a temp outdoor(balcony) enclosure? I was considering this option once I learned that tortoises actually need a lot of space to roam and graze, but there was some debate I read about drainage so I wrote it off as being too complex a build for me. I've been leaning more towards a premade cold frame for him so he can't climb out and wanted to ask here on the forums if that type of enclosure has been successful for anyone.

 

[Lyn W]

Thank you Lyn! I was very surprised to see how much character torts have, everyone who meets him thinks he's a goober.
And thank you for your suggestion with the gutted bookcase.
Are you suggesting that as an alternative to his current vivarium or as a temp outdoor(balcony) enclosure? I was considering this option once I learned that tortoises actually need a lot of space to roam and graze, but there was some debate I read about drainage so I wrote it off as being too complex a build for me. I've been leaning more towards a premade cold frame for him so he can't climb out and wanted to ask here on the forums if that type of enclosure has been successful for anyone.

I was thinking of a cheap and quick fix temp measure for a balcony, but it would have to be quite a deep bookcase with the edges capped to stop any escapes, and I suppose its suitability would depend on your weather too.
Some people use them indoors with small plastic green houses on top to help humidity, but the cold frame idea for the balcony would be good, and probably easier and more secure.
Have a look through the Enclosures thread and you'll find some great ideas there.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome!