Hermann's with my other pets . . .

[lisa127]

I have had cats all my life and I am old as dirt. I have never seen or heard of any cat using a damp substrate as a litter box, especially if their own is clean. There's always something new to learn, and possibly because I don't believe in outside cats and always have inside cats mine and some others I know of are different. I know I can't trust my one cat around my birds, but neither really cares about my tortoises. I will remember what you have said, and make my comments about cats and tortoises more personal to my own...thanks for your input.

I had two indoor cats (with clean litter boxes) that used the dirt in my box turtle enclosures as a litterbox. They didn't care about bothering the turtles but did go potty in their enclosure and covered it up. They were never outdoors in their life. Interestingly enough, when it came to my lizards it was dependent on the lizard. My blue tongued skink, larger size and slow moving, was never bothered by my cats. But smaller lizards, like my leopard geckos, were a snack to them. A bearded dragon, jerkier in movement than the blue tongued skink, also excited the prey drive.

Btw, I'm loving the idea of the bottom bunk for an enclosure!! However, I agree with the others. It needs more "stuff". Too much open space and not enough cover for security. Cork bark, plants (fake are fine), half logs, etc. Great idea though!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I've never had the litterbox issue, but others have brought it up. My cats are all indoor but one was a feral rescue and he still retains some of his old habits (namely digging in dirt if he can).

I'm not saying there are aren't cats out there who don't give a crap about torts, for some people that's entirely true. But all it takes is a cat getting a little too curious one time for your tort to get seriously hurt. Why risk it?

yep, you're right. We sure don't want a hurt tort...

 

[TortyTom]

Just remember any animal with a mouth is fully capable of biting for any reason. Why take the chance? Also,,, a tortoise can inflict a pretty painful bite as well. I would hate for my dogs or cats to get injured too! That's why I prevent the possibility.

 

[LeBeauMonde]

What is all the white stuff that lookes like its sprinkled over the substrate?

A calcium powder that I add sometimes

 

[tortoise Inc]

Move the Torty to the top bunk.... easy LOL

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I got by for 23 years with cats and turtle/ tortoise habitats and no problems. However, for the past 3 years I have had a cat that thinks their habitats are glorious litter boxes, even though his own is clean & he has access to the outdoors. He slashed a clutch of eggs I didn't know was there, and it's just intolerably nasty. I had to dump a lot of precious substrate. As a result, my habitats are covered now.

The box-like habitat has hardware cloth covers. The stacked "bunks" use the panels from those wire cube shelving units held together with zip ties. The outdoor cinderblock pen is a hoop house with PVC pipe stuck in the block openings and curved across, and plastic fence zip tied to it. It's a nuisance, but necessary.

Maybe your kitten will be teachable and cooperate. Most are. Not all.