Hi-ya! I've been 'slightly' stalking...

[Tom]

Yes, but in actuality, even though your tortoise pen was the living room floor, it was really a pen and not the wide open spaces that we all share as we walk through the house. It was fenced off and all that was in there was the tortoise and his tortoise stuff.

Out of curiosity, did you use a substrate?

This was 8-10 years ago, so I was using about 300 pounds of rabbit pellets. 6 50lb. bags. It got dry and dusty within a month or two, so I tried those compressed grass hay pellets and they lasted a little longer before falling apart. Don't forget they were outside in a roughly 30x12' pen most of the time. Only in at night and cold days.

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Hello and welcome! So let me get this straight, you went from a 'Stalker' to being 'obsessive'..??? Me too!! Your in the right place then.Lol

 

[tortoisenerd]

Roachman-I was referring to a tort who is kept in an indoor enclosure and is then allowed to walk around in say a living room which is maybe 10 times the size of the enclosure, without boundaries or hides, etc. When they are put back in their enclosure after their taste of freedom they may feel enclosed and antsy and want "out" again. Having a room-sized enclosure I think is different. Does that clarify? I don't say to restrict space. I just mean to not offer a large area for a small time and then put them back in the smaller enclosure. Same reasoning as to not ever downgrade the enclosure size, even if you were indeed offering "too much" space for their size (more than recommended). For example, even though some people keep adult torts in the size enclosure my yearling has, because he has been in the enclosure since he was small I will soon need to expand it or else the enclosure is in sense shrinking because he is growing. I believe in offering an enclosure large enough that the tort doesn't need to get out and exercise, unless you have a schedule of sorts that tort tort lives outside and comes in during bad weather and nights, or comes in for the winter, etc (a routine). I would recommend to people who want their tort to get out and exercise to offer a second enclosure whether it be outside or inside that is about the same size as their regular enclosure or not too much larger, and provide a hide, and have that be the exercise area. My tort has a home away from home tub that I can put out on the patio for him to get sun, he can spend time in while I am cleaning his enclosure, be watched when I am away, etc. Just my opinions though! Best wishes.

 

[ChiKat]

I'm glad you introduced yourself!! Can't wait to hear stories (and see pictures!) of little Ollie Torts really are the best! I got my first hatchling (a Russian) in August and I am obsessed with him

And not to turn your thread into a debate...but I used to let my hatchling, Nelson, out of his enclosure almost every day to walk around the house and get some exercise. My house is very clean (no dust bunnies!) and I always supervised him when he was out. He absolutely LOVED roaming around! I have a video of him marching around like he owns the place- I should post it one of these days. In the wild torts get so much more exercise than we give them in captivity.
I can see what Kate (tortoisenerd) is saying though. Nelson did seem very restless when he was back in his enclosure. He would constantly try to climb up the sides to get out. And of course, I reinforced this behavior by letting him out
I built him a 4x2 tort table back in December and I haven't let him roam around since, but mostly because I am really busy, and I know he has plenty of space in his new enclosure!
I can definitely see both sides of the "debate" here! I am sure you are a very responsible owner and you are doing what you believe is best for your little guy- so follow your instincts!
When it gets warmer out I will be letting Nelson outside to walk around in my yard (supervised, of course!) and I can't wait for him to get that extra exercise and natural sunlight!

 

[N2TORTS]

Have you ever laid down on the bare floor naked?

Ummm...... I wonder if they mean ... " by choice"? ....

 

[micki]

welcome to the forum.