Tort dude
Member
where would you get good enclosures
my enclosure
- Thread starter Tort dude
- Start date
Greetings! Wow.... a lot depends on your Tortoise type, age, where you live, etc. most ppl here on the Forum end up making their own. Many start off with aquariums, large Rubbermaid-type tubs, tort tables, fenced in areas of their gardens and yards.
Tort dude
Member
i have a a russian in a 40 gallon tank but i need to get him in a bigger one like my other tort
In my opinion, you have to make them. Any that you buy are just too darned small. For very young tortoises I use the Christmas Tree Storage Bin manufactured by Iris. When they're big enough to have outgrown that I move them outside. Then they go out in the day and in at night, and for that, a plain old cardboard box suffices. Right now I have a rescued, 'compromised' sulcata in a Christmas Tree Storage bin. It's really not big enough for him, but I don't have a wintertime outside quarantine yard set up for a tortoise of his size:
There are many ways to make a good, 8x4 foot tortoise table. You can buy a sheet of ply wood from Home Depot, and pin boards to the side. You can also get an actual table that is 8x4 or bigger, and pin boards to the side of that. Another thing you can do is get a book shelf, and knock the shelves out so that you are just left with a box. You just have to make sure that you line it correctly 
Tort dude
Member
thanks great pics
Rusky
Active Member
Poor guy looks like a pancake tortoise.
I received rescue box turtles in the past that came with their “habitat” this is what I’ve gotten with a few of my rescue turtles.
-10 gallon aquarium with bedding that had never been changed so as soon as I brought it into my house and cleaned dozens of maggots appeared.
-dog crate. While the turtle was a very healthy 30+ year old Florida box turtle, he spent most his live in a dog crate with a little Tupperware of water and a towel. He was healthy because he was kept outside and fed an adequate diet.
-one of those big box “tortoise table” this was by far the worst because it was filthy and housed 5 male box turtles. It was infested with bugs which the box turtles ate but was a nightmare to clean and pretty much fell apart on me when I opened it one day. It was too short so I had to rig lights a foot above the top. It was swelling because of moisture since the turtles lived on bone dry coco noir. Once I added humidity the setup became extremely flimsy.
If you need to keep the turtle happy temporarily while you build then get the largest plastic storage bin you can get. Much cheaper than any commercial table and it will keep humidity and a happy tortoise until you get the table ready. Tortoises can stress themselves out trying to escape through a see through tank or fence and it’s recommended you use solid sides.
-10 gallon aquarium with bedding that had never been changed so as soon as I brought it into my house and cleaned dozens of maggots appeared.
-dog crate. While the turtle was a very healthy 30+ year old Florida box turtle, he spent most his live in a dog crate with a little Tupperware of water and a towel. He was healthy because he was kept outside and fed an adequate diet.
-one of those big box “tortoise table” this was by far the worst because it was filthy and housed 5 male box turtles. It was infested with bugs which the box turtles ate but was a nightmare to clean and pretty much fell apart on me when I opened it one day. It was too short so I had to rig lights a foot above the top. It was swelling because of moisture since the turtles lived on bone dry coco noir. Once I added humidity the setup became extremely flimsy.
If you need to keep the turtle happy temporarily while you build then get the largest plastic storage bin you can get. Much cheaper than any commercial table and it will keep humidity and a happy tortoise until you get the table ready. Tortoises can stress themselves out trying to escape through a see through tank or fence and it’s recommended you use solid sides.
Best bet is build one. I am finishing up a new duplex for my redfoots. Both enclosures are 7x2x2. I covered it with a sheet of plastic for now. I will be remodeling the 3 yearlings enclosure. I will be adding another on top. Really considering a bearded dragon or a baby russian tortoise.
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Tort dude
Member
great setup. you always do a good job. get a russian!!!!!!!
