Prospective Tortoise Owner from NY!

LadyAmalthea

New Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
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2
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RI
OH! I actually have a few of these bins. I got them for storage when I lived in college. You can get these in a bunch of different sizes, but mine is approximately the length of the width of a full sized bed, and they're fairly wide. You can get them at Walmart. You'd have to do something to build up the sides a bit once you put in the substrate (only on three sides if it's against a wall) but I'm seriously considering just outfitting one of these suckers. You don't need to buy the lid since you're getting an adult. I'm looking for cheap and easy solutions :D Also, this picture makes it look like they're very see through, but mine are opaque.

531cde6d-1727-4de9-bffa-719f59740700_1.d9abfca25dea535f8b49ad832977c16d.jpeg
I use one of those inside my 4'x2'x2' plexiglas and wood enclosure as it makes an excellent way to hold deep substrate for burrowing. I just got my first russian in January though and am realizing that 4x2 isn't enough space so am looking to add another 4'x2' bookcase open table connected with a bridge soon. I'll likely use another of these under bed containers to hold the substrate. 20190203_085746.jpeg
 

Yvonne G

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Jan 23, 2008
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Clovis, CA
Well, here's yet another conflicting bit of advice. An adult russian tortoise doesn't need a covered enclosure. And the under-the-bed storage containers aren't deep enough to contain him. He'll climb right out of those. Don't forget, you need 4 or 5 inches of substrate. That takes the floor up more than halfway to the top of the side walls. If you go to garage and yard sales, try to find a 4 or 5 shelf book case for cheap. You lay it on its back, remove the shelves, line it with a shower curtain liner or heavy plastic sheet, then decorate and accessorize it to your heart's content.

Russian tortoises are very good climbers. And they will use whatever means they have available to them to get over the sides of the enclosure. So you don't put plants, hides, water dishes, feeders, decorations, etc. near the side walls. They are also very good diggers.

If you don't have him in a large enough enclosure he will dig at the corners, climb the walls (and fall over on his back), and scratch and dig until it drives you crazy. While if you have him in a large enough enclosure, one with many sight barriers and things he has to walk around in order to see the other side of the enclosure, he'll settle down and be a happy camper.
 

Blackdog1714

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Jul 30, 2018
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4,666
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
I truly recommend choosing the type of tortoise you want, then build/buy enclosure and dial it in. A lot less pressure keeping plants alive at first. This allows you to lock in your humidity and temperatures so they can operate without hourly tweaks. An electronic temperature controller, a laser heat gun, and multiple electronic temperature and humidity sensors. Then the hide so it can be humid (dollar store shoe box) and a shllow dish for water- think clay pot bottom and a pice of slate or tile for eating on
 
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