Raising my stars indoors??

[gesha]

Hi all ...

I recently adopted 2 indian stars a monyh back ... both are about 3 to 4 inches ..

I raise them indoors . In my bedroom in fact which has tile flooring.... coz I hav seen my friends do the same . Is that alright??.


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[Yvonne G]

Lots of people keep their tortoises indoors (I'd rather see them living outside, but that's my opinion), and the tortoises do just fine. However, living on the floor isn't a good idea. Your tortoise needs its own place in the world. A nice big habitat with dirt on the floor for digging, a hiding place or two, a waterer and a nice light to sit under to warm up. He will be a much better adjusted tortoise with a safe place to call his own.

 

[skottip]

Ken S. is one of the pioneers of Platynota breeding and also does Indians. He keeps his indoors, year round and is very successful.
I personally think it takes a much larger commitment to keep tortoises indoors year round. Of course you can not beat mother nature which I take full advantage of living in S Florida, but it can be done inside. Just ask the King! (not me, Ken) Ken, the King..... hehe

 

[gesha]

Thnx Yvonne.... I live in an apartment where the only outdoor space would be the terrace ,which is unsafe of course. ....... I try to give them a bit of atmosphere by placing lot of rough carpets and thick cloth on the floor of my bedroom . But they seem to prefer hiding near my dumbbells .....
But let me try to put a cardboard box with mud n rocks etc into which they can walk into as they please ... but my bedroom is gonna b a mess though :s

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. It is always best to house them outside whenever possible. However, if it isn't possible, it is are duty to give them the best indoors as possible. It's the least we can do for taking them into our small spaces. Please at least give them the proper enclosure, substrate, water, humidity, lighting food and water. I personally feel it is are responsibility to give an indoor enclosure that is as close to being outside as possible.

 

[gesha]

Skottip....
How do I contact Ken

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[gesha]

Ohkkk ... I put them in a bucket of water for about an hour a day .. is tht enough or a constant water source is essential??

 

[skottip]

Gesha, he is on this forum. Just send him a private message. I am sure you can find him in most of the posts in this section.

 

[TortoiseRN]

I politely PM'd KenS once with a very simple question and got no response. Apparently being "Royalty" puts you above helping others out!! Just my personal experience.


1.0 Sulcata
1.0 Russian
2.0 Sri Lankan Star
1.0 African Side Neck
1.0 Yellow Bellied Slider
1.0 Ferret
2.0 Cats

 

[shanu303]

if you're raising them indoors you need UV tube light ASAP..... your torts are small and they have the prime requirement of UV.... and plants are also essential...... at least some...and one suggestion is that please keep the dumbbells or any such heavy thing, which can roll, away from them....it can squash your tort's delicate legs....

 

[gesha]

Shanu.....thnx for the feedback....Im setlled in southeast asia where sunlight is abundant . Even indoors . Do I still need uv light? And I let their room get lot of warmth since the windows r without curtains etc .

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---

And yes shanu . I Hav shifted the dumbbells elsewher . They wouldnt roll over since they had a flat face on which they rested but nevertheless I didn't wanna take the risk . And about plants... since its indoors and if I keep potted plants around ..its not
gonna help them right??
Since the pots r gonna b too high for them to reach over

I really wanna give them a natural environ .. but douny knw how I m gonna do tht indoors
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[KenS]

]

I politely PM'd KenS once with a very simple question and got no response. Apparently being "Royalty" puts you above helping others out!! Just my personal experience.

Tortoise RN! I do apologize if I did not get back with you! I am always looking to talk tortoises!! Feel free to contact me ANYTIME and I will be SURE to get back to you and anyone else!!

Ken

1.0 Sulcata
1.0 Russian
2.0 Sri Lankan Star
1.0 African Side Neck
1.0 Yellow Bellied Slider
1.0 Ferret
2.0 Cats

 

[jjsull33]

Maybe you could buy your torts a small pastic pool or something like that you can fill with dirt and plant some live plants into it, then either keep them in it or put a ramp to it so they can get to it when they want. You also do need a uv light if keeping inside, the UV rays that the torts need get blocked by the glass of the windows, so the bulb makes sure they are getting the right amount.

 

[KenS]

Gesha,
I would personally not keep tortoises on the floor unless you had radiant heat. All my set-up are atleast 30inches off the floor. Take a look at one of my old posts about how I set up my animals.Feel free to contact me with ANY questions!

Ken

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-75144.html

 

[Weldd]

This is the sort of insulting post I didn't think was allowed here.

I'd be interested to see if anyone else emerges to say that KenS ignored or didn't help them out.

Good luck finding that person.

I politely PM'd KenS once with a very simple question and got no response. Apparently being "Royalty" puts you above helping others out!! Just my personal experience.


1.0 Sulcata
1.0 Russian
2.0 Sri Lankan Star
1.0 African Side Neck
1.0 Yellow Bellied Slider
1.0 Ferret
2.0 Cats

 

[gesha]

Ken..... I read ur post abt ur enclosure n stuff n thts a grt pic .. looks like u hav created the perfect environ for them ....really appreciate the amount of dedication n effort u guys put in....around me I see friends raising torts in the human environ .. like u raise a cat or dog:exclamation: ... so i hav no one here who even has the slightest clue abt any of this stuff ....

can u share some pics of the enclosure...??

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---

Oh .didnt think abt the glass blocking uv rays!!... let me try to put a grill around my window n keep it open . Tht ways direct sunlight can come in n the grill will keep away birds .. n yes the plastic pool or tub sounds easy n nice ..

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[meh1911]

Hi gesha. I went through a similar period of confusion a couple of weeks ago when I got my Star. I live in India, so I understand your point about the climate, but tortoises really do need the sun.

Here's what I did: first get them a tank. You can ask a carpenter to build you a 5-foot by 3-foot box with foot-high walls, or just visit the nearest plastics store and get a long, low box. Fill it with 3 inches of unfertilized soil and half-bury a long plastic container for the little guys to hide in. You should absolutely get a UV lamp and focus it at the dry end of the tank.

For the water, get a wide, shallow saucer and place it in a small depression so the torts can drink or soak in it.

The previous posts here are full of useful information and you would do well to heed their advice. Visit this thread for a great example of a tank: www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-661.html

 

[TortoiseRN]

This is the sort of insulting post I didn't think was allowed here.

I'd be interested to see if anyone else emerges to say that KenS ignored or didn't help them out.

Good luck finding that person.

I politely PM'd KenS once with a very simple question and got no response. Apparently being "Royalty" puts you above helping others out!! Just my personal experience.


1.0 Sulcata
1.0 Russian
2.0 Sri Lankan Star
1.0 African Side Neck
1.0 Yellow Bellied Slider
1.0 Ferret
2.0 Cats

Sorry if I insulted anyone. I was simply expressing a little frustration. I ended up researching and answering my own questions so water under the bridge.


1.0 Sulcata
1.0 Russian
2.0 Sri Lankan Star
1.0 African Side Neck
1.0 Yellow Bellied Slider
1.0 Ferret
2.0 Cats

 

[skottip]

With all due respect, most people know Ken S. here and know his credibility and his willingness to help people. By insulting him(which you did) it does not fare well with the tortoise community. I for one suggest that next time you want to post a similar message, write it down, chew on it for 24 hours then if you feel that you really need to publicly post it, then go for it. I did that with my first response to you, hence the reason no one saw it here.
It makes no sense posting off the cuff insults. Especially when most people on this forum are here to make new friends and share valuable information. I am not trying to beat a dead horse. I myself have sent e mails in the past that if I had waited a bit, would have probably never sent.
This was not a personal attack, I just wanted to make a point.
Scott

 

[KenS]

With all due respect, most people know Ken S. here and know his credibility and his willingness to help people. By insulting him(which you did) it does not fare well with the tortoise community. I for one suggest that next time you want to post a similar message, write it down, chew on it for 24 hours then if you feel that you really need to publicly post it, then go for it. I did that with my first response to you, hence the reason no one saw it here.
It makes no sense posting off the cuff insults. Especially when most people on this forum are here to make new friends and share valuable information. I am not trying to beat a dead horse. I myself have sent e mails in the past that if I had waited a bit, would have probably never sent.
This was not a personal attack, I just wanted to make a point.
Scott

Scott,
I try my best as you and many others know!! It is what it is!! Thanks to you and Will and the many private emails I have received!! NOw back to "TORTOISES"!!!!!!

Ken

---

Ken..... I read ur post abt ur enclosure n stuff n thts a grt pic .. looks like u hav created the perfect environ for them ....really appreciate the amount of dedication n effort u guys put in....around me I see friends raising torts in the human environ .. like u raise a cat or dog:exclamation: ... so i hav no one here who even has the slightest clue abt any of this stuff ....

can u share some pics of the enclosure...??

Sent from my GT-N7100 using TortForum mobile app

---

Oh .didnt think abt the glass blocking uv rays!!... let me try to put a grill around my window n keep it open . Tht ways direct sunlight can come in n the grill will keep away birds .. n yes the plastic pool or tub sounds easy n nice ..

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[/quote]

******Send me a email address and I will be happy to send over pictures of my set ups.

Ken