Would This Enclosure Be Okay?

AnimalCrazyLady

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Okay, I am looking into getting a Russian Tortoise (It may not happen but I always research about animals I would want so I never hurt them if I get them) but the only person who I know that owns a tortoise, has a Sulcata (Her name is Squeegee). I wanted to get a female if that helps and name her Sylvie (After the amazing Loki variant, of course). The enclosure I found may be on the small side (The dimensions are 36" X 24" X 12.5" but there is a hideout built in that takes up quite a bit of space) and I cannot find a 75 gallon tub. I also can not make one just because I wouldn't trust my clumsy self to not mess it up... I have around $100 I could spend on a right size enclosure so I can pay for the other things. Basically, I am looking for a good size enclosure I could keep a female Russian Tortoise in that is somewhere around $100!
 

EchoFrost

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I wouldn't be afraid of putting something together yourself, it is much easier than it looks! For some easy options to try to give the tort more space- I have seen some people buy bookshelves that they remove the shelves from and lay on the back. I've also seen some people get decent space out of raised garden beds. Good luck! And if you ever have the chance to post pictures of Squeegee I'd love to see her!
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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I wouldn't be afraid of putting something together yourself, it is much easier than it looks! For some easy options to try to give the tort more space- I have seen some people buy bookshelves that they remove the shelves from and lay on the back. I've also seen some people get decent space out of raised garden beds. Good luck! And if you ever have the chance to post pictures of Squeegee I'd love to see her!
Okay, thank you! Also, I do have some pictures of Squeegee that I can post soon! She is so cute!
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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I wouldn't be afraid of putting something together yourself, it is much easier than it looks! For some easy options to try to give the tort more space- I have seen some people buy bookshelves that they remove the shelves from and lay on the back. I've also seen some people get decent space out of raised garden beds. Good luck! And if you ever have the chance to post pictures of Squeegee I'd love to see her!
Oh and sorry ask another question (Just want to get this right!) but what dimensions would be ideal for the bookshelf?
 

EchoFrost

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I personally would go as big as you can find. My Hermann's seems to really enjoy his 4' x 4' indoor enclosure. I doubt you'll find a bookcase that big, but that would be a good goal if you have the space!
 

wellington

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I personally would go as big as you can find. My Hermann's seems to really enjoy his 4' x 4' indoor enclosure. I doubt you'll find a bookcase that big, but that would be a good goal if you have the space!
An adult Hermann Russian Greek etc needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot. A 4x4 is way too small for an adult
 

wellington

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As I stated already a 4x8 is a minimum for an adult Russian. If you want a female you would have to get an adult, tortoises can't be sexed at young ages.
The total cost for everything you will need for a tortoise is way more then 100.00 bucks. Enclosure, light, heat, substrate, feeding slate, clay water saucer, hide, plants, food, calcium, temp and humidity gauges, temp gun, timers. I think that's everything. Oh the tortoise itself 85 bucks on up.
If you don't want to build, look into a raise garden bed.
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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I personally would go as big as you can find. My Hermann's seems to really enjoy his 4' x 4' indoor enclosure. I doubt you'll find a bookcase that big, but that would be a good goal if you have the space!
OKAY, I found a large book case that would in my house (It is not quite as big as your bookcase but it is much larger than my other option) and a Russian Tortoise would be happy in! Again, thank you so much because this was the last thing I needed to figure out to end my research - I did vet care/costs, things to include in the enclosure, feeding, etc.! I am so excited to know that if I one day get a tortoise that I have the right things!!
 

Krista S

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OKAY, I found a large book case that would in my house (It is not quite as big as your bookcase but it is much larger than my other option) and a Russian Tortoise would be happy in! Again, thank you so much because this was the last thing I needed to figure out to end my research - I did vet care/costs, things to include in the enclosure, feeding, etc.! I am so excited to know that if I one day get a tortoise that I have the right things!!
Welcome to the forum @AnimalCrazyLady ? @wellington gave you excellent advice. If you intend on getting an adult Russian tortoise, it will require an enclosure that is at least 4ft x 8ft. The space isn’t a ”nice to have”, it’s required for the tortoise to be able to thrive. They need lots of space to wander, becuase it aids in digesting their food. It also helps with keeping their nails trim, amongst other things. You could always look at connecting multiple bookcases. if you go the bookcase route you’ll need to protect the ”wood” (which is usually some kind of particle board) so it doesn’t rot or mould. Some people use pond liner, or flex seal. Keep in mind that if you use chemicals to seal the bookcase that you’ll need to let it fully cure and air out for awhile before putting a tortoise in it. Something to keep in mind is that the they like to burrow, so your substrate should be 4 to 5 inches deep. With that said, you’ll want the walls of your bookcase or enclosure to be at least 14 inches tall. Russians are known to be crafty little escape artists.

Here is the care sheet you can read for Russians. It talks about every aspect of the care that will be required. It’s the best care information available.


When you’re doing research I suggest just sticking to the tortoise forum and feel free to ask as many questions as you like. ?
 
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S2G

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How old is your russian? $100 is tough. That's basically your t5 UV light fixture.

If it's a sub adult outside & then a winter slow down would be your cheapest route imo.

I dont understand why tortoise tables are around anymore. Even the russian needs 50-70% which is almost impossible in a house with an open top. I would save up & buy all my materials for a fully enclosed setup. You can make something simple & pretty nice for not much more than a table. Then you won't be wasting energy or trying to figure out a bandaid to maintain humidity. Home depot etc will cut your wood if you ask. Just my 2c
 

Krista S

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How old is your russian? $100 is tough. That's basically your t5 UV light fixture.

If it's a sub adult outside & then a winter slow down would be your cheapest route imo.

I dont understand why tortoise tables are around anymore. Even the russian needs 50-70% which is almost impossible in a house with an open top. I would save up & buy all my materials for a fully enclosed setup. You can make something simple & pretty nice for not much more than a table. Then you won't be wasting energy or trying to figure out a bandaid to maintain humidity. Home depot etc will cut your wood if you ask. Just my 2c
In the right scenario a tortoise table can work really well. I keep my 2 year old Hermann’s in a “tortoise table” and have no issues maintaining the required heat and humidity requirements. I have the enclosure in a small bedroom on the 2nd floor of my house. If you have the enclosure in a more large, open room then I agree it will be a constant battle (and very expensive) to maintain the heat and humidity in a table style of enclosure while trying to keep the human living space comfortable.
 

S2G

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In the right scenario a tortoise table can work really well. I keep my 2 year old Hermann’s in a “tortoise table” and have no issues maintaining the required heat and humidity requirements. I have the enclosure in a small bedroom on the 2nd floor of my house. If you have the enclosure in a more large, open room then I agree it will be a constant battle (and very expensive) to maintain the heat and humidity in a table style of enclosure while trying to keep the human living space comfortable.

That room has to be uncomfortable though. Personally I think its an outdated practice from the keep them dry days that we refuse to let go of. I live in the south like her & maybe in the attict it would work. Best humidity I could manage with central heat/air in an uninsulated garage is 40% with brief stints of 60% when misting. CHE stayed on all the time & shell growth started getting wonky.

Now for right at $200 & some elbow grease. I can maintain 55-70% rh with ease & my stat kicks on 50% less. Not to mention I can sit across the room with an observation window without disturbing its behavior. A few more touch ups & it could be main level spouse approved. This tort dad is happier ?....of course I wish I could go 100% outside20210615_223851.jpg
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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Welcome to the forum @AnimalCrazyLady ? @wellington gave you excellent advice. If you intend on getting an adult Russian tortoise, it will require an enclosure that is at least 4ft x 8ft. The space isn’t a ”nice to have”, it’s required for the tortoise to be able to thrive. They need lots of space to wander, becuase it aids in digesting their food. It also helps with keeping their nails trim, amongst other things. You could always look at connecting multiple bookcases. if you go the bookcase route you’ll need to protect the ”wood” (which is usually some kind of particle board) so it doesn’t rot or mould. Some people use pond liner, or flex seal. Keep in mind that if you use chemicals to seal the bookcase that you’ll need to let it fully cure and air out for awhile before putting a tortoise in it. Something to keep in mind is that the they like to burrow, so your substrate should be 4 to 5 inches deep. With that said, you’ll want the walls of your bookcase or enclosure to be at least 14 inches tall. Russians are known to be crafty little escape artists.

Here is the care sheet you can read for Russians. It talks about every aspect of the care that will be required. It’s the best care information available.


When you’re doing research I suggest just sticking to the tortoise forum and feel free to ask as many questions as you like. ?
Thank you! I may not have enough space but I will try to find a larger bookcase that I could connect two together to fit the requirements but incase I cannot find one that wouldn't be overly expensive (Oh and I am not limiting the supplies to $100, in fact the tortoise itself from a reputable breeder people suggested is $150. I just need to keep things under a certain amount that would make me go broke!) are there any other small tortoises that would thrive in a smaller space so that I can make sure they are happy? Again, if there isn't another tortoise that is okay in a smaller space I will definitely keep looking into the bookcase. Thank you!
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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That room has to be uncomfortable though. Personally I think its an outdated practice from the keep them dry days that we refuse to let go of. I live in the south like her & maybe in the attict it would work. Best humidity I could manage with central heat/air in an uninsulated garage is 40% with brief stints of 60% when misting. CHE stayed on all the time & shell growth started getting wonky.

Now for right at $200 & some elbow grease. I can maintain 55-70% rh with ease & my stat kicks on 50% less. Not to mention I can sit across the room with an observation window without disturbing its behavior. A few more touch ups & it could be main level spouse approved. This tort dad is happier ?....of course I wish I could go 100% outsideView attachment 328702
Oh and your tortoise is very cute!
 

Krista S

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Thank you! I may not have enough space but I will try to find a larger bookcase that I could connect two together to fit the requirements but incase I cannot find one that wouldn't be overly expensive (Oh and I am not limiting the supplies to $100, in fact the tortoise itself from a reputable breeder people suggested is $150. I just need to keep things under a certain amount that would make me go broke!) are there any other small tortoises that would thrive in a smaller space so that I can make sure they are happy? Again, if there isn't another tortoise that is okay in a smaller space I will definitely keep looking into the bookcase. Thank you!
I don’t know for certain, but I believe pancake tortoises are ones that don’t require quite as much space. You could research their care to see if that might suit you better. The more readily available and ”popular” smaller species of tortoises all require the same large amount of space. This being Russians, Greeks, Hermann’s, etc. Don’t give up on your dream, even if it doesn’t seem possible right now. This will be worth figuring out and saving for. Tortoises are just amazing and worth doing things right for. I again commend you for trying to get things figured out in advance. If you plan on getting a hatchling or plan on having the enclosure in a large open room, I highly recommend going with the closed chamber like @S2G is talking about. Babies require really high humidity to get their little lives started off right. If you end up going with a tortoise who is close to full grown, then I stand by the tortoise table option for Russians and Hermann’s tortoises as long as it’s in a smaller room where you can more easily control the heat and humidity. I highly recommend reading through that thread I attached in my first response to you. It really is so helpful and has a lot of great information. Even though I’ve had my Hermann’s tortoise for nearly 2 years, I still periodically review that thread just to keep everything fresh in my head. It can be a lot to take in, but we’ll help you along every step of the way if you want.
 
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AnimalCrazyLady

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I don’t know for certain, but I believe pancake tortoises are ones that don’t require quite as much space. You could research their care to see if that might suit you better. The more readily available and ”popular” smaller species of tortoises all require the same large amount of space. This being Russians, Greeks, Hermann’s, etc. Don’t give up on your dream, even if it doesn’t seem possible right now. This will be worth figuring out and saving for. Tortoises are just amazing and worth doing things right for. I again commend you for trying to get things figured out in advance. If you plan on getting a hatchling or plan on having the enclosure in a large open room, I highly recommend going with the closed chamber like @S2G is talking about. Babies require really high humidity to get their little lives started off right. If you end up going with a tortoise who is close to full grown, then I stand by the tortoise table option for Russians and Hermann’s tortoises as long as it’s in a smaller room where you can more easily control the heat and humidity. I highly recommend reading through that thread I attached in my first response to you. It really is so helpful and has a lot of great information. Even though I’ve had my Hermann’s tortoise for nearly 2 years, I still periodically review that thread just to keep everything fresh in my head. It can be a lot to take in, but we’ll help you along every step of the way if you want.
Thank you so much! I am really happy that this place is full of nice people who are willing to help each other because I know some other places that aren't like this so again, THANK YOU! ?
 

AnimalCrazyLady

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Okay thanks to everyone's help, I found an 8'x4' raised garden bed and I already found things so I can add a screen 6 inches above meaning I could place more substrate for more digging (I am finding stuff to fill in the side gaps after y'all letting me know they can be escape artists!)! What makes this better is that, two bookcase would have been more expensive (Found this on Amazon and it is only $68.82 but the price might raise above $100 but I have decided that saving up more money is better than passing out on the opportunity to own this incredible animal one day!) and the bookcases wouldn't even be enough space for the little tort! YAY!??
 

Jan A

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Okay thanks to everyone's help, I found an 8'x4' raised garden bed and I already found things so I can add a screen 6 inches above meaning I could place more substrate for more digging (I am finding stuff to fill in the side gaps after y'all letting me know they can be escape artists!)! What makes this better is that, two bookcase would have been more expensive (Found this on Amazon and it is only $68.82 but the price might raise above $100 but I have decided that saving up more money is better than passing out on the opportunity to own this incredible animal one day!) and the bookcases wouldn't even be enough space for the little tort! YAY!??
Welcome to the forum. I think researching & planning is so important before getting your tort!! (Unless one becomes available that you just can't pass up, of course) so welcome!!
 

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