Small Tortoise Ideas

[Sarah88]

thanks guys, yeah i will have to research more and will probably wait until may when the big reptile show is here and see what they have there. and coura the tort wouldn't be roaming the entire house, would mainly be in my bathroom where i would have basking area and everything set up and would just be allowed to roam inside my room when i am there to supervise, but yeah i didn't think it was absolutely necessary for them to dig and hibernate, but i guess i could find a nice big rubbermaid bin or something to set-up for him. I would prefer something doesnt hibernate but could research those needs more if i have to, and yeah the cherry heads look cute too and do get a bit bigger than than the russians...

oh and thanks for the link zeeman

 

[coura]

thanks guys, yeah i will have to research more and will probably wait until may when the big reptile show is here and see what they have there. and coura the tort wouldn't be roaming the entire house, would mainly be in my bathroom where i would have basking area and everything set up and would just be allowed to roam inside my room when i am there to supervise, but yeah i didn't think it was absolutely necessary for them to dig and hibernate, but i guess i could find a nice big rubbermaid bin or something to set-up for him. I would prefer something doesnt hibernate but could research those needs more if i have to, and yeah the cherry heads look cute too and do get a bit bigger than than the russians...

oh and thanks for the link zeeman

It is not the woule house thing, its the fact that your using a room of your house as toise habitat, that could only be arranged properly if you did alterations that would make your family question your sanity (I dont think you fancy having dirt all over your bathroom) and has the same hazards. Free roaming in the floor it is NOT recomended because its a place full air currents, bacteria and cold, and that is what makes your tort sick. Free roaming OCASIONALY in a sheltered warm room like a bed room is passable, but your tortoise needs a permanent properly constructed enclosure in wich he is protected from thouse hazzards and he has enough space to roam, dig, termoregulate, etc at its will, no normal room can provide that. Also even if you build such enclosure you CANT put it in a bathroom! Batrooms are normaly very cold, prone to sudden temp swings and specialy MOIST (air moist at least when somebody taking a shower) and moist and russian torts dont mix! Your toise or any other pet belongs in your bed room not in your bathroom. Also be aware that russian torts need outdoor time to trive, at least a patio to roam ocasionaly!

 

[Sarah88]

thanks coura for the advice, yeah i meant that if it didnt need to dig but if it does then i would def get like big rubber maid container and if i did that then of course it would be going in my room just thought it would like the extra room of the bathroom, and yeah i have back patio for it to spend time outside during the summer (i do this with my bird as well) i just dont have space to make actual enclosure outside and wouldnt really want to let it on the grass because the HOA here comes and sprays chemicals regularly, also with the bedding would i need special substrate (like dirt) for them to dig in or could i just use something like cypress shavings and how deep should it be

 

[coura]

Substrate you make it yourself, its play sand mixed with some peat. If you can get a big rubber made conteiner you can keep it in there, its actualy good that you keep the top open to keep stagnant air of, you will need a basking ligth of like 60 w, a uv ligth and a nice big chunk of cork for hidding place. It would be really good if your house keeper didnt put herbicides in your yard, it aint good for you, to the toise or the envoirement, and its presence makes the woule yard unsafe for your toise for a few years, or even for childs and birds by that matter.

 

[Sarah88]

its not house keeper but home owners association, i live in a town home neighborhood and the yard people are hired by the HOA and spray every where, it sucks i know but its bad apart about having your house connected to others and not owning the land, its also why i only put my bird outside in her cage so she doesn't ever come in contact with the ground. i know about lighting and all that just never had a reptile that needed to dig so wasn't sure what to use for that

 

[Jeox]

check out http://tortoiseforum.org/index.php , lots of info on tortoises.

I was looking into Sulcata Tortoises, but I currently don't have a yard either.
http://www.sulcata-station.org/

I wouldnt keep a sulcata of any age if you don't have a yard.
Mine is like hand sized, but hates being indoors. An adult walking around the house would ruin pretty much everything. A big sulcata could probably shove its way through your wall if it really wanted to and had traction.

 

[Sarah88]

Im not getting a sulcata, im getting either a russian or cherry headed red foot

 

[coura]

its not house keeper but home owners association, i live in a town home neighborhood and the yard people are hired by the HOA and spray every where, it sucks i know but its bad apart about having your house connected to others and not owning the land, its also why i only put my bird outside in her cage so she doesn't ever come in contact with the ground. i know about lighting and all that just never had a reptile that needed to dig so wasn't sure what to use for that

Just out of curiosity the spray it to kill what "big horrible pest"?

 

[Sarah88]

lol i have no clue!!! haha maybe fire ants but its pretty ridiculous i mean they keep everything looking nice but at what expense you know, i def like it out at my parents place they live out in the country and you dont have to worry about any of that stuff

 

[coura]

That to kill ants, sheesh how outdated, they should use one of these insted