What's your problem? You have changed your response three times.????

Sorry, but like most people, when someone tells me I shouldn't do something I ask why. I didn't say you were wrong and our tort is not a piece of "furniture" like you stated in the post you removed just because he is in a glass tank. He very important to us and thats why I started this post in the first place. Lighten up.

Sorry but do you think your the first one to ask these things.......

Every one comes on and asks *what could be wrong with my tort?* but no one ever really wants to hear what anyone has to say. I think I might need a break from TFO.

http://tortoisetrust.org/articles/vivarium.htm

I think the only thing left out in that article is that many torts (tho' not all) can feel very stressed out in glass tanks because they can see out - so they want to go out but can't due to the glass (something they totally don't understand) and this causes a lot of stress.

(be sure to follow the link off that article to "heating" to read about using heat pads and under tank heaters)

This post was last modified: 03-05-2008 04:44 AM by cvalda.

Thank you for that link. There is some good information there. A little education on why so many are opposed to glass is all I was asking. We will re-think his housing because this needs to last another year until his enclosure is built outside.

Thank you and everyone else that had an intelligent response.

Matt

This post was last modified: 03-05-2008 05:15 AM by DTSS.

Matt, The enclosure we are talking about are generally larger enclosure with shorter sides than an aquarium. When we discuss Rubbermaid containers we are talking about short sided sweater type or under bed type totes. Plastic or wooden ones you can make holes in to allow for better air flow and transfer of humidity.
Generally it is felt that tortoises do much better in a non glass enclosure.
1- because it is difficult to adjust the humidity. Humidity is usually higher in a glass enclosure
2- the sides of the plastic totes and tort tables are much lower thus allowing for better air flow
Which can help with the humidity and temps.
3- the see through walls are a problem but can be easily remedied.
4- A lot of people have difficulty with their temp gradients. Especially with a small tank or a square tank. Glass
tanks have higher sides and tend to hold in the heat.
Like most people when I got my first torts I had them in a square glass container for a year. They were adults and the 40 gal was much too small but that is all I had. And I didn’t know any better. That is what the Pet shop had told me would be fine for my torts. I did have difficulty with the temps. I also had an under tank heat pad. small but effective. My torts survived. I found they did not gain weight nor did they lose any. I know now that all the pacing they did was because they were stressed, I’m not sure if this is because it was glass though they couldn’t see through it. But I know it was way to small for two 6 inch adult torts. It didn’t appear that they sustained any ill effects from this. They spent one winter in this while I built their outdoor enclosure. They are now living the good life outside or in a large tort table I set up this winter. When I had the DT hatchlings I placed them in the Glass tank to help get the humidity up a bit. The tank was long and I was better able to regulate my temps and humidity. During the time I had them I was able to put weight on them and harden their soft shells.
But as I said in general I do not advocate glass tanks. I feel a low sided container that is of adequate size for the tort is the better option.

This, I feel is one of those areas each person has their own personal preference. Which is not necessarily wrong or right but just is? Some use Glass tanks with success, some do not. Some people make it a hard and fast rule NO GLASS TANKS; I feel their hearts are in the right place, they just want the best for the tort. A lot of people just don’t go to the trouble of joining a forum like ours or researching the correct care of their tort species. Lets face it a lot of people don’t understand how to correct a wrong temp gradient or humidity. If they even have a thermometer or hydrometer. So the little tort lives in a bad habitat. A lot of rescuers see torts that are in distress are in small glass tanks. Like the one that Jen just rescued. Pet stores often sell torts with small glass tanks and care sheets with the wrong advice. Which I am sure only adds to most tort owners (on this forum) dread of using Glass tanks.
Also torts are one of those animals that take a long time to see results of distress and by the time one sees it, it may be too late to reverse the effects. Better to start off with what is best, tried and proven, than take the chance of disaster striking. I figure I will learn from the many mistakes of others. That is one reason I am on this forum like so many to get advice and learn what is best for my tort. Just my thoughts and my reasons I do not advocate glass tanks.

This post was last modified: 03-05-2008 09:34 AM by Crazy1.

Oh I totally agree! And thank you so much for taking the time to explain your comments in such great detail! It makes much more sense to me now.

I am thinking now that I might move up the time table for an outdoor enclosure. I have already partitioned off a large section of my yard with a 6' chain link fencing to keep my dogs out and am planning a brick enclosure inside of that.

This seems like a good place to post my plans and gather opinions and suggestions. I'll do that in another thread when I get the drawings done.

Thanks again.

Matt, I'll look forward to seeing your plans and the finished enclosure.

Matt I do apologize for my haste last night, I just get tired of seeing the same thing over and over again and 9 times out of 10 the person asking for help doesnt like what we have to say because its not what they want to hear. I think im just going to take a break from posting and replying for a while to clear my head.

Ahh no worries. You should see me before I've had my coffee.