# How big should an indoor enclosure be?



## kaia (Sep 13, 2015)

Hey tortoise fans!

I've had my baby Greek spur-thighed tort for several months now. Her enclosure is okay, but I want it to be bigger and better. She seems to keep trying to escape this one, and I want her to be as comfortable as possible.
I am going to be ordering a custom built wooden box, which I will use as an enclosure (indoors). I ordered the size to be about 24x59 inches (60cm wide, 150cm long), with a height of 12 inches (30cm).

What do you think? Is this big enough?

P.S. It's going to look approximately like the image shown here.


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## CanadianTestudo (Sep 13, 2015)

Is there any way for you to provide her with an outside enclosure? There is just nothing on the market that can compare to the uvb rays of the sun. If you absolutely have to go with the indoor option (smth I have to do as well seeing how I live in an apartment) you want to make the enclosure as large as possible. The size you described is rather small. It will do for a juvenile, but you always want to make it as large as you possibly can. My adult Russian tortoise is in a 120cm x 120xm which is about half the size it is supposed to be in. I think Greek tortoises (being about the same size as Russian's) would also need a 120cm x 240cm enclosure if possible (4 x 8)


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## Yvonne G (Sep 13, 2015)

Since your tortoise is a baby, I think what you've pictured will be fine for a while.


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## Jodie (Sep 13, 2015)

Always make it as big as you can. Outside is ideal, but we all do the best we can. It has to be big enough, in my opinion that it will maintain the proper temp range for them. Basking area has to be near 100F, and the cool side should be no warmer than mid 80's. Unsure of the proper temps for Greeks.
I don't have Greeks, but a minimum for Russians as a rule is 4X8 as stated above.


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## Gillian M (Sep 13, 2015)

Yvonne G said:


> Since your tortoise is a baby, I think what you've pictured will be fine for a while.


Hi. Would something like that (maybe a bit smaller), do for my Greek tort? Oli is an adult.

Appreciate an answer asap. Thank you.


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## SarahChelonoidis (Sep 13, 2015)

Gillian Moore said:


> Hi. Would something like that (maybe a bit smaller), do for my Greek tort? Oli is an adult.
> 
> Appreciate an answer asap. Thank you.



I'm sorry, Gillian, but I think that would be much too small for Oli. I know you have space limitations, so aim for the maximum size that your flat can hold. I also think 12" walls might be a little too shallow - as you will want to add deep substrate and likely some objects that could be climbable, so you'll need taller walls to ensure Oli can't fall out.


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## Gillian M (Sep 13, 2015)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> I'm sorry, Gillian, but I think that would be much too small for Oli. I know you have space limitations, so aim for the maximum size that your flat can hold. I also think 12" walls might be a little too shallow - as you will want to add deep substrate and likely some objects that could be climbable, so you'll need taller walls to ensure Oli can't fall out.


Thank you very much your advice. Appreciate it, and no need to apologize: you are being helpful!

The height of the enclosure is not the issue. The width as well as the length are, because as you know, I don't have much space.

Thank you once again for you advice and help!


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