# Exercise



## yorkietortoise (Nov 3, 2011)

Hey!

I was just wandering how you give a tortoise exercise. Do you let them wander around the house while supervising them or put them in a run or something?

Thanks!


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## laramie (Nov 3, 2011)

I let Wilbur wander around my back yard for a bit. I watch him like a hawk though, make sure no birds come near him. Hope that helps


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## yorkietortoise (Nov 3, 2011)

Hey!

Yer that does help thanks  how long do you let him out for? Also I was wandering what to do in winter? I live in england and it's very cold in winter and I don't think the tortoise would appreciate the cold!  any ideas?

Thank u!!


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## ascott (Nov 3, 2011)

Is your indoor enclosure large enough that he can pace for awhile once winter/cold is an issue? If not so much and indoors is the only option you have then I suppose you will have to improvise ....while I do not necessarily advocate a tortoise running a muck in the house (too many potential hazards) I do find exercise necessary....how big is your tortoise...can you clean out the bathtub and fill a bit with warm water and let him muck about? You would get exercise and a soak in all in one effort...


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 3, 2011)

I have a small fence and I set it up in the room with my computer. I put astro turf in it and add some rocks and a big branch and a basking light and I put mine in there. Then the only thing I have to do is keep the cat out as she likes to lay under the hot light. But anyway all that means is that I set up a place inside and let them exercise safely that way. I believe exercise is very important for healthy growth...


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## HipsterTorts (Nov 3, 2011)

I let them run around outside for a few hours during the day while I watch. 
It's slowly starting to get cold so there are some days when I can't get them outside. Those days I just crank the heater on for a little bit, throw a clean sheet down, and let them go wild on the sheet. A lot of people advice against letting them run around the house because it's cold and they may eat things they shouldn't. Thats why I make sure the rooms warm and keep them on the clean sheet.


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## Madkins007 (Nov 3, 2011)

I find I have been revising my opinions of letting tortoises run around in the house- exercise and stimulation are important parts of healthy development.

That said, the typical house is not a good place- drafty, chilly, dust and other stuff to eat or get mixed up with, etc. not to mention the little messes and germs it leaves behind.

I think we can usually find a room that we can make into an exercise area- someplace with a floor that is reasonably warm to the touch and easy to clean, decent overall temp and humidity with a way to increase both at least in some areas, low risk of excess stress (dogs, rambunctious kids, loud noises/vibrations, etc.) This may be a den, large bathroom, spare bedroom, reptile room- whatever. 

We can use our clamp lights and CHEs or MVBs to provide a warmer spot, piles of old towels for a snuggly hide or just furniture it can hide under, etc. In some ways, this may actually be better than a traditional habitat like a terrarium or tortoise table. The key is to keep the tortoise's needs met.


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## Newbie5564 (Nov 3, 2011)

Has anybody thought bought a large gerbil (sorry fir the mis spelling)ball to let them run around in a warm room. If it's a smaller tortoise


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## Terry Allan Hall (Nov 3, 2011)

This time of the year, I put mine out on my front porch on warm days for a few hours at a time...I built a plywood wall, about 12" tall, around the entire thing, so they have almost as much "wandering room" as they do in their outdoor enclosure Late Spring, Summer and Early Fall.

Fortunately, here in The Republic, it's a rare week that, even in December and January, we don't have a some 70+ degree weather in the afternoon.

Obviously, if I had tropical torts this might not work as well (although my sulcata did fine), but Eastern Hermann's encounter similar weather in much of their ranges.


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 5, 2011)

I picked my computer room because I spend more time in there and it is warmer than the rest of the house. I use a small fence to keep them contained and cover the spot with astro to protect my carpet. Then I use a regular clamp light fixture and use a 100 watt incandescent bulb for more heat. I place rocks and other stuff for climbing experience and more exercise.
The problem I have is with the large furry beast who loves to bask under the light...






But normally they get great exercise...






I don't have any of these tortoises anymore as this all happened before I moved to Oregon, but I got tired of looking thru thousands of pictures (looking for my current spot) to show how simple it is to set up a safe exercise place in the house...






Here's a totally different spot I used and just used boards and the same astro turf, with the same furry best basking. But I just wanted to show how easy it is to put up a safe place in your house for them to get exercise...it's really just so easy to set up...






I suppose I should have posted these on a different board showing how easy it is to set up some place for old cats to bask...






I was just trying to show how easy it is to set something simple in your house for them to get out of their regular habitats and get some needed exercise. It doesn't have to be fancy it just needs to be a safe place, with a basking light and something to protect your carpet. I hope I showed that and you enjoyed the pictures...


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## ascott (Nov 5, 2011)

Fun stuff and fun pics....


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## stephiiberrybean (Nov 6, 2011)

Squirt has a large enough table (at the moment) that she can comfortably get around. I also place her hide, heat lamp and food all in separate areas so she has to walk everywhere. That way I know she's getting excersise  (she has an upstairs too so is getting plenty of excersise going up and down her ramp)

Then when I get her out to soak she has a run round the living room which she loves and often after her soak will bask in front of our wood burning stove. 
In summer she'll be outside with a large enclosure but now it's far to cold for her to be outside at all.


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## AnthonyC (Nov 6, 2011)

It's tough to give torts enough exercise here in the chilly northeast this time of year. I've added some extra rocks to their enclosure so they can climb around a bit more. They seem to like it plus I like watching their chubby little legs climbing all over the place!


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## GBtortoises (Nov 6, 2011)

Mine workout on the treadmill. A half hour workout is good for about 50 feet. I'm thinking of putting hamster wheels in each of their enclosures.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Nov 6, 2011)

We feel exercise is vidal for a tortoise. Ours roam outside and seem to be very strong and healthy.


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## samstar (Nov 7, 2011)

I let mine graze for about an hour once a week


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## Tom (Nov 7, 2011)

I build large outdoor enclosures and put them out there every day when the weather is nice. Seems like large indoor enclosures could get the same thing done in areas where the weather is not optimal.


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## Maggie Cummings (Nov 10, 2011)

If it's warm outside I put them out daily. But I was thinking this question was about winter places to exercise so that's where I went with my reply. If you can put them outside that is the best thing to do. But we are in winter here so outside for small tortoises is not an option for us.
So that's why I create this type of place for them to get exercise inside, otherwise put them out for sun and exercise...


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## Terry Allan Hall (Nov 10, 2011)

GBtortoises said:


> Mine workout on the treadmill. A half hour workout is good for about 50 feet. I'm thinking of putting hamster wheels in each of their enclosures.


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## yorkietortoise (Nov 12, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice, i was thinking of getting a rabbit run, some turf and some rocks and letting it have a run around in that for a bit


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## phantoms (Nov 12, 2011)

I let mine run around the house for a little while every day. Cats never bother him and he doesn't seem to get into anything. I usually give him a good 30 minutes of free wandering then I put him back in the cage to warm back up.


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