# Indoor juvenile desert tortoise enclosure



## chelonologist (Jun 11, 2008)

Here are some pictures of the indoor desert tortoise enclosure I've set up in my office for my juvenile desert tortoise. The tank is 75 gallons, and I've filled it with approximately 30 gallons of loamy sand. I completely soaked the sand, then shaped it to include a miniature desert scene complete with a wash and a caliche cave (wild tortoises LOVE 'em). It took close to a month for the sand to dry, but once it did, it was nice and hard. That way it retains its shape when the tortoise digs, and there's no chance that any burrows (s)he digs will collapse. I excavated a small starter burrow in the bank of the wash, but my tortoise prefers the cave and has ignored the burrow thus far. (S)he's been digging like crazy in the cave, though. You can see a small window left of the cave's where the tortoise has excavated to the glass. I see it sleeping in there sometimes. I plan to keep it indoors (except for the winter time - that's when I hibernate it in my barn) until he's big enough to handle himself in my backyard. 

The lighting system includes a 48" fluorescent fixture with a T8 full spectrum plant bulb and aT8 desert uv bulb (I think it's Repti-sun) set on a 12-hour timed cycle. The heat lamps each include a 75-watt incandescent bulb - these are set on a timer to turn on between 10am and 3pm.


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## Jacqui (Jun 12, 2008)

That's pretty neat. How old is the little guy?


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## Tortobox (Jun 12, 2008)

wow...love it..very nice


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## purpod (Jun 12, 2008)

Very cute little bugger you have there, "Doc"... I saw some 'moldable' sand for sale at Petco, but it was very expensive for the amount of sand in the packaging... So this sand that you got will not cave in, even when it has been dug at from underneath?

{And what's the little guy/gals name?}
Thanx for the share,
purpod


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## chelonologist (Jun 12, 2008)

purpod said:


> Very cute little bugger you have there, "Doc"... I saw some 'moldable' sand for sale at Petco, but it was very expensive for the amount of sand in the packaging... So this sand that you got will not cave in, even when it has been dug at from underneath?
> 
> {And what's the little guy/gals name?}
> Thanx for the share,
> purpod



I collected the sand from a natural source (a wash), but the trick is to mix it with some finer material to get it to stick together - almost like mixing mortar or concrete. Of course, it doesn't harden like mortar or concrete when it dries, but it definitely stays concreted enough that the burrows and/or cave won't collapse no matter how much the tortoise excavates. This allows the tortoise to do what tortoises of the genus Gopherus do best - dig.

I'm told that my tortoise was incubated at temps for a male, so his name is (tentatively) Brutus. He will be two in August. He's growing fast this year - his carapace length is already at 85mm!


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## purpod (Jun 12, 2008)

What exactly did you use as the mixing agent with the sand, if you don't mind my asking.. Also, I have an xtra bag of "play" sand that was bought at Toys R Us for a sand box; it's said to be 'clean'.. will this work?

And Brutus makes me think of Popeye's adversary ~ lol, good name.

Thanx for your reply & information ~
Purpod


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## chelonologist (Jun 12, 2008)

purpod said:


> What exactly did you use as the mixing agent with the sand, if you don't mind my asking.. Also, I have an xtra bag of "play" sand that was bought at Toys R Us for a sand box; it's said to be 'clean'.. will this work?
> 
> And Brutus makes me think of Popeye's adversary ~ lol, good name.
> 
> ...



I've found that a fine powdery soil that derives from caliche works VERY well. If you can find a caliche outcrop somewhere, you'll be in luck.

If you're not able to find caliche, try mixing your sand with some loam derived from granite. This soil type is really common in California - it's the brown soil found near and downslope from most mountain ranges.

Remember, you'll need to soak it completely, then let it dry completely for the concretion to take place.


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## Josh (Jun 13, 2008)

that enclosure looks great! i'd love to do something similar for my DTs. i tried the soil/sand but i dont like it very much. that mixture looks like it would be good for growing plants too.


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## purpod (Jun 13, 2008)

josh said:


> i tried the soil/sand but i dont like it very much. that mixture looks like it would be good for growing plants too.



What did you try for your mixture, Josh? I will be sure to stay clear of that... 
Purpod


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## Josh (Jun 13, 2008)

organic potting soil and play sand. its way too loose and doesnt resemble the desert floor at all


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## purpod (Jun 13, 2008)

josh said:


> organic potting soil and play sand. its way too loose and doesnt resemble the desert floor at all


Okie, good ~ thanx for the quick reply, Josh!

Purpod


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## jtpaintball5 (Nov 3, 2008)

Thats amazing... I'm just a newb and have my first two new Cali Torts. I'll be posting my new enclosure soon.


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## kevantheman35 (Nov 3, 2008)

its always been my favorite indoor enclosure. ise love to see updated pics


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## purpod (Nov 4, 2008)

I've always been a tad nervous about the impaction possibilities with my rep's {'specially my beardie, since he frequently misses the cricket he's going for - at least on his _first _try  lol} which is why I always use/recommend the Calci-Sand types of sand. No worries about impaction there; plus {and yes, I am aware this sounds very shallow, lol} it comes in the color purpod! 

Purpod


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## chelonologist (Nov 5, 2008)

Here are some update pictures taken over the last week or so:

Feeding time:











Brutus is getting BIG:





Brutus outside the caliche cave eating a cuttlefish shell:





Garcia in the soil burrow:


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## Vegas_Leopard (Nov 5, 2008)

Your enclosure for your Desert Tortoises are unbelievable & great photos!


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

you have a very beautiful sulcata and your enclosure is fantastic!


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## Millerlite (Feb 9, 2009)

they are desert tortoises , and yes very nice enclosure.


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

ooooh. man...i'm dumb. but still, very nice looking tort!


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 9, 2009)

very cool enclosure.


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## Millerlite (Feb 9, 2009)

Your not dumb, its a easy mistake. Sulcatas can sometimes look like them.


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## smoke_kush (Feb 9, 2009)

sulcatas do look very similar to desert tortoises. do they share the same diet? which one gets bigger?


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## Maggie Cummings (Feb 10, 2009)

I'd be interested in knowing if they are still alive and how they are doing. They both look very dry. I have always kept my DT's in a more humid atmosphere. But that's just me and I am not trying to start a debate and I mean no disrespect...they are my most favorite species. They are a sweet out going tort but not pushy like Sulcata. Sulcata get bigger than Gopherus agassizii...


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## Yvonne G (Feb 10, 2009)

Yes, Chelonogist, I would like an update on your babies too.

Yvonne


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## K9KidsLove (Feb 14, 2009)

purpod said:


> I've always been a tad nervous about the impaction possibilities with my rep's {'specially my beardie, since he frequently misses the cricket he's going for - at least on his _first _try  lol} which is why I always use/recommend the Calci-Sand types of sand. No worries about impaction there; plus {and yes, I am aware this sounds very shallow, lol} it comes in the color purpod!
> 
> Purpod



Hi...I used to use the calci sand until 2 of my geckos got impacted & one of them died. Plus, when I worked at the vet hospital we had several dragons come in with calci sand impaction. They, as well as tortoises lick the calci sand to eat the calcium and eat the sand with the calcium. There have been a lot of problems with impaction WITH the calci & repti sand. I use textured slate for my lizards. Play sand with cypress is what I use for most of my tortoises. I feed them on a piece of slate or from a dish.
Patsy


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## nrfitchett4 (Feb 14, 2009)

now that you mention, I don't see any water dishes in there...


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## Meg90 (Feb 14, 2009)

Maybe he doesn't leave a dish in there all the time...I didn't notice that until you pointed it out either. Maybe he's just trying to recreate nature or something?

his torts don't look worse for ware...you can even see new shell growth on Brutus, and neither of them have pyramiding....I'm interested to know the answer.

I think we are all learning here, that different doesn't necessarily mean wrong...


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