# A House Tortoise?



## pinkspore (Mar 6, 2013)

Last week I met a family who has a house tortoise. I'm not sure what species, his shell is about 18" long and heavily pyramided. The lady works at a vet clinic and he was abandoned with them in that condition several years ago.

This tortoise lives in the house, he hibernates in the coat closet and burrows in the laundry. He gets supervised outdoor time and has the run of the house the rest of the time. They have all hard floors and he has some good basking spots with natural light.

Does anyone else let their tortoises roam indoors? I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on the subject.


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## bigred (Mar 6, 2013)

I wouldnt give my torts the run of the house for the simple fact that I wouldnt want a huge tort leaving huge poops in my living room


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## mctlong (Mar 6, 2013)

bigred said:


> I wouldnt give my torts the run of the house for the simple fact that I wouldnt want a huge tort leaving huge poops in my living room



I second that. Can't potty-train these guys.


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## wellington (Mar 6, 2013)

The basking spots you said he has around inside the house. If the basking/heat/light is coming in from a window, it's only giving heat. UVB does to go through glass or plastic. I also would not want the poop or pee in my house like that, that's pig. Also, the things that the tort could get into and eat that could make him sick or kill him. It's nice he gets outside. However, he should have an outdoor enclosure for every day use when it is warm enough. I also believe it should have an appropriate size indoor enclosure for when its not warm enough. Torts don't normally burrow in dirty laundry, yuck. I think that's a bad idea and not proper care. Not sure how a vet or anyone working for a vet would think that is a proper way to care for a tort.


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## pinkspore (Mar 6, 2013)

Poo would be my first concern as well, though I'm told he usually poos while he's being soaked and has a pretty regular schedule so the floors are normally clean.


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## Terry Allan Hall (Mar 6, 2013)

My 1st tortoise, a female Hermann's (probably an Eastern), had the run of my homes for 19 years, but I made sure there were no dangers to her, and made modifications to my domociles, such as installing basking lights at appropriate heightd off the floor, "tort-doors" so she could go out onto the bacony to sun, and such. In fact, when considering a new apartment, the availability of a private balcony was always one of the deciding factors. 

OTOH, I'd hate to live with a free-roaming sulcata...those are Mobile Poop Machines!


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## ascott (Mar 6, 2013)

My grandmother had a CDT that lived with her in the house for as long as I can remember, it was able to access the porch when ever it wanted to as well as the little yard space.....when it was time for winter---he would make his way under the bed in the bedroom (wood floors) and remain there until spring rolled around.....so yes, it had and likely still does work out....

I on the other hand have dogs and such--so would not work out well for the tort


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## johnreuk (Mar 10, 2013)

I agree with Wellington.... not an appropriate way to keep a tortoise IMO. I think it represents quite a serious welfare issue.... No natural substrate, burrowing, access to sufficient UV, correct basking temps etc.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Mar 10, 2013)

No reptile should really be kept this way, for the variety of reasons already mentioned. You want a companion animal to roam around the house, get a dog or cat. Tortoises are ectothermic animals that need controlled-environments.


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## Terry Allan Hall (Mar 10, 2013)

johnreuk said:


> I agree with Wellington.... not an appropriate way to keep a tortoise IMO. I think it represents quite a serious welfare issue.... No natural substrate, burrowing, access to sufficient UV, correct basking temps etc.





StudentoftheReptile said:


> No reptile should really be kept this way, for the variety of reasons already mentioned. You want a companion animal to roam around the house, get a dog or cat. Tortoises are ectothermic animals that need controlled-environments.



Must respectfully point out that if you go to the trouble of making your home "tortoise-friendly", free-roaming is a possible option. 

As previously mentioned, my first Hermann's had free-range of my homes for the last 19 years of her life, as well as the previous 31 years, living in my Grandfather's home, in his kitchen during the winter, and having a "doggie-door" to go out into the garden at will (on warm days).

It just depends on how much trouble you're willing to go to.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Mar 10, 2013)

Respectfully ...most members of the general public and probably not even most members of this forum, are not willing to go to that much trouble of making their house "tortoise-friendly."


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## Terry Allan Hall (Mar 10, 2013)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> Respectfully ...most members of the general public and probably not even most members of this forum, are not willing to go to that much trouble of making their house "tortoise-friendly."



Sadly, you're correct...many folks are, indeed, too lazy to do so.


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## Tom (Mar 10, 2013)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> Respectfully ...most members of the general public and probably not even most members of this forum, are not willing to go to that much trouble of making their house "tortoise-friendly."



And even if they did, there is still substantially more risk to this than keeping them in their own properly designed, set up and maintained enclosure. The possibility of being stepped on, hit by a door, chewed on by a dog, escaping because some service person left a door open, or ingesting something that has been inadvertently dropped is high. Ever lost a button? I have. And the majority of the time, I have no idea where they end up. Wouldn't want to see that in an x-ray of a sick tortoise, but I have. No doubt a certain percentage of the time, some people will get away with this. The point that should be taken away from this, is that is is FAR riskier to let them run loose in your house than it is to keep them contained in a proper enclosure.


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## DeanS (Mar 10, 2013)

I don't like the idea of ANYONE keeping a tortoise in the house...no matter how 'tortoise friendly' it may or may not be! It's not natural...it's selfish...and completely unfair to the tortoise. QUIT humanizing animals people...THEY'RE NOT!


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## Terry Allan Hall (Mar 10, 2013)

DeanS said:


> I don't like the idea of ANYONE keeping a tortoise in the house...no matter how 'tortoise friendly' it may or may not be! It's not natural...it's selfish...and completely unfair to the tortoise. QUIT humanizing animals people...THEY'RE NOT!



If I may respectfully remind you, when you keep a pet of any sort, you're removing it from "natural" conditions.

OTOH, my first Hermann's lived quite happily (and healthfully) for about 50 years "humanized". This, of course, meant that both my Grandfather and I had to go to a little more trouble to keep her healthy than someone who just puts their pet into a cage and simulates their idea of a "natural" environment (which can't actually be recreated, unless you choose to live in their natural home)...

And I'm inclined to think our motivations were no more selfish than your own. 

You are, of course, free to feel otherwise, and as soon as you've successfully kept one healthfully for 51 years, I'll be happy to listen to what you believe you know...fair enough?


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## Eloise's mommy (Mar 10, 2013)

I think that the ability of a creature of any species human, tortoise, dog, cat etc to adabt to new surroundings...is clearly over looked...so many people state all the time that space is vital that any tortoise needs plenty of space but this person who rescued this tort has given it a home and provide the basic needs that the tort needs..ie. indoor basking places out door time food etc...I understand that we try to provide an environment that our little friends will find suitable to be home but they still have to adapt to the fat it's not their natural home. I can't do it I would rather not have the poo on the floor and Eloise is too small.... but if she were a large tort...I might consider it but I would provide her a designated Tort place too...you know somewhere safe with substrate and her basking spots etc..so she could have free roam when she wanted and a place to be kept when needed. Best of both worlds??


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## dandj425 (Mar 10, 2013)

Is the debate about either free roam house / or cage? I would like a mix of both. Purdy will grow large and would like to think that if my water turtles have roam the room time Purdy will too. I think, especially with our New England winters, to keep her in only 4 x 4 or even 6 x 6 24/7 is not cool. She will have plenty of first floor roaming time. Thank heavens for hard wood floors  
But if what a previous poster says is true about not 'humanizing the torts', then why do we have them as pets and not in the wild? We purchase these torts as pets and with the large size know in advance they will be more of an active family member than say a hamster that stays in a cage with its happy wheel. 
Please, these are just my thoughts on this


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## LeopardTortLover (Mar 11, 2013)

Mine has an indoor closure where she lives 90% of the time in cold weather, and has my bedroom to wander about in for an hour of the day to stretch her legs further (supervised at all times). She seems to LOVE climbing over my bears (stuffed toys from childhood! before anyone panicks) haha. 

As long as they are supervised when out of their enclosure i see no issues. However, no, i wouldnt let her live outside her enclosure/in my house permanenetly. It wouldnt create the right environment or temps.


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## cemmons12 (Mar 11, 2013)

Well, I am sure most of you know how I am with Cooper, so he has the run of the living room about 18 hours a day. And not once has he pooped or pee'd on the floor since he was just a little thing, yet. And when we move he will have the kitchen and bedroom, depending on where I am at. As of this day, he still mess's in his enclosure or the tub only, which works for me. Since I live in Indiana, he cant stay out all year. And since we spend so much time together I wouldnt want it any other way now. So thats my .02 on this thread. But Ophelia mess's anywhere so she cant run the house.


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## pinkspore (Mar 13, 2013)

Wow, so many different perspectives, thank you for sharing! Any ideas what sort of indoor dangers a tortoise might face? Entrapment? Electrical wires? Outdoors there are predators and toxic plants and the potential for escape, but I've never really considered how to tortoise-proof an indoor area.


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## Rover15 (Mar 13, 2013)

wow i just read everyone's post. IMO i find it hard enough to kid proof my house every time i think i'm in the clear and kids can't get to anything they shouldn't i turn around and there they have found something they shouldn't. i also have cats and all though my older cat wouldn't go near the tortoise's i would still worry about that one curious moment and what would happen. i have from time to time brought my tortoises (not my box turtles) out to show off and let them roam the floor with my kids and others sitting around watching as tortoises are not a comment pet i enjoy doing this as i can educate my family and friends before they jump the gun to go buy one. i never let any of my tortoises roam the floor any longer then an hour and never unsupervised. a key factor i think most might have missed is that during the colder times or even a cool day as doors are being opened and closed there is always the chance of the tortoise catching that draft/cold air witch can lead to respiratory infections, or other issues. now if you are able to eliminate the drafts provide the right temps and humidity in house as well as ensure the safety and well being then all the power to you XD

a bit of a rand i apologize but just my thoughts on the topic i could be wrong it has been known to happen


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## Ripkabird98 (Mar 14, 2013)

StudentoftheReptile said:


> Respectfully ...most members of the general public and probably not even most members of this forum, are not willing to go to that much trouble of making their house "tortoise-friendly."



I'm doing it now, hahaa.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Mar 14, 2013)

That's great, but I'm in the same boat as Rover: I have a 22-month-old and an 10-month old, and we have a hard enough time child-proofing the house! Worrying about "tortoise-proofing" the house, in top of keeping said tortoises away from toddlers....Eeesh! I'll let natural sunshine, humidity and the ample space of my backyard take some of my concerns away.


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## ashned7 (Mar 17, 2013)

We have a hermanns he's coming up to 7 and he used to hate being kept in his table and constantly try to escape...so we cleared out an area and turned it into Horace's home..(the pics only missing his water dish) and he then has access to the kitchen with hard wood floor and outdoor areas straight from there when it's warm enough 




But we also have a three yr old russian lola in a tortoise table 5 x 2.5 ft which she really likes and she would hate to be kept free roaming as she isnt very sociable (unless you are bringing food) and she is a bit shy of people  







I think it can depend on the tortoise but tortoise proofing has took a lot of work around the kitchen, but as there are no other pets or children around it has been easier than it could have been...
but if we lived in america like you guys he'd be outside in a purpose area as I believe that is the best...but unfortunately english weather wont allow it and for Horace being able to roam a large area is important, so for him this is second best...whereas for lola her enclosure is the best and even when shes an adult she will have a huge enclosure


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## Yellow Turtle (Mar 18, 2013)

I wouldn't let my torts roam my house as I don't want them to pee and poo everywhere.


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