# Creating a safe indoor roaming zone?



## mini_max (Dec 10, 2014)

I am wondering if it is reasonable to allow my Russian tortoise to roam in a hardwood floored hallway with doorways blocked. It is bright and sunny, and quite warm since we are running our furnace. The floor is very clean, no food, crumbs or chemicals. There are no pets and no safety hazards. He's in a terrarium for a couple more months at least, and he loves so much to explore that I feel like this might be a way to give him a ton of space for a few hours a day at least. I give him food and water and at one end I have a door mat over the heat register which gets nice and toasty for him to hang out on. 
I have thought the safety of this through from every possible angle, so what I need now is advice on whether roaming on a hard floor is ok for him....I could buy a carpet...
And is being away from his uv bulb for a couple hours a day ok?

Any input is much appreciated.


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## johnandjade (Dec 10, 2014)

im no expert but i have read that its not a good idea. the little guys will end up restless in there enclouser as they know there is a bigger world and will want out to explore, causing stress. I apreciate you have considered saftey aspect however know one thinks the worst can happen untill it does . 

as i say its just my opinion but i would say not to.


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## mini_max (Dec 10, 2014)

I can see what you mean, but then there's that whole thing about bringing them outside for sun which seems to be encouraged. That would be the same kind of thing...no?

Can anyone who takes their torts outside but does not house them there comment? Do you find that your tortoises become increasingly unhappy in their enclosures?


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## peasinapod (Dec 10, 2014)

Hardwoodfloor doesn't allow enough traction, it would probably cause your tortoise to slip the whole time. Carpeting gathers dust and fibers which can be swallowed. The scrambling around you often see when tortoises are taken out is often the tortoise trying to find a hiding place in this new place. 

Personally I wouldn't do it.


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## johnandjade (Dec 10, 2014)

thats a fair point! never even thought of it that way


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Dec 10, 2014)

I bring mr russian in at night, simply because of those nasty racoons! 
I just started taking him out this summer, and I built a routine with him. First thing in the morning, if its nice out, go outside. On days that it would rain and the routine got broken, he would tramp about being all mad at me for not taking him out. 
Thing is, he LOVES routines. He holds to me to my routine to a tee, which is actually handy 
Miss Cherrio, who lives outdoors 24/7, seems happy to be outside grazing and in her shed being toasty. She really doesn't seem to mind either way 
I would be concerned mostly for all the dust and stuff on the floor. Even if you vacuumed and mopped, there's still germs and yuck  Personally, I feel safer letting him roam outdoors because I can control what goes in and out of the pen daily. Indoors, I feel way safer because I'm able to keep his table clean and fresh, relativity germ free 
EDIT- Tortoises and turtles can 'survive' with only a few hours of UVB a week, he'd be okay


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## naturalman91 (Dec 10, 2014)

mini_max said:


> I can see what you mean, but then there's that whole thing about bringing them outside for sun which seems to be encouraged. That would be the same kind of thing...no?
> 
> Can anyone who takes their torts outside but does not house them there comment? Do you find that your tortoises become increasingly unhappy in their enclosures?



the reason it's bad is because the hardwood floor and the warm house still dont provide enough heat or ideal climate for a tortoise 

even with the heat on hard wood floors can be cold best way i can describe it is lay down on the floor without your shirt on and see how long it takes to get cold 

carpet would be no better 

i take my tortoise outside whenever weather permits and bring him in at night, right now i'm in the same boat as you the weather isn't permitting it here as you said russian's love to roam what size is your enclosure?


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## peasinapod (Dec 10, 2014)

Furthermore tortoises aren't really housebroken. You don't want tortoise pee to end up ruining your floor and that wouldn't be hygienic either!


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## johnandjade (Dec 10, 2014)

woulda steam mop not be ok, kills germs and no chemicals


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## mini_max (Dec 10, 2014)

His enclosure is small...way too small. Only a 3 ft terrarium, which we intend to rectify, but it can't happen for another few months. That said, he doesn't appear unhappy or stressed. He doesn't dig at the corners or anything, and he still spends a relatively large part of his time snoozing as he's just a baby - about 2.5 inches long.
I just discovered his love of roaming when I've had to find a temporary spot for him while cleaning his enclosure. I would soak him first, so he doesn't poop, and then he just gives 'er. He doesn't hide or get freaked out. He just walks around and tests everything in his path. I don't want to keep on my floor by any means, I just want to let him get some exercise for a short amount of time, if and when the conditions are right.
I guess I just feel guilty knowing just how much he can move when wants to....


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## johnsonnboswell (Dec 10, 2014)

Another problem is that over time walking on a hard floor can deform the feet and nails. It's hard on the legs, too.


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## chaseswife (Dec 10, 2014)

There was a sad post recently. The tortoise owner had put the tortoise on the floor and was insisting that she could watch it and keep it safe, and the poor tort still got its head squished by a door and passed away. I cried reading that post. I can never let my tortoise roam in the house after that.


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## Jodie (Dec 10, 2014)

I understand your problem. As a temporary solution for short periods of time your option would get him some additional exercise and not be bad in itself. The problem comes in with the unexpected dangers. Foreign object being eaten or head in door for example. It is your decision to make. Do the benefits out weigh the risks? If it were me, i would focus on a larger enclosure as soon as possible. Maybe a cement mixing tub with dirt in it as a play area? Good luck.


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## Tom (Dec 10, 2014)

mini_max said:


> I am wondering if it is reasonable to allow my Russian tortoise to roam in a hardwood floored hallway with doorways blocked. It is bright and sunny, and quite warm since we are running our furnace. The floor is very clean, no food, crumbs or chemicals. There are no pets and no safety hazards. He's in a terrarium for a couple more months at least, and he loves so much to explore that I feel like this might be a way to give him a ton of space for a few hours a day at least. I give him food and water and at one end I have a door mat over the heat register which gets nice and toasty for him to hang out on.
> I have thought the safety of this through from every possible angle, so what I need now is advice on whether roaming on a hard floor is ok for him....I could buy a carpet...
> And is being away from his uv bulb for a couple hours a day ok?
> 
> Any input is much appreciated.



I first want to commend you on taking a whole different approach to this issue. Most people come on here, ask if its okay to let their tortoise roam the floor and when we say no and give them a whole list of reasons, they just want to argue and then do it anyway. Your question is very different. You are intending to create an environment that _is_ safe for your tortoise, realizing that loose on the floor is not safe. Nice going, and thank you for your different approach to this common question.

There are several issues, that if dealt with properly, can be eliminated. I once used half the floor of my living room as a sulcata enclosure, so it _can_ work. You will need to close off an area with boards, plywood, or blocks of some sort, so that no one walks there and the tortoise cannot get out of their area. You will need to add some substrate for traction, humidity, waste absorption and temperature regulation. THen you have to deal with the heat issue. Its cold on the floor. I found that warm room temps helped keep the floor warmer, but you will have to check _your_ floor with a tmep gun to see what works in your house.

If you can make _this _sort of enclosure, I don't see why you can't just make the regular enclosure bigger. Why does your tortoise have to wait months for proper housing? Here is an easy way to do it. Just build something like this on a sheet of plywood:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/
Add some legs and you have a cheap, easy ready to go enclosure that is plenty big for your russian. If you have floor space to dedicate to your tortoise, then just plop one of these right in that spot.


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## mini_max (Dec 11, 2014)

Thanks Tom! We are selling furniture and changing up our space which will allow us to move some of the kids things and ultimately put a new enclosure in a spot that works for the whole family - which is why a new enclosure hasn't happened yet. 
We have a decently warm temp in the area in question - even on the floor as a result of the furnace duct running right under the floor there. Wouldn't be the case in summer but since it's winter and the heat is on it works. 
Unfortunately I have to say that I have let him walk here and he does it well with no traction trouble. If I were to let him out here for a "walk" say even for 20 to 30 minutes daily, would substrate still be an issue? Given the temporary nature of the whole thing.


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