# Good or bad?: mirror in an enclosure



## Julie G. (Oct 16, 2015)

Hi all - I'm trying to make my Tort Morton's (sulcata) enclosure more interesting. When I let him (her?) out to walk around my finished basement he immediately goes for my daughter's shiny barbie toys, including a warped plastic mirror. Is this just because my Tort has an affection for bling? Could he have learned from just a few times the shiny object would show him "another tortoise" , albeit fuzzy and warped??

Would a mirror in the enclosure be considered aggressive in his space or a companion /distraction? Does anyone have experience with their tort and a mirror? 

Thanks!

Julie


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## ZEROPILOT (Oct 16, 2015)

Not a good idea at all from my understanding.
It's actually been asked before. 
I used to do that for some show fishes that I raised. It was to make the males see another male and to release more chemicals to make them more colorful. It was horribly stressful to the fishes.
It would also stress your tortoise.


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## Gillian M (Oct 16, 2015)

I would rather not place a mirror in a tort's enclosure. This could make him/her believe there's another tort, and he/she could start bullying and fighting the mirror and even hurt/harm him/herself.

Please post pics of your tort and its enclosure.

And a very warm welcome to the forum!


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## Tom (Oct 16, 2015)

I vote no on the mirror and I also vote no on letting him run around loose on the floor in a human habitat. That will often lead to disaster. Seen it many times.

I know, I know, you've made the area safe, and you watch him very closely. So did all the other people whose tortoises ingested something or got injured or killed. Make the enclosure big enough to meet his needs, and leave him in it.


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## AnimalLady (Oct 17, 2015)

Negativo, no mirrors.


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## kathyth (Oct 17, 2015)

plants, a water dish and good hiding places will make your tortoise very happy.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 17, 2015)

In my opinion, since tortoises are solitary creatures and neither want nor need companionship, I would not put him through the stress of thinking another tortoise might be invading his space.


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## Jacqui (Oct 20, 2015)

Would be nice if somebody who has actually done this could share their experiences with us.


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## Tom (Oct 20, 2015)

Jacqui said:


> Would be nice if somebody who has actually done this could share their experiences with us.



{Sheepishly raising my hand…}

I tried this many years ago with a male russian to see what would happen. After about an hour of him biting and trying to "get it", I took mercy on him and removed the mirror.

I then tried it in the enclosure of a young sulcata. He ignored it for most of the day and once he noticed it he walked over gave it a little sniff and a push, then walked away and ignored it.

Forgive me. I was a younger and much more impetuous young man back then...


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## ascott (Oct 20, 2015)

Julie G. said:


> Hi all - I'm trying to make my Tort Morton's (sulcata) enclosure more interesting. When I let him (her?) out to walk around my finished basement he immediately goes for my daughter's shiny barbie toys, including a warped plastic mirror. Is this just because my Tort has an affection for bling? Could he have learned from just a few times the shiny object would show him "another tortoise" , albeit fuzzy and warped??
> 
> Would a mirror in the enclosure be considered aggressive in his space or a companion /distraction? Does anyone have experience with their tort and a mirror?
> 
> ...



I would be concerned of when the tort rams the mirror enough times that it would break...and then it may cut the animal or perhaps be ingested..I have not ever placed one in, so this opinion is only based on seeing first hand how strong and violent a male tortoise can become when in a variety of situations.


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## Julie G. (Jan 5, 2016)

Hi everyone and thanks for the advice. Since my tort was actually always _heading on his own_ for the various shiny objects, against advice I did in fact try putting a large nonbreakable plastic locker mirror in the larger area I let him walk around in ( outside his "safe" space of his 3' x 3" enclosure) just to see ...and...drum roll.....nothing. He ignored it completely. He just prefers shiny things. He definitely looked in and saw himself, and then headed for the next shinier, brighter object. The mirror just didn't do it for him and he didn't leave in a hurry or seems stressed. Thought I'd pass along.


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## Julie G. (Jan 5, 2016)

Jacqui said:


> Would be nice if somebody who has actually done this could share their experiences with us.


Thank you for your very unbiased, kind reply to my post, Jacqui. In looking through the TF, it seems often the tone and advice provided by some well known longtime members is reflective of a sense of betterment or the frustration of repeating the same basic things over and over to new tort owners. I am a new tort owner, I did my research, I knew what i was getting into, I can't wait to build an outdoor enclosure this summer, I am conscious of pyramiding , UVB, calcium and the gamut. I think this is a really great site with nice people, but wish people would not assume the worst and keep any accusatory tone in check. *So thank you.*


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