# Rubbermaid Container



## missjmg19 (Jul 20, 2016)

I have heard that 50 gallon rubbermaid containers work well for indoor habitats for Russians or box turtles. Anyone ever tried this before? This would be for one who was taken outside daily, weather permitting, but would not have actual outdoor pen/enclosrue.


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## Jodie (Jul 20, 2016)

A Rubbermaid container works well for babies, but is much too small as a full time enclosure for Russians. I know nothing about box turtles, but a Russian needs an 8 foot by 4 foot enclosure as the minimum.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Jodie said:


> A Rubbermaid container works well for babies, but is much too small as a full time enclosure for Russians. I know nothing about box turtles, but a Russian needs an 8 foot by 4 foot enclosure as the minimum.


Okay....thank you!


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## BrianWI (Jul 21, 2016)

I am of a different opinion than some. I think smaller enclosures can be fine if overall conditions are good. I don't like blanket statements on size. I also prefer glass or acrylic tanks, but rubbermaid is OK.

I would never go smaller than a 40 gallon breeder (actually 46 gallons) for a small tortoise or box turtle. Instead, since extra height is useless, lets say 36" x 18". This does come with conditions, though. Is this good for an animal that is in there 24x7x365? No. Is it good for one that spends several hours each day outside with more room? Yes. But this question should be answered HONESTLY to yourself, how much time out of the enclosure will it really get?

If you are going to have something that mostly stays in its enclosure, then yes, go as big as you can. And if room is an issue, maximize by perhaps going to a round enclosure, like a repurposed kiddie pool. If it is a cost issue, look at the enclosures using a small plastic greenhouse. Can make a cheap, big home that appears very effective from pictures I saw on here.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

BrianWI said:


> I am of a different opinion than some. I think smaller enclosures can be fine if overall conditions are good. I don't like blanket statements on size. I also prefer glass or acrylic tanks, but rubbermaid is OK.
> 
> I would never go smaller than a 40 gallon breeder (actually 46 gallons) for a small tortoise or box turtle. Instead, since extra height is useless, lets say 36" x 18". This does come with conditions, though. Is this good for an animal that is in there 24x7x365? No. Is it good for one that spends several hours each day outside with more room? Yes. But this question should be answered HONESTLY to yourself, how much time out of the enclosure will it really get?
> 
> If you are going to have something that mostly stays in its enclosure, then yes, go as big as you can. And if room is an issue, maximize by perhaps going to a round enclosure, like a repurposed kiddie pool. If it is a cost issue, look at the enclosures using a small plastic greenhouse. Can make a cheap, big home that appears very effective from pictures I saw on here.




Thank you so much for this post. I actually visited a local nature center yesterday and spoke with one of their naturalists. I found a great breeder tank (in mid 40 gallon size) that is on sale and will perfectly in the space we have. Weather permitting, we have small backyard and we plan on having it out there with us every day unless we are out of town. We are huge animal lovers here and truly enjoy spending time with them, watching them, etc so this little guy/gal will get lots of time out of tank. Gonna get habitat set up soon and then hope one becomes available through local turtle/tortoise rescue site because we'd love to adopt one, since I know many people get pets like this and then tire of them all too quickly. Thanks again!


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## BrianWI (Jul 21, 2016)

Glad I could help. I often think behaviors are misinterpreted.

Say a tortoise in the wild covers a larger area. Why does he do it? He could be foraging, looking for a mate, looking for a fight, etc. In his tank he has food, more than he needs. He is never going to find a mate and he will never find a fight. So, does it matter if his walking is in a circle? More space just isn't going to solve his real "problem". If breeding is his problem, are you going to supply a mate? If he wants a fight, will you supply an opponent? 

Lower intelligence animals aren't likely going for a stroll to see the sites. They are running on instinct, and the basis of that instinct is very likely not "lack of space".


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## Yvonne G (Jul 21, 2016)

But, by the same token, when a tortoise is hard-wired to wander great distances looking for a fight, mate or food, he's still going to try to wander great distances in a smaller container. You'll end up with a tortoise that is scratching in the corners and climbing the walls. I like the idea of a circular habitat, and if you go with a plastic tub, remember, the gallons measurement is cubic, or up the sides (how much liquid it holds). You're not interested in that measurement. What you want is the largest floor space you have room for. But, like Brian said, if the tortoise gets a lot of outside time, a real large indoor habitat is not that important. Just something to bear in mind.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> But, by the same token, when a tortoise is hard-wired to wander great distances looking for a fight, mate or food, he's still going to try to wander great distances in a smaller container. You'll end up with a tortoise that is scratching in the corners and climbing the walls. I like the idea of a circular habitat, and if you go with a plastic tub, remember, the gallons measurement is cubic, or up the sides (how much liquid it holds).  You're not interested in that measurement. What you want is the largest floor space you have room for. But, like Brian said, if the tortoise gets a lot of outside time, a real large indoor habitat is not that important. Just something to bear in mind.




Absolutely! And, I realized the measurement thing at Target the other day and figured out quickly that a lower container with more space for movement was much more important than a tall one with less floor space. We'll start with the tank we are getting and go from there. Since it's see through, just need to decide best way to cover bottom few inches so he can't see out and get stressed! Deciding between "aquarium backgrounds" and just plain old duct tape since it comes in so many cool patterns now!


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## Yvonne G (Jul 21, 2016)

Try it first. Many tortoises get by just fine with glass/see through walls.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> Try it first. Many tortoises get by just fine with glass/see through walls.



Oh.......really? I didn't know that! I mean, clearly the ones in zoos and petstores handle it, but I never had any mention that before. How would we know if it becomes a problem? Would it just be common sense if we notice it seeming like it wants to crawl through the tank's walls? Have you had any who lived in see through walls? If so, what breed?


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## cmacusa3 (Jul 21, 2016)

All my hatchling box turtles lived in glass. I now have 5 juveniles living in a very large glass tank until I'm ready to put them outside full time with zero issues. Pet fish live in glass tanks, a lot people that keep water turtles live in tanks. 

I'm sure some do get stressed but I've never experienced it and I've had box turtles for 20 plus years.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Abramsmytankturtle said:


> All my hatchling box turtles lived in glass. I now have 5 juveniles living in a very large glass tank until I'm ready to put them outside full time with zero issues. Pet fish live in glass tanks, a lot people that keep water turtles live in tanks.
> 
> I'm sure some do get stressed but I've never experienced it and I've had box turtles for 20 plus years.



Thank you, as well. I really appreciate the support we are finding here. I had aquatic turtles as a child, but my father took care of them, but clearly they were in glass aquarium and did fine. We also have fish (some larger than other) who never seem stressed. We have an amazing local nature center and their box turtle habitat is all glass so visitors can see them. They are all fine, as well.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Jul 21, 2016)

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/chambers-my-take-of-the-idea.77044/

Maybe without regard to some applications you will find some value in how I set a few up.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Will said:


> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/chambers-my-take-of-the-idea.77044/
> 
> Maybe without regard to some applications you will find some value in how I set a few up.



Thank you so much for sharing that link. The pictures and suggestions will be a great help going forward!


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## BrianWI (Jul 21, 2016)

Are you getting a Russian or a box turtle?


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

BrianWI said:


> Are you getting a Russian or a box turtle?



Not 100% sure yet. Leaning towards a Russian, but working with a couple of local nature center and rescue sites. Hoping to adopt someone's unwanted pet.


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## lisa127 (Jul 21, 2016)

I house my smaller box turtle in a 50 gallon rubbermaid. I'd like more room for him, but honestly he does well in it.


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## BrianWI (Jul 21, 2016)

I love three toed and eastern box turtles. Can't go wrong there.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

BrianWI said:


> I love three toed and eastern box turtles. Can't go wrong there.




Might be what we end up getting. Working with rescues and are willing to consider box (either of the ones you mention) or russian.


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## BrianWI (Jul 21, 2016)

Blandings Turtles are cool too, if you can have them where you are. We could not for a long time here, but now they were delisted.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 21, 2016)

missjmg19 said:


> Oh.......really? I didn't know that! I mean, clearly the ones in zoos and petstores handle it, but I never had any mention that before. How would we know if it becomes a problem? Would it just be common sense if we notice it seeming like it wants to crawl through the tank's walls? Have you had any who lived in see through walls? If so, what breed?



I use glass aquariums for most of my babies...leopards, YF, Manouria, box turtles...and none of them were bothered by the see through walls.


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## missjmg19 (Jul 21, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> I use glass aquariums for most of my babies...leopards, YF, Manouria, box turtles...and none of them were bothered by the see through walls.



Thanks so much! We will definitely try that first and make adaptations if needed.


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