Tortoise table box training

sbm002

New Member
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
NY
I'm planning out a tortoise table for 2 adult Russians - likely 4x3 feet due to space limitations.
1) Does anyone have a similar blueprint that has succeeded? Potentially one with an upper level for stimulation and addtl space that uses the area under the ramp as a hide.
2) Has anyone tried box training using an insert for a feeding/toileting area to help limit smells and stress? If I place food on the upper level in a removable tray with shallow substrate, I suspect they'd do their business while awaiting / eating.

Thanks in advance!
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
Hi there.

Are you new to tortoise keeping? Have you kept them before? I ask because those of us that have been doing this for a long time learned that keeping 2 Russian tortoises in 1 enclosure ends in disaster. We want to help you know this before putting them together so you don't have to learn the hard way.

These creatures are solitary and don't need a buddy. In fact, they don't want a buddy and 1 will bully the other quite often to the point of death. Trust us, we are just trying to help you out. Also, feel free to browse the forum for other "pair" examples and you'll find plenty of evidence to back that claim.

I don't have plans for a 4x3 but perhaps you can make it really long and skinny instead of a small rectangle. These guys like to move...alot! They would cover miles in the wild. Your russian will likely pace the wall no matter what, but why not give them as much linear space as possible?

Again, so many of us have learned the hard way. Many try to put their russian in a 2x4 space and then come back asking, "why is my tortoise scratching the walls and flipping over?". It's because they need space. LOTs of it!

I've never trained my tortoises to eat at a certain spot...but they have had food bowls (terra cotta saucers) in the same place and know that's where I serve the food. I've never potty trained a tortoise but mine have always gone poop in soaks or in the same corner. Self potty trained sort of?

Hope that helps. Seriously consider the advice to house them separately and with more linear space. I only mean to help you and your tortoises.
 

sbm002

New Member
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
NY
Hi there.

Are you new to tortoise keeping? Have you kept them before? I ask because those of us that have been doing this for a long time learned that keeping 2 Russian tortoises in 1 enclosure ends in disaster. We want to help you know this before putting them together so you don't have to learn the hard way.

These creatures are solitary and don't need a buddy. In fact, they don't want a buddy and 1 will bully the other quite often to the point of death. Trust us, we are just trying to help you out. Also, feel free to browse the forum for other "pair" examples and you'll find plenty of evidence to back that claim.

I don't have plans for a 4x3 but perhaps you can make it really long and skinny instead of a small rectangle. These guys like to move...alot! They would cover miles in the wild. Your russian will likely pace the wall no matter what, but why not give them as much linear space as possible?

Again, so many of us have learned the hard way. Many try to put their russian in a 2x4 space and then come back asking, "why is my tortoise scratching the walls and flipping over?". It's because they need space. LOTs of it!

I've never trained my tortoises to eat at a certain spot...but they have had food bowls (terra cotta saucers) in the same place and know that's where I serve the food. I've never potty trained a tortoise but mine have always gone poop in soaks or in the same corner. Self potty trained sort of?

Hope that helps. Seriously consider the advice to house them separately and with more linear space. I only mean to help you and your tortoises.
Thanks Team! Strangely, they're stressed when separated, and now have cohabitated for 15 years now with minimal carrot sharing disputes. They soak every 3rd day, but defecate daily, so I want a cleanable method other than scrubbing rocks.
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
Thanks Team! Strangely, they're stressed when separated, and now have cohabitated for 15 years now with minimal carrot sharing disputes. They soak every 3rd day, but defecate daily, so I want a cleanable method other than scrubbing rocks.
Soaking is great. Glad to hear.

As an animal trainer, I've helped many people over the years understand animal behavior and what certain behaviors "really" mean. Based on my experience, I'm disinclined to believe your tortoises are stressed when separated and carrot sharing didn't even make my list of problems that housing pairs creates.

I understand how people can be put off by some stranger on the internet telling them, "you're wrong". So, should you want to dig into that topic further, many of us would be willing to elaborate.
 
Top