Combining two 10 gallon tanks?

[Jaclynn0713]

We are planning on bringing home a Redfoot or Cherryhead RF at the end of April. I want to get an enclosure set up in the near future so we can tweak it to have the right temperature and humidity before bringing home any tort.

I know that 10 Gal tanks are two small, but what if you combined two 10 gal (10"W x 20"L x 12"H). That would give you 20"W x 40"L x 12"H. That would be approx. 5.5 sq. feet of floor space. I've read that the glass tanks helps to hold the humidity in, which is important for the RF of CHRF. I found a wikihow on how to do something similar (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cheap-Terrarium). I would prob have the hinge for one of the shorter sides instead of the top so I can have the lights set up on top.

The plan right now is to keep our RF indoors while we live in an apartment for around 1-2 years and then move to an outdoor enclosure (I live in FL).

Does this sound okay? I looked at some larger terrariums but they were in the $150-$200 price range and the two 10 gal would cost under $50.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you put two tanks side by side, your width would increase, but the length would still be 20".

This is still too small for an adult RF tortoise. Why mess with glass when plastic is so much cheaper? You can get a really large plastic tub, or two tubs put together for way cheaper than the glass aquarium.

 

[Jaclynn0713]

Lol you are absolutely right, I obviously can't add today. I like the look of the glass better, so I was trying to find a way to make that work. Likely this would be for a young RF, not an adult. We would be moving him/her to an outdoor enclosure after a year or so.

 

[Sara G.]

Still too small for a RF baby, I'd think.
Besides glass tanks can stress out some tort species because they're constantly trying to get out, dunno if that's true with RF babies.
You could always build a closed chamber, more money but at least it can be aesthetically pleasing to you. But I'd agree with Yvonne and go for a plastic tub/Rubbermaid.
Much cheaper and bigger.

 

[wellington]

You could get the plastic tub, 10 gallon even 2 is too small. Cut a side of the tub out and replace it with plexiglass. You can glue it on. This way it will give you a window to look into and if not placed at tort level, he won't get stressed by seeing out it

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Check your local classified ads for old aquariums. You could probably find a Big one and it'll be less than buying new.

Glass tanks can be turned into beautiful enclosures. But it'll cost you. $$
Plastic is uglier. But it's the more affordable way to go.

So really, it comes down to which sacrifice you're willing to make.

 

[Jaclynn0713]

We actually found a glass terrarium on sale today at Petco! It is a Zilla cage, 36Lx18Wx16H, 50% off. Spent $68 (which included tax) and there's a $15 mail in rebate so it will cost us $53 in the end. We still have the receipt and everything if you all think that is not an adequate size, but it seemed very roomy for a young redfoot for at least a year (we will be out of this apartment in December and can prioritize housing with a yard at that point). As long as that is good, I can start figuring out what lighting we will need, get the substrate in, and get the temps stable and humidity right before we bring a tort home.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I used a Zilla tank for leopard babies. It'll do and eventually, like you said, you'll be able to upgrade and add an outdoor enclosure. When my torts spend most of their days in a large outdoor enclosure, I don't worry about the indoor tank being on the smaller side...since its primarily used for sleeping