Do you let your turtle walk around the house?

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Seems like almost every time I let my Russian tortoises out of their pens for a walk inside the house, they either poop or pee on the carpet, or else they get into one form of mischief or another, like crawling behind an appliance or almost getting hit by a swinging door. That's why at this point, I usually only let them walk around outside. How about you guys?

 

[Laura]

NO! for those exact reasons and more.. too cold, non edibles get eaten, etc....
They also need a secure outdoor enclosure too..
they should not just be placed in a yard to wander and assume you will watch them
every second. It only takes a few seconds for them to disappear...

 

[ascott]

Geo, you are funny.....LMAO, I think the warm sunny weather is making some of us a bit more spunky too, not just our torts ... LOL

 

[Fernando]

I do. My family (wife and son) are aware when the little one is out. I check on him every few minutes. My floor is hardwood and pretty clean for the most part (my wife is a clean freak). Oh, we also close the doors to the bedrooms and bathroom. It's been 9 months and she's been let out ever since, with no I'll effect. I would only say it's okay in situations like mine.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I did.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

NO! for those exact reasons and more.. too cold, non edibles get eaten, etc....
They also need a secure outdoor enclosure too..
they should not just be placed in a yard to wander and assume you will watch them
every second. It only takes a few seconds for them to disappear...

It's okay, Laura. They have an enclosed tortoise run outside on my back porch, and when they are out and about on the grounds, I do watch them constantly, so they are fine. Just don't really want them running around indoors anymore, that's all.

 

[Laura]

Im glad You do.. have a place outside for them.. many do not...
i cant imagine m sulcata poops all over the carpet... HA! might as well have had the horse indoors...

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Im glad You do.. have a place outside for them.. many do not...

Yeah, my male Russian tortoise insisted. When he starts trying to climb out of his indoor pen, I know it's time to let him out for a while! The female is more calm, but that's when she gets her chance to go out, too. I love watching them, but I can't do that all day, so that's why I have a tortoise run for them. That way I can go back inside and actually get some stuff done ... although it is tempting to peek out at them from time to time!

 

[Baoh]

I do not. In my case, it would present far too great potential hazard and no reward to have any of my tortoises roaming the house.

 

[Tom]

I once had half my living room floor actually made into a sulcata enclosure, but it was properly heated and no foreign stuff in there for them to accidentally ingest.

Other than that I'd never let one just roam freely either indoors or out. When I was a little kid I used to let my box turtle loose like that. I had no concept of what they really needed or that I should have a proper outdoor enclosure for them. I used to lose him regularly. I put him on the grass in the front yard and if I turned my back for one second, he'd be gone. I ended up putting r/c car racing numbers on him so I could find him easier in the bushes and stuff. I was a dumb kid and now I know better...

 

[dmmj]

Seems like almost every time I let my Russian tortoises out of their pens for a walk inside the house, they either poop or pee on the carpet, or else they get into one form of mischief or another, like crawling behind an appliance or almost getting hit by a swinging door. That's why at this point, I usually only let them walk around outside. How about you guys?

You describe one very good reason why don't roam the house, the other is I am afraid they may take a liking to the carpet and decide to see if it tasty.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I once had half my living room floor actually made into a sulcata enclosure, but it was properly heated and no foreign stuff in there for them to accidentally ingest.

Other than that I'd never let one just roam freely either indoors or out. When I was a little kid I used to let my box turtle loose like that. I had no concept of what they really needed or that I should have a proper outdoor enclosure for them. I used to lose him regularly. I put him on the grass in the front yard and if I turned my back for one second, he'd be gone. I ended up putting r/c car racing numbers on him so I could find him easier in the bushes and stuff. I was a dumb kid and now I know better...

That's a great point. I can relate, because I used to do silly things with my boxies as a boy, too. I compare what I know to do for my Russians today with what I didn't know to do for my boxies then, and there's a big difference. Thanks.

 

[Madkins007]

I used to let my 5" or bigger Red-foot roam in the house years ago, and enjoyed watching him pop out at weird times.

I understand why people want to let them roam indoors- more room and exercise, more like a family pet, a sense of freedom, etc. but many of our homes are poor habitats for tortoises- too cool or drafty, no good hides, stuff to investigate that is not safe to eat or bite, the poop and urine issues, proper hydration and humidity, etc.

I think you can make a room appropriate if you wanted to, but you could just about as easily make a habitat that is big enough that they would not need the extra room.

 

[Gydnew]

Hi. I'm new to the forums and a new tortoise owner. I took on Fred after a friend of mine decided to move from Texas to Washington state. She was afraid to cold damp weather would not be good for him.

For the many years that I knew her, Fred always wandered around her house. He'd show up in the kitchen when he was hungry. Now that I have him he also is free roaming. I realize this may not be ideal but I don't have a yard in which to build him a habitat.

We keep the doors to the bedrooms closed and the rest of the apartment is tile. He has a secluded basking corner with a uv light set on a timer. He can get under a few pieces of furniture that allow a cavelike feel without it being a big deal if we have to get him out. we have rearranged wires and cords so there isnt anywhere he an get hung up. We always feed him in the same place so now he shows up here when he's hungry. He does poo and pee but usually right after he's eaten in generally the same area so it all gets cleaned every day.

We don't watch him every second of the day but we are always doing spot checks. as to his current location. He's very active. Like I said, I realize it's not ideal but it's what we are doing.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi. I'm new to the forums and a new tortoise owner.

Hi Gydnew:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum.

Won't you take a few minutes to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?