Enclosure help needed

[HerNameWas_Lola]

Hi everyone,

I currently have a Female Russian Tortoise that is about 4.5-5 inches long. I have only had her for a little less than a month. I have her in a cement mixing tub with a coir and play sand substrate. Almost daily she tries to climb her way out but of course it is nearly impossible because the walls are vertical and I have moved everything that is high that she can climb away from the walls so she can't "jump" over. But still she tries and occasionally she ends up flipping herself over. For the most part she does this whenever I am in the room (napping, doing homework, watching television). And only one time have i found her upside down when I returned to my room and that was the first week i got her. That really freaks me out because there are periods almost every day where I am not at my house for over 6 hours at a time. I was wondering if there was something I could do to discourage her from climbing. I also do not have a cover for the tub. Should I maybe line the top edge of the tub with a few inches of something so that she won't think to climb up at the sides? Also is this exertion of trying to or wanting to get out overly stressful for her because she wants to climb out almost everyday.

Here is the tub: http://www.lowes.com/pd_19252-1569-...ch=cement+mixing+tub&productId=1226689&rpp=32

I can post pictures of my set up also when i get home.

Appreciate the help everyone

 

[Tom]

A much bigger enclosure with taller sides would probably discourage this behavior. Russians do like to wander though. A nice big well planted outdoor enclosure with lots of features usually helps this too.

In my opinion that tub is too small for a Russian that size.

 

[tortoise007]

A bigger tub would be nice...it's amazing how much tortoises like to wander
If a tortoise feels trapped, it will try pretty much anything to get out, even climbing up walls and accidentally flipping over.

 

[Eloise's mommy]

From Home depot I was able to get a 54 gal rubbermaid tote for $20
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&keyword=rubberamid+tote+54+gal&storeId=10051

Very successful. I've had her for a month now and she is active and comfortable she doesn't try to escape or anything...and I have room to add an upper level if I want becaue the sides are so high.

 

[mctlong]

Russians are high energey escape artists. If they sense that there is a world outside their enclosure, they will do everything they can to get out.

The problem may be that your tort can see over the edge of the tub and/or can hear you moving around, talking, etc outside of the enclosure. Getting a higher-walled enclosure may help block his view of the outside world.

As previously mentioned, getting him in a large outdoor enclosure would go a long way (weather permitting). Russians have ALOT of energy. From experience, I can tell you that if they have plenty of room to walk around and excercise, then they become much less neurotic.

 

[Momof4]

If he needs to be inside during colder weather you could buy two of the rubbermaid totes and screw them together to make it even larger. Just cut the end off and barely overlap them to make it really long. Bigger is always better.
Just remember that it would be like us living in the bathroom. You would go stir crazy. Yes, we could survive but how would our quality of life be? Just a thought.

 

[Spn785]

I would definitely get something bigger for an enclosure. Outdoors is definitely better, but if wether or space doesn't allow this something bigger inside will do.

 

[HerNameWas_Lola]

I definitely would like to have something bigger but being in college and living in a somewhat small college house my room only has so much space. I can't really fit much else in there. I kind of like the idea of the two rubbermaid tubs but i definitely don't have room for that. But I think I might switch to a 54 gallon tub so that the walls are higher and i can build a second story. Thanks for the advice everyone.