Enclosure size?

[Moozillion]

Not sure if this is the right location for this question or not. What is a good size for an indoor (winter) enclosure for an adult EBT? I'm actually planning on getting a Pyxidea (Keeled Box Turtle) and have been told their husbandry is very similar to the EBT. Max length of the animal could be up to 6 or 7 inches. Unfortunately most likely WC adult at this time.

 

[GBtortoises]

A good size would be enough room to have two seperate enclosures. One for each species. Wild caught turtles, in particular, Asian species are typically loaded with parasites and foreign protozoa when newly imported. By introducing a newly wild caught turtle to your already existing, presumably established turtle you may be exposing it to those parasites and protozoa that it may not have strong immunities against. The opposite may also be true. Your already established turtle may be strong and healthy and may be host to parasites that it's immune system has control over. Newly wild caught turtles and tortoises often have a weaker than normal immune system due the the stress of being caught, over crowded or confined in shipping crates, usually for many weeks. Once at a wholesaler or large volume dealer their care is minimal at best. All of this can cause very high stress levels which often equate to a weak immune system and sometime poor health. These are reasons why quarantine is so important when acquiring new animals. They should be kept seperate from existing animals for a minimum of 90 days, watched closely for any signs of problems, be given time to acclimate to a new environment and surroundings and brought back up to optimal health. And after all that, it often is not a good idea to mix species. When two species care may be similar, but not the same, it usually means that a compromise has to be made for one or the other or both in order to house them together. This will sometimes work for both of them, but more often than not it usually doesn't in the long term because a major environmental component may be missing for one of those species.

 

[Moozillion]

This will be my first turtle. I figured I'd try and get one this Fall or Winter, keep it inside as I get to know it, then put it in a bigger outdoor enclosure for most of the year.