Enclosures

[RedFootedLove]

Im posting his thread to see peoples redfoot enclosures or any enclosures! I want to see creativity and ideas also your thoughts on how good a 6footx4foot enclosure would work for a full grown redfoot i keep reading that its ok but i want to make sure.

 

[CharlieM]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-redfoot-family.88562/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-redfoot-enclosure-lots-of-pictures.108727/#post-1014050

 

[pfara]

I love you, too, @CharlieM

A 4x8 enclosure might be easier to build if you have the room. I only say that because sheets of plywood come in that size. All I can say is that you'll eventually need:

1. A large enough water dish for your full sized tort to sit in. Multiple water dishes are a plus;
2. Hiding spots large enough for a full sized tort. Again, multiple hides would be great;
3. An open area for a food slab;
4. Spots for plants that have the potential to be much larger than you have room for;
5. Plenty of space to roam.

It all really adds up and I fear that, one day, I'll have to remove all the lush plants that make my enclosure as natural as can be just so they can move. However, I have four. That also brings me to the fact that once you get one (and hang out in this enabling forum long enough) redfoot, you'll be tempted to get more.

 

[RedFootedLove]

I have one redfoot right now all i wanna hear out of someone is if a 6x4 is a decent size enclosure for one redfoot and I see what your saying about wanting more but if my parents ever warm up to that idea I will expand the enclosure with ease

 

[lisa127]

I have a redfoot who is not full grown yet. He is 8.5 to 9 inches SCL so he's got some growing left to do. His enclosure is 6 ft. by 4.5 feet. For him it's perfect and gives him plenty of space to walk about and roam. I imagine a few years down the road I will get him a larger one. I use portable greenhouses for enclosures.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

An adult Redfoot would IMO need a much larger space than 4'x6'.
I have six at the moment and my solitary female has an 8' x 16' pen and uses every bit of it.
"Fully grown" will take many years. So there is always time for tweaking the enclosure.

 

[CharlieM]

An adult Redfoot would IMO need a much larger space than 4'x6'.
I have six at the moment and my solitary female has an 8' x 16' pen and uses every bit of it.
"Fully grown" will take many years. So there is always time for tweaking the enclosure.

I agree. I have three that are under 8 inches in a 10'X6' and they will outgrow this. You can always go bigger.

 

[RedFootedLove]

I agree. I have three that are under 8 inches in a 10'X6' and they will outgrow this. You can always go bigger.

So what your saying is I absolutely need an enclosure bigger than a 6x4

 

[CharlieM]

I linked two threads to the top. Both @Redstrike and @pfara are great keepers. They raise their cherryheads indoors.
I raise mine outdoors. I'm not saying "absolutely" I'm just saying that because I have the outdoor space I will give more room.
Probably best to get other member opinions.

 

[RedFootedLove]

I linked two threads to the top. Both @Redstrike and @pfara are great keepers. They raise their cherryheads indoors.
I raise mine outdoors. I'm not saying "absolutely" I'm just saying that because I have the outdoor space I will give more room.
Probably best to get other member opinions.

Ok I will probably expand to a 10x4 or so thanks for helping me realize I need a bigger enclosure

 

[SouthernRFT]

My big redfoots seem to only roam about when they are hungry or breeding behavior is going on. After feeding they usually go right back under cover and just set. I think 6x4 is a decent indoor size. I mean realistically for one animal that is more than enough room if the animal is kept well fed and the substrate is kept clean. Obviously bigger is better but I don't think that is an option for you. I don't see it roaming too much looking for a new habitat if it's needs are met. I would suggest something bigger outdoors if possible but indoors I think a 6x4 is far better than the many tortoises who are living inside a fish tank as we speak.

 

[Redstrike]

I linked two threads to the top. Both @Redstrike and @pfara are great keepers. They raise their cherryheads indoors.
I raise mine outdoors. I'm not saying "absolutely" I'm just saying that because I have the outdoor space I will give more room.
Probably best to get other member opinions.

Charlie, thanks for linking my current enclosure. I use a closed chamber to keep heat and humidity up during dry cold months. I live in New York.

I think outdoor environments are the best place for tortoises, provided your climate can accommodate this. I live in an apartment, so my tortoises get outdoor time 6-7months out of the year for as many days/week that I can. I try to provide 30 minutes twice per week as a minimum outdoor time for proper UVB exposure.

If I ever own a home, I'll be building them an outdoor enclosure and will keep them outside seasonally. Again, it all depends on the climate you're in.

 

[Turtlepete]

My big redfoots seem to only roam about when they are hungry or breeding behavior is going on. After feeding they usually go right back under cover and just set. I think 6x4 is a decent indoor size. I mean realistically for one animal that is more than enough room if the animal is kept well fed and the substrate is kept clean. Obviously bigger is better but I don't think that is an option for you. I don't see it roaming too much looking for a new habitat if it's needs are met. I would suggest something bigger outdoors if possible but indoors I think a 6x4 is far better than the many tortoises who are living inside a fish tank as we speak.

Take no offense my friend, but I believe you have a very poor understanding of these animals, and their behavior. Redfoots are a browsing species. My 1.3 group has access to 464 sq. ft. of space, and they use every bit of it. Not only during times of hunger or breeding (breeding is not really seasonal at all for them where I live), but constant browsing. There is no ample space for roaming or browsing in a 6x4 (24 sq. ft.) There is absolutely no way their needs can be met in such a sub-par enclosure. You mention enough room to be kept well fed and the substrate clean, and I am completely puzzled as to how this is the criteria you would use to call something an appropriate enclosure. This suggests the only needs of the tortoise are to sit around and eat all day. Exercise is a huge and often overlooked need for many species kept in captivity, a need that will not be met in such an enclosure.

If you take on an animal in captivity and force it to rely on you for its needs for daily survival to be met, you have an obligation to do more than the bare minimal for that animal. I've designed and constructed over 2500 sq. ft. of reptile enclosures at this point. There are few things I take pride in, but the enclosures I labor to design and construct which provide my captive animals with the best habitat possible outside of their natural range is one of them. It's my passion. Will you be able to take pride in shoving a large tortoise into a small box?

 

[SouthernRFT]

Take no offense my friend, but I believe you have a very poor understanding of these animals, and their behavior. Redfoots are a browsing species. My 1.3 group has access to 464 sq. ft. of space, and they use every bit of it. Not only during times of hunger or breeding (breeding is not really seasonal at all for them where I live), but constant browsing. There is no ample space for roaming or browsing in a 6x4 (24 sq. ft.) There is absolutely no way their needs can be met in such a sub-par enclosure. You mention enough room to be kept well fed and the substrate clean, and I am completely puzzled as to how this is the criteria you would use to call something an appropriate enclosure. This suggests the only needs of the tortoise are to sit around and eat all day. Exercise is a huge and often overlooked need for many species kept in captivity, a need that will not be met in such an enclosure.

If you take on an animal in captivity and force it to rely on you for its needs for daily survival to be met, you have an obligation to do more than the bare minimal for that animal. I've designed and constructed over 2500 sq. ft. of reptile enclosures at this point. There are few things I take pride in, but the enclosures I labor to design and construct which provide my captive animals with the best habitat possible outside of their natural range is one of them. It's my passion. Will you be able to take pride in shoving a large tortoise into a small box?

Your right they just roam and browse all day because when I lay feed out your right they take a nibble then continue to roam for the next bite. No They sit there and gorge themselves until they are satisfied. Now if you spread food out all over a large area yes they will move about searching for the next meal as they do in the wild. Not everyone does this. Not everyone can provide the space and people are still buying tortoises and will continue to do so and keep them in enclosures that are too small (Not at all saying this is right but it will happen regardless). Point being I would rather see a tortoise in a 4x6 then a 55 gallon aquarium with a screen top. The OP is clearly a younger individual whose parents are clearly not keen on dedicating the entire home/room to the tortoise. I would rather support the 4x6 until the OP can provide better accommodations in the future then just repeatedly repeat how it won't work. I will allow the tortoise experts such as yourself handle these posts from now on my apologies for my ignorance on the subject.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

So what your saying is I absolutely need an enclosure bigger than a 6x4

Yes. Eventually.