Is my tortoise vivarium okay ?

[gazbrown]

I have one horsefield tortoise and hes 2 i think i am planning and getting another but woould like 2nd opiniun to see if my layout ok , my uncle had him and took nothing to do with him so i got him on the cheap so now he healthy and i would like to buy more for him heres some pics

 

[ascott]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

Pairs are a hard place for harmony to reside. If you are wanting to get a second tort for your needs then great, however, your tort is not longing for the companion of another tort (in the way mammals seem to do) ...torts seek out the best sleeping spot, basking spot, watering hole, sleeping spot and any thing else that is the choicest of things....and a second tort will usually only be seen as a mating device or a competing obstacle to dominate and rid from his place....

So, if you do acquire a second tort...please do so with a fully established/set up enclosure....

 

[Irwin4530]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

What sort of bedding and food are you providing for your little one?

 

[Tom]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

Angela means to set up another enclosure, so they can be housed separately. Russians are scrappy and will sometime tear each other up.


... just thought I'd translate for ya'.

 

[ascott]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

yeah...what Tom said

 

[gazbrown]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

Ahh so if i got another one i would need to get another house etc ? Tortoise i have just wants to run round house all the time but he never ever sleeps hes up all night and day , do you think the encloser big anough for 2 ? I feed him with baby leaf lettuce and alot of leafs and dry fomula , do you know what the temp should be ? X

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

Your horsefield's tortoise is fine being an only tortoise, and your habitat is not big enough for two tortoises. If you put another horsefield's tortoise in with yours, they are going to fight. Don't give in to your tortoise's request to be let out of his habitat. He needs to know that he is safe in there and that's where he lives. To allow him to run around the house only encourages his scrambling to escape behavior. When you let him out and he runs around the house, its because he is scared and is looking for a safe place to be. Leave him in his habitat so he can get used to it and learn that his habitat is his safe place.

If you want to get another tortoise, do it for YOU, and not because you think your existing tortoise needs a friend...because he doesn't. But another tortoise means another habitat, another set of lights, another feeding station, more substrate, another waterer....

 

[gazbrown]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

I thought that myself really , so keep him in his area ? What heat do you need the vavarium to be at because i think its to cold for the tortoise ? How can tou tell if its a he/she ? Do you know a good website for buying tortoise houses etc ? Mine are kind of big for just the one ?

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

No, your habitat isn't too big. If anything its a might small. Once you get some plants in there and some visual barriers, it will look a lot smaller to you. Yes...keep him in there.

You should position your light over one end and directly under the light it should be around 90-95F degrees. Then it can be around room temperature on the opposite end from the light. However if your house gets too cold, you may have to put up a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) over the other end. For a young, 2 year old tortoise, I would think around 70-75F degrees for the cooler side would be ok.

 

[gazbrown]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

I need a smaller house it is far to high and big for him i will save up and get another vavarium so it big anough for everything , another thing how do i know if girl or boy ?

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

Maybe we're not talking about the same thing. Do you mean to say that your tortoise's hiding place inside the habitat is too big? Or are you talking about the whole set up, the habitat?

In my opinion, your tortoise's habitat, including the hiding place, is ok for your tortoise, but maybe even just a little bit SMALL.

In my opinion, if you want to buy a new habitat, get a BIGGER one, not a smaller one.

 

[gazbrown]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

I mean his house where he goes in at night its too big for the tortoise , yeah i agree the vavarium isnt the biggest it was the only thing i got left with when my uncle gave me him/her , thank you very much for your help and ideas its much appriceted and will keep in touch with you if any probs xx

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Is my tortoise vavarium okay ?

You can make the hiding place seem smaller by packing it with sphagnum moss. Tortoises love to burrow into that sort of stuff.

 

[gazbrown]

Where would i get that ? Do you know any websites that give you ideas how to layout your vavarium ?

 

[Yvonne G]

You can buy it in the plant department of any big box store, or at the plant nursery.

 

[Laura]

post a pic of his underside for us to guess on sex...

 

[gazbrown]

Thank you

 

[gazbrown]

Thats the bottom of him that ok ?

 

[Yvonne G]

No. Your picture is cut off at the tail area, and that's what we need to see.

 

[gazbrown]

Is that any better ?? X