Keeping Tortoise's Inside
- Thread starter Cymmie
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Cymmie said:
Nope. They function just like any other reptile in regards to the UV/D3/ calcium thing. They do need a normal light/heat cycle of 12 hours a day, but they only need actual sun exposure a few times a week to meet their UV needs. As long as you aren't using those coil type cfl bulbs, there is no harm in offering indoor UV all day.
Its okay to worry. That will usually make people take better care of their animals.
Taking better care of animals is what I strive for. I want to make all my animals have as much of a happy life as I can. As soon as I move out I know I'm getting a bigger cham enclosure for Ryker. I think my 110 gallon hermit crab tank is as big as I'll get. My day gecko enclosure will get much bigger. And I know that my tortoise enclosure will be... awesome and gigantic... maybe devote an entire room to them <3. I wish I could do it now, but I know all this will happen sometime soon. SOON IT WILL BE >8D You all inspire me to do my best for this soon to be new friend <3 I am already planting an opentia (I think that's how you spell it) cactus, and germinating some chia seeds to plant. I've been looking at clovers to plant in his enclosure and bought some violets for him to snack on.
Thank you all soooo much for being so awesome and so inspiring <3 Making me want to strive for as perfect of a life for this little one as I can get. You are all amazing people <3
Thank you all soooo much for being so awesome and so inspiring <3 Making me want to strive for as perfect of a life for this little one as I can get. You are all amazing people <3
Cymmie said:
Exactly...build a strong enclosure with a strong lid made of 2" X 4"s and 1/2" or 1/4" hardware cloth...many dogs consider tortoises to be irresistable chew toys, so it's wise to limit contact!
If they get sun most days, bringing them in on cold days and at night is perfectly fine.
And, no, brumation/hibernation is absolutely optional.
I finally have my tortoise, for now he's in a 54 gallon rubbermaid container until I build my tortoise table which will probably be within the next month or two. He (just calling him a he outof hope I am told he's still too young to tell being supposedly only a year and a half) is still pretty small I'd say around 4-5 inches long (haven't measured really yet), will be uploading pics tomorrow when I he has settled in more and also will give my list of names.
I just got him today and he's nibbled on a little bit of fuscia leaves, I realized that my lettuce mix had gone bad too late so I fed him some of my fuscia flower and leaves from my backyard.
And yes keeping him away from my dog is top priority even though Dewey would probably be more afraid of him than want to chew on him >.> I still don't want anything to possibly take place.
I still bought a powersun >.> because I'm totally paranoid about when I go away for a few days and he won't be able to get outside when I have someone else watching him. So he'll just get extra sun time XD
I seriously can't wait for a larger enclosure for him, though the rubbermaid he's in right now is easily like 4x the size of his pet store cage.
I just got him today and he's nibbled on a little bit of fuscia leaves, I realized that my lettuce mix had gone bad too late so I fed him some of my fuscia flower and leaves from my backyard.
And yes keeping him away from my dog is top priority even though Dewey would probably be more afraid of him than want to chew on him >.> I still don't want anything to possibly take place.
I still bought a powersun >.> because I'm totally paranoid about when I go away for a few days and he won't be able to get outside when I have someone else watching him. So he'll just get extra sun time XD
I seriously can't wait for a larger enclosure for him, though the rubbermaid he's in right now is easily like 4x the size of his pet store cage.
Cymmie said:
At 4-5 inches, he/she is sexable...put up a pic of his/her rear end, showing the tail clearly, and it'll be a done deal.
My thread with pictures in it http://www.tortoiseforum.org/post-747216.html#pid747216
And any thoughts on names would be much appreciated <3
He went outside today for a little bit with me watching him like a hawk since he has no real outside enclosure yet. He became super excited XD and active. Was only outside for 15 minutes though because I didn't want to over do it on his first real day here, plus I have no real shade near by in my yard and it's really hot out... so I figure I need to make him a pen with something with shade in it when I make him one.
And any thoughts on names would be much appreciated <3
He went outside today for a little bit with me watching him like a hawk since he has no real outside enclosure yet. He became super excited XD and active. Was only outside for 15 minutes though because I didn't want to over do it on his first real day here, plus I have no real shade near by in my yard and it's really hot out... so I figure I need to make him a pen with something with shade in it when I make him one.
M
Maggie Cummings
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I keep and have kept a number of turtles and tortoises in the house. I put them out and bring them back in all Spring and Summer as we have predators here at night that would eat them and all Winter long they are mostly indoors do the the freezing weather we get and all are healthy. I like having them in the house so I can interact more with them and I couldn't do that if they were outside all the time. I make sure to feed the best diet I can and I provide the biggest habitat that I can, I also create an exercise place for them so each one can get out of their habitat and get some exercise when they are having to stay in. hth
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