lynnedit said:
2x4 is ok, but 3x5 is better. You'll want it to be 12 inches high or more - several of my tortoises are half monkey, so I err on the 'tall wall' side. That way I can have a nice deep layer of substrate to let them burrow in. ethereal1 said:Good advice, Bio!
A 5' x 3' bin is perfect so long as its tall enough that he/she cant climb out, because if its possible they will find a way to do it lol Just follow the advice you got here, also I like to use methods and foods etc that have been endorsed by everyone, if there is someone who says its not good for them, I dont use it. Well, Thats how I started out, Ive learned a lot since then and you get a feel for it and know what they need and why and everything, but just for starting out I would stick to things that no one anywhere says is bad for them
Always cross reference any info you get before you put it into use, dont just follow a single source, because really each tort is different and they have preferences you'll learn, on top of the fact that there is TONS of misinformation out there, thats why pet stores usually do a bad job at caring for torts. SO just be thorough in your research and be sure you understand their needs and the reasoning behind it and you'll have the happiest tort it can be
Also too,
biochemnerd808 said:Yeah, there is no such thing as 'too big' when it comes to building an enclosure.
My little Greek, who is 5 inches, can easily climb out of a 12-inch-tall enclosure - he pushes his hide log to the wall, then climbs. So just keep an eye on what yours can do.
ethereal1 said:Good advice, Bio!
A 5' x 3' bin is perfect so long as its tall enough that he/she cant climb out, because if its possible they will find a way to do it lol Just follow the advice you got here, also I like to use methods and foods etc that have been endorsed by everyone, if there is someone who says its not good for them, I dont use it. Well, Thats how I started out, Ive learned a lot since then and you get a feel for it and know what they need and why and everything, but just for starting out I would stick to things that no one anywhere says is bad for them
Always cross reference any info you get before you put it into use, dont just follow a single source, because really each tort is different and they have preferences you'll learn, on top of the fact that there is TONS of misinformation out there, thats why pet stores usually do a bad job at caring for torts. SO just be thorough in your research and be sure you understand their needs and the reasoning behind it and you'll have the happiest tort it can be
Also too,
I never would have thought of eBay and amazon! Thanks so much for the help!
biochemnerd808 said:Welcome!
What is your new tort's name? How cute, just 4 inches...
I like to order my bulbs on eBay or Amazon (for a 4x2 enclosure, you'll want at least a 100W basking lamp, you can get a double pack on eBay for about $16 shipped - cheaper than at the pet store!). Then you need UVB too, I use an 18 inch tube light of ExoTerra ReptiGlo 10.0 desert UVB. A lot of folks choose to use an MVB (which produces heat AND UVB, but I haven't had much luck with them, so since I have 3 tortoise tables and 1 chameleon cage, I get heat and UVB separate.
You'll want some kind of hide opportunity (a half log, a shoe box with an opening cut, a little house, a large flower pot half buried). You will also need a flat rock (e.g. a stepping stone from the Home Depot - they have natural flat rocks, and if you find a small-ish one on the pallet, they will often let you have it for cheaper, like $2 or so). You can feed your tortoise on the flat rock, to help keep his beak trim. I also have the basking area on flat rock, because that helps warm the torts from below, and helps maintain a good even temperature.
Feel free to ask more questions, there are lots of much more knowledgeable folks than me on here.
lynnedit said:
