POLL: Which indoor enclosure is better?

Which indoor enclosure is best?

  • 2/ 4ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall steel tank

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4/ 6ft long by 2ft wide by 1ft tall steel tank

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    2

MNGuy

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Messages
39
Location (City and/or State)
Minneapolis, MN
-I do not have a tortoise. This is research while I await finding one to adopt through local rehomes or a non-profit rescue I've applied to.

-I'm a homeowner and have enough space in my fenced backyard for a 5 to 6-foot wide by 10 to 12-foot long outdoor enclosure if/when I am able to adopt a tortoise.

-I am researching enclosures with Russian and Hermann's tortoises in mind.

I have been looking at buying a plastic (poly) or corrugated steel stock tank as a winter enclosure. I live in Minnesota. What are your thoughts on these issues and these 4 choices:

-Plastic (poly) vs steel?
-What is the minimum height to keep a Russian or Hermann's tortoise from climbing out? (I don't plan to have a top on the indoor enclosure.)

1/ 6ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall steel tank
2/ 4ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall steel tank
3/ 4ft long by 3ft wide by 21-inch tall poly tank
4/ 6ft long by 2ft wide by 1ft tall steel tank

Thank you.
 

crimson_lotus

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
1,385
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
you should allow more options on the material of the tank, because I do not think that steel (3of 4 options) would be the best to use given if the surface has direct access to heat lamps could potentially burn your tortoise.
 

MNGuy

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Messages
39
Location (City and/or State)
Minneapolis, MN
you should allow more options on the material of the tank, because I do not think that steel (3of 4 options) would be the best to use given if the surface has direct access to heat lamps could potentially burn your tortoise.

Thanks for the the feedback; that's great to know. I'm embarrassed I didn't consider that. I keep a uromastyx so I am already very familiar with heat lamps, but completely forgot about the induction qualities of a metal enclosure.

Thank you.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
-I do not have a tortoise. This is research while I await finding one to adopt through local rehomes or a non-profit rescue I've applied to.

-I'm a homeowner and have enough space in my fenced backyard for a 5 to 6-foot wide by 10 to 12-foot long outdoor enclosure if/when I am able to adopt a tortoise.

-I am researching enclosures with Russian and Hermann's tortoises in mind.

I have been looking at buying a plastic (poly) or corrugated steel stock tank as a winter enclosure. I live in Minnesota. What are your thoughts on these issues and these 4 choices:

-Plastic (poly) vs steel?
-What is the minimum height to keep a Russian or Hermann's tortoise from climbing out? (I don't plan to have a top on the indoor enclosure.)

1/ 6ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall steel tank
2/ 4ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall steel tank
3/ 4ft long by 3ft wide by 21-inch tall poly tank
4/ 6ft long by 2ft wide by 1ft tall steel tank

Thank you.
All of those are far too small for an adult Russian or hermanni. You need something at least 4x8 feet. The easiest way to do it is to put walls and legs on a sheet of plywood. Much like horses, tortoises rely on locomotion to help keep things moving in the GI tract. Small enclosures cause problems because of this. Once you add food and water bowls, hides, logs or rocks plants, etc... to a 2x6 foot enclosure, there is hardly any room to walk.

An alternative is to use the outside enclosure in nice weather, and hibernate the tortoise all winter. There is more info on that here:
 
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