Questions regarding my first indoor tort enclosure :)

[misskendra]

It's still rather hot here, so I have plenty of time to build my tort enclosure. I have decided to purchase a 6 year old Russian Tortoise, but I won't be taking him home until I have an indoor enclosure built. I have an outdoor 'turtle run' already finished, thanks to my dad.

After reading care sheets, I have some questions:

Will a 50g rectangular tub be alright? Or can you go smaller?

What is the preferred substrate? One caresheet said 60% top soil and 40% playsand.

Is there anything specific that your turtles really enjoy in their enclosures?

What do you typically use as a water dish? I've seen some slim, ceramic ones we used for our birds, but I wanted some other opinions.

 

[Ashliewood]

I am no expert but from what I have learned here is, the bigger the enclosure the better, and skip the sand as it can lead to impaction. I use topsoil without anything added to it. I use a terra-cotta base plate for pots and sink it into the topsoil my Russian seems quite happy being dirty all the time! He digs all day. I use a bookshelf tipped on it's back as his enclosure

 

[misskendra]

About how many inches deep do you do the topsoil?

 

[Ashliewood]

I hear people do it like 6inches deep and I would love for him to have that much, he seems happy enough with the 3 inches from what I hear and read they like to dig allot and are only active in the wild for about three months of the year. Did u get your Russian to a vet? Is it wc?

 

[lynnedit]

Yes, topsoil (not potting soil because it has those tiny white things, vermiculite, which they can ingest), or Coir bricks (you add water) are two good choices.
If the sides of your enclosure are high enough, you can have 3-6 inches of substrate, even pile it up in one corner, or make mounds.
They are destructive, but I have put a row of smooth larger stones in, or a piece of driftwood (well rinsed off) that they love to climb over. There are safe houseplants and plants for your outside enclosure too:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp
Bigger is better, but sounds like yours will be outside a good part of the year, which is great. You can leave him outside with temps down to 50, as long as it warms up >65 or ideally 75 during the day (they become less active when they can't bask and warm up), and as long at it is secure out there. Inside we tend to aim for 95 basking and 70 'cool' side, down to 60 at night, so no extra enclosure heat needed inside most homes.
Show us pics when you get him, including his enclosures. We live for these!