To tank or not to tank...

[Nephelle]

Hey all I was poking around Craigslist and found a 75 gallon tank at a decent price for the size. Right now Millie my baby RT is in a smaller-than-a-christmas-tree-tub tub because those haven't hit the shelves yet here. This tank would provide her with a lot more roaming room than she has now.

But, before I jump and bring that behemoth up 2 flights of stairs, I wanted to ask opinions. It's one of those things I can't take back, and I for sure don't want fish LOL.

Ty!!!!!

 

[bigballofyarn]

Consider the following factors when you read my opinion:
1. I am a first time owner, and bought a tank under the directions of a shop owner.
2. I was quickly advised by this forum that glass is not entirely suitable for tortoises.
3. I will be picking up both the tortoise and the tank either tomorrow or Thursday and have never used one before.

I haven't bought or built another habitat option yet. I am going to TRY the glass tank and see how my tortoise responds to it. I thought of various ways of decorating the glass on the outside so that he will presumably not walk into it and attempt to escape. I found dollhouse fencing at a craft store and felt it may look cute to make the tank look like a house.

I feel that glass enclosures are highly debatable. I would encourage you to take the advice of experienced tortoise owners, but also consider your pet's specific likes and needs.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Nothing wrong with glass enclosures - some people need to cover the outside if the tortoise is constantly trying to escape through the glass, but beyond that, issues are mostly of cost. If the 75 gallon is a major size upgrade and not too costly, go for it.

Floor space is much more important than volume though, so gallons isn't an ideal way to measure liveable space for tortoises. Sometimes people waste money on deep aquarium style glass tanks that don't offer all that much walking around space as other containers.

 

[Yvonne G]

@bigballofyarn : I don't recall anyone telling you on THIS Forum that glass tanks aren't good. They can most certainly be used. The one reason most of us will tell you to not use an aquarium is because they cost too much and they're too small. You can get a bigger plastic tub for less money.

Actually, glass tanks are easier to cover and make closed chambers out of.

@Nephelle : Check out the footprint of the 75 gallon tank. Aquarium's volume is measured all up the sides, in other words, the whole inside is 75 gallons. When keeping a tortoise, you don't care how many gallons it will hold, all you want is a large footprint, or floor space. You might drag that big tank up the stairs only to find out it's way too small inside after you get it planted and all the accoutrements inside the baby needs.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I prefer glass tanks. I would decorate them beautifuly and liked being able actually to see it!

With that said, Yvonne is spot on. You need to know the floor dimensions. I haven't dealt with tanks in a while but I think a 75 gallon is 48"x 18"or so.

 

[bigballofyarn]

@bigballofyarn : I don't recall anyone telling you on THIS Forum that glass tanks aren't good. They can most certainly be used. The one reason most of us will tell you to not use an aquarium is because they cost too much and they're too small. You can get a bigger plastic tub for less money.

Actually, glass tanks are easier to cover and make closed chambers out of.

@Nephelle : Check out the footprint of the 75 gallon tank. Aquarium's volume is measured all up the sides, in other words, the whole inside is 75 gallons. When keeping a tortoise, you don't care how many gallons it will hold, all you want is a large footprint, or floor space. You might drag that big tank up the stairs only to find out it's way too small inside after you get it planted and all the accoutrements inside the baby needs.

Indeed, it was costly. For my hatchling, I purchased a 24" x 18" x 12" high glass terrarium. It'll hopefully accommodate him for at least a few years. If/when space becomes an issues as he grows, I'll upgrade to something better now that I have more time to research.

 

[Nephelle]

Thanks, everyone I will write them back and ask for specific dimensions--I'd searched for a 75 gallon based on the chart from the Dr. Foster & Smith's website but you are right--if I drive all the way out there and it's some weirdly tall thing, me and the friend I'd have to drag along to bring it home would be unhappy to say the least.

I will bug them to get out the ruler, I bet they will. They seem to want that thing out of their garage pretty badly LOL

TY! I will update this for future browsers whatever I find out

 

[Nephelle]

Indeed, it was costly. For my hatchling, I purchased a 24" x 18" x 12" high glass terrarium. It'll hopefully accommodate him for at least a few years. If/when space becomes an issues as he grows, I'll upgrade to something better now that I have more time to research.

Hi, bigballofyarn! (great user name, btw ) I saw you in an earlier thread but hadn't gotten the chance to say hello yet, so hello!!

I am a brand new mom of only a few weeks and also have a hatchling, so I totally get how this enclosure thing makes you go in circles! Personally I'm getting a huge amount of "future project planning" fun out of peeking at everyone else's enclosures to see what they've done. Last night I found the coolest thread someone started on moss that I need to go back and read today!

From everything I have read so far, the tub size most often recommended for keeping hatchlings has been a Christmas Tree Tub. Unfortunately, I hit every big box store in Pittsburgh and they just aren't out yet, so I settled with a smaller one from Target. I am going to post you a couple pictures of it and the dimensions as a visual of what I'm currently working with

As a disclaimer, please know my set up is no where near done and I'm only posting this as a size reference--the rest of it (including my incredibly attractive foil topping ((which works!!!)) is in progress )

My tub dimensions are approx - 32"L X 16"W and it was $12 at Target:

The base it's sitting on is approx - 42"L X 16"W

 

[Nephelle]

Floor space is much more important than volume though, so gallons isn't an ideal way to measure liveable space for tortoises. Sometimes people waste money on deep aquarium style glass tanks that don't offer all that much walking around space as other containers.

@Nephelle : Check out the footprint of the 75 gallon tank. Aquarium's volume is measured all up the sides, in other words, the whole inside is 75 gallons. When keeping a tortoise, you don't care how many gallons it will hold, all you want is a large footprint, or floor space. You might drag that big tank up the stairs only to find out it's way too small inside after you get it planted and all the accoutrements inside the baby needs.

With that said, Yvonne is spot on. You need to know the floor dimensions. I haven't dealt with tanks in a while but I think a 75 gallon is 48"x 18"or so.

I went back and looked at the ad! Here is it, with the text post:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/for/5230807510.html

"Tank approximately 4'w x 2'h x 1 1/2'deep"

So 48"L X 18"L vs my current 32"L X 16"W. Does anyone have the dimensions of a Christmas Tree tub by chance?


*** Now that I'm looking at those numbers, I am not sure if I want to deal with reaching down 2 feet to get to the bottom. Gah alskdfjasldfjl hahahaha.

 

[bigballofyarn]

Why thank you @Nephelle. It's great to meet you and everyone else on this community. I've seen a lot of habitats similar to yours that were made in storage bins. Is that cleaner or messier? Maybe it's just less appealing to the human eye. I'm sure your tortoise loves it. My boyfriend was telling me that my tortoise is going to be happy no matter what and that I need to stop trying to build him a 2-storied palace on my first go.

 

[Nephelle]

Why thank you @Nephelle. It's great to meet you and everyone else on this community. I've seen a lot of habitats similar to yours that were made in storage bins. Is that cleaner or messier? Maybe it's just less appealing to the human eye. I'm sure your tortoise loves it. My boyfriend was telling me that my tortoise is going to be happy no matter what and that I need to stop trying to build him a 2-storied palace on my first go.

Yay hello I am so excited to see pictures of your new baby!! What kind are you getting? Mine is a 3 (nearly 4 months now!) Russian that I am just crazy about!

I don't have any experience using glass for a terrarium set up, but I've had many, many fish tanks in my life. This is a bit different cleaning wise because you aren't dealing with that algae issue that makes cleaning the glass a pain. However, I think I might opt out of that glass tank option for now just because everything I do for Millie is at the bottom of her tank, and I am not sure if I want to deal with the taller sides. I am still pondering, tho Gotta get out my ruler and test!

I absolutely agree that the tub set up isn't ideal in terms of a show piece for the living room---like I said, my foil topping looks like I am trying to slow roast a tortoise while watching comfortably from the couch LOL.

Just from my personal experience in the last few weeks, here is my suggestion

Skip the glass tank for now, and run to Target today and grab a tub if you can, before you get your baby. Give yourself the day to set up and get your lights right (if you are using coco coir bricks they take about 30 minutes to re-hydrate, so it all will take a bit of time to set up). If you just really don't like the tub afterwards, everything you use in it can be transferred to something else and you'll only be out $12.

I had no idea what it was going to be like until I got her home I wouldn't stress too much! If you decide to go tank, you won't lose anything but a bit of set up time, and you'll have a home you can pop your kiddo into right away in the meantime

I ended up spending a loooot of money on things I didn't expect to right off the bat. Personally I'd save the tank money until I knew for sure what I wanted to do, and how much space your itty bitty wants/needs/uses

And my partner tells me that daily, too LOL. I think the most important thing to keep in mind with these guys is this is a lifelong journey. They will most likely go through many, many enclosures and many, many upgrades as we learn and they grow. But, that's part of the fun

!

 

[bigballofyarn]

I agree with you 100%. Silly me had the pet store special order a tank that would fit the available furniture in my house. I suppose I could not pick up the tank with him, but I'd feel badly for the store being stuck with it.

 

[Nephelle]

I agree with you 100%. Silly me had the pet store special order a tank that would fit the available furniture in my house. I suppose I could not pick up the tank with him, but I'd feel badly for the store being stuck with it.

Is it a big box store like Petco, or did you order from a small business? Petco has the warehouse space and there is no reason to feel badly over telling them no I would totally understand that feeling if it was a small business, but even then perhaps you could just offer to cover the shipping in that case.

Life happens, dude! Part of having a business is customer service...and returns. They will understand

 

[jaizei]

I agree with you 100%. Silly me had the pet store special order a tank that would fit the available furniture in my house. I suppose I could not pick up the tank with him, but I'd feel badly for the store being stuck with it.

You didn't have to prepay anything or give them your info?

 

[bigballofyarn]

You didn't have to prepay anything or give them your info?

I did have to leave a deposit.

Is it a big box store like Petco, or did you order from a small business? Petco has the warehouse space and there is no reason to feel badly over telling them no I would totally understand that feeling if it was a small business, but even then perhaps you could just offer to cover the shipping in that case.

Life happens, dude! Part of having a business is customer service...and returns. They will understand

I realized that I forgot to mention that it's a Russian. It's a small pet store, not a chain store. I don't think I've seen another one of them ever.

 

[Alaskamike]

I like fish tanks - allot! For babies. However , there is a big difference in shapes for the same gallons.

I think the main objection to tanks has been small floor space and costs. And they are heavy.

But if $ was not the issue , a large tank has several advantages
Water proof
Easy to clean
You can see your baby walking around from across the room
And easy to cover and hang lights in with a cross piece. And plexiglass top

I got a 125 gal "long" on Craig's list once for $125 Course they said doesn't hold water anymore But I didn't care. They can be resealed easily.

The problem with tanks usually is the floor space. The high sides is overcome with a stool. Looking out -with black tape.

 

[Nephelle]

I did have to leave a deposit.



I realized that I forgot to mention that it's a Russian. It's a small pet store, not a chain store. I don't think I've seen another one of them ever.

As a side note, you picked up on the multiple quotes in one post thing like 100x faster than me LOL

YAY baby russian!!! Can't wait to see pics

It's hard when it's a small store, I totally understand. I'd feel badly, too. I'd probably also make my partner call to cancel LOL. But, this is a loooong commitment you are making to your new baby. They might lose the tank sale (not sure how much of a deposit you put down), but you'll probably be back in soon for other supplies.

Or! You can get the tank I'm only speaking from my experience of a couple weeks, so not a lot of solid footing of opinion here I started looking for a larger space because I am quickly realizing there just isn't enough room in there to do all the things I'd like to do, like planting/growing and decorating with fun hides, etc, and still give her room to wander around and enjoy it.

Now I am thinking of maybe having something built! If it doesn't have to hold water, maybe it won't be so expensive...

I have a problem. Do they have meetings for this sort of addiction?

 

[Nephelle]

I like fish tanks - allot! For babies. However , there is a big difference in shapes for the same gallons.

I think the main objection to tanks has been small floor space and costs. And they are heavy.

But if $ was not the issue , a large tank has several advantages
Water proof
Easy to clean
You can see your baby walking around from across the room
And easy to cover and hang lights in with a cross piece. And plexiglass top

I got a 125 gal "long" on Craig's list once for $125 Course they said doesn't hold water anymore But I didn't care. They can be resealed easily.

The problem with tanks usually is the floor space. The high sides is overcome with a stool. Looking out -with black tape.

Thank you, Mike!!

The topping issue is actually super high on my list of desire-ables in this case. The tub I have her in now is opaque and we haven't run into any issues with her looking out, but I did cover most of the open sides with plants. Sometimes I see her looking at us but she doesn't seem bothered. I bought some shelf liner to cover the outsides with just in case, but saving that until I need it. I love being able to look in at her

125 gallon would be slick. Hmm.

If it means anything, @bigballofyarn , the people I contacted about the craigslist tank are going to be SO SAD if I tell them no hahahaha. I think I might, though. I saw some 125g on craigslist too that I could probably fit in my hallway. And when my partner starts wondering why I'm measuring in there, I will just blame Mike

 

[bigballofyarn]

@Nephelle, I've been a forum owner since 2003, so I know how most of them work.
I picked the Russian because he'll stay fairly small. I didn't want one that I'd have to donate to the zoo.

I'm thinking I could build something. My dad is good with wood and power tools. So, that's always an option. It really will be addicting though. I already bought holiday decorations.

 

[Nephelle]

@Nephelle, I already bought holiday decorations.

We bought fairy garden stepping stones and a teeny tiny welcome mat LOL