Tortoise terrarium size

[Kayleigh Smith]

I have seen a lot of people talking about larger terrariums I have a 50 gallon and my greek tort is 2yo and is 8 inches i take her outside when i can to a 4x8ft. I am worried if im not providing her with enough now. Our house is very small and there is barely room for the furniture in our rooms let alone a huge indoor terrarium. Do I need to make her a bigger one or is she okay for now?

 

[wellington]

She needs a bigger one. Without proper room they can become stunted or unable to walk properly.

 

[SinLA]

That is just way too small, honestly it is borderline cruel. I know its not intentional, lots of people do it, even in schools they "teach" it by having tortoises in tanks, but an 8" adult needs to much more space than that. I know a lot of people say "well I don't have more room" but that doesn't change the laws of physics and biology for what a tortoise needs. You may want to consider trying to find a home for her that can provide her the space. Its like keeping a pony in a bathroom because you don't have space for a barn. You can do it, but it doesn't make it a good situation for the pony.

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

i see what you're saying she isnt an adult though only a jv. dont know if that makes a difference

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

i am only 14 and dont really have the cash to do anything like that for her rn and this might be a really stupid question but i dont want to not ask just in case: is there a kind of funding site anywhere where i could recieve donations for a small little goal like building her a terrarium?

 

[SinLA]

Hi Kayleigh, its not about her age, but her size. 8" in a tank is just too small a space for her. Again, it might be something to discuss with your parents, but it may make sense to try to find a home for her where she can have the space she needs, and then you can get a tortoise yourself (or even take her back if you know where she goes) once you are older and able to provide for her as she needs. Again, LOTS of people do what your parents do - get a tortoise just not realizing the amount of space it requires to keep them healthy. Many tortoises spend their whole lives in terrariums like yours, but that doesn't make it a good thing.

 

[wellington]

Hi Kayleigh, its not about her age, but her size. 8" in a tank is just too small a space for her. Again, it might be something to discuss with your parents, but it may make sense to try to find a home for her where she can have the space she needs, and then you can get a tortoise yourself (or even take her back if you know where she goes) once you are older and able to provide for her as she needs. Again, LOTS of people do what your parents do - get a tortoise just not realizing the amount of space it requires to keep them healthy. Many tortoises spend their whole lives in terrariums like yours, but that doesn't make it a good thing.

This is probably the best thing to do, re-home her to someone that has the means, room and money to take proper care of her. That way she is better off and gives you time to mature, read and learn all you need to know to have a tortoise and when you have your own money and space, you can actually provide a proper home.

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

there is no way i am doing that I dont think you guys completely understand and i am NEVER giving her up especially the chances being if i did someone would treat her the same way or much worse because this is kind of a low income neighborhood and i take care of her pretty well she and i have a bond and she is my family now she is not going anywhere when i can i will get her a bigger terrarium but until then she'll be happy with being outside in her huge palace that i built for her and i am sorry if you disagree but i know that she is not unhappy and i am not trying to be disrespectful or insolent or anything but i do not agree just because i am learning does not make me inadequate

 

[SinLA]

hi Kaleigh, your commitment is admirable and no one is disrespecting you. If you don't have a lot of room, you can try to create something that has multiple levels, you just have to be careful that she can climb levels safely. No one is saying you can't make it work, you've just indicated that you will have challenges giving her what she needs.

Just understand when you say "I know she's not unhappy" you really don't know that. I'm not saying that in a mean way, but reptiles "live" and, and she is living in the conditions she is in. If they are good conditions she will be healthy and thrive. If they are not good conditions she will survive, but not thrive, but you won't "see" any difference between those that looks like "happy" or "unhappy", that's just projecting your feelings and hope.

 

[wellington]

hi Kaleigh, your commitment is admirable and no one is disrespecting you. If you don't have a lot of room, you can try to create something that has multiple levels, you just have to be careful that she can climb levels safely. No one is saying you can't make it work, you've just indicated that you will have challenges giving her what she needs.

Just understand when you say "I know she's not unhappy" you really don't know that. I'm not saying that in a mean way, but reptiles "live" and, and she is living in the conditions she is in. If they are good conditions she will be healthy and thrive. If they are not good conditions she will survive, but not thrive, but you won't "see" any difference between those that looks like "happy" or "unhappy", that's just projecting your feelings and hope.

Totally agree. Also, tortoises do not bond. They see you as a food god, that's it.
If you can not give her better condition then you have them you are being very selfish and only thinking of yourself not the poor tortoise.
As SinLA said, a multiple level is what many do when they don't have space. That can work but you have to have money to get the materials to build it.
Go live in a small bathroom for a few weeks. That's what you are doing to her if you don't get her into an appropriate sized enclosure.
A pop up portable green house comes in sizes of 3x6 and 3x9 either one of those would work and are around 40 bucks or so. Throw a cheap tarp under it and you have a nice size enclosure. I will post a pic of the kind I'm talking about.
In the mean time, while weather is nice, let her live in the outside enclosure.

 

[wellington]

Do a search and you will find some more like this in different sizes.

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

I am not keeping her cramped nor being selfish. She has my whole yard to explore when I am with her and when I cant be she has a 8x4ft outdoor enclosure. I bring her in at night time, feeding time, and winter. I think you are both misunderstanding how much room she actually has

 

[SinLA]

I am not keeping her cramped nor being selfish. She has my whole yard to explore when I am with her and when I cant be she has a 8x4ft outdoor enclosure. I bring her in at night time, feeding time, and winter.

That's great! That was not clear from your earlier messages. Thats similar to my situation as well. Your indoor box can be smaller if its just for night or shorter times, though "winter" for you is a lot longer than it is for me. Do you brumate (hibernate) her? That might be a good solution for the winter so space won't be an issue. There's a really good thread on brumating you should read, that will help solve a lot of your issues for the smaller enclosure for winter.

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

I did not mean to create a whole debate about this so I will stop other than saying i am sorry i might have worded the first message wrong and confused you and thankyou for the recommendation on brumation

 

[wellington]

I did not mean to create a whole debate about this so I will stop

It's fine. I do understand you have an outdoor enclosure for her and that's great for summer. However you still need to work on the inside enclosure. You do have time before winter to work on getting it done. The inside enclosure you have now is fine for just sleeping at night.