Using One Enclosure for Two Torts

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Elfin01

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I have just acquired an outdoor tort enclosure that a friend built for me, and my question is this:

I have a five year old Golden Greek (Spartacus) and a one year old Eastern Hermaan's (Leonard). They live separately indoors. Because of space constraints in my backyard, I currently only have room for the one enclosure, so I'm wondering if I can put the torts outside on alternating days using the same enclosure without risking illness. i.e. Leonard on Monday, Sparky on Tuesday, Leonard on Wednesdat, etc?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 

Arizona Sulcata

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If they had no unknown diseases that'd be fine however that's usually impossible to tell without an expensive vet bill. Probably not a great idea. As a rule of thumb never mix species of torts and that goes for enclosure sharing as well.
 

Elfin01

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Any suggestions for a workaround to my problem? If I get my greek outside in the sun for 30 minutes per day (loose, I'll just sit out with him), is that sufficient sun time for him, until we have more room?
 

Terry Allan Hall

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Is the enclosure roomy enough to put a divider in, so they can both enjoy some outside tme, but remain segregated?

What are the dimensions?
 

LLLReptile

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Elfin01 said:
Any suggestions for a workaround to my problem? If I get my greek outside in the sun for 30 minutes per day (loose, I'll just sit out with him), is that sufficient sun time for him, until we have more room?

If they are both captive bred, and you've had them for several months to several years (which it sounds like you have) the risk of disease from each other is minimal. Once you start housing them outdoors, like with any animal exposed to outdoor conditions it is not a bad idea to consider running a fecal on them on a yearly basis to make sure they maintain a clean bill of health.

If you have healthy, parasite free tortoises, personally I do not see a problem with your method of alternating days, especially if you are cleaning out feces as you see it. The option of putting in a barrier in the one enclosure was also an excellent suggestion.

-Jen
 

Elfin01

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Both are captive bred. I've had Leonard for 11 months and Spartacus for four months. Both are in apparent excellent health. Maybe the thing to do is have the vet run fecals on both torts, treat them if we do find any parasites, and then go with the alternating days. I already make a point of daily cleanups of droppings in each of their indoor pens, so that is easy to just carry on doing outside.

Thanks for the input!
 

Elfin01

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Also, I forgot to reply to the suggestion of dividing the pen. It measures 5 x 2.5, so I would think that dividing it would leave both torts feeling a bit cramped. Thanks for the suggestion though....wish I had the room for a pen big enough that I could divide it. Hopefully by this time next year they'll both have a large outdoor space.
 

Terry Allan Hall

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Elfin01 said:
Also, I forgot to reply to the suggestion of dividing the pen. It measures 5 x 2.5, so I would think that dividing it would leave both torts feeling a bit cramped. Thanks for the suggestion though....wish I had the room for a pen big enough that I could divide it. Hopefully by this time next year they'll both have a large outdoor space.

Yah, leaving them each 2.5' X 2.5' woud be pretty cramped, at that...guess alternating them will be your best choice for the time being.

3 days a week'll give both enough Vitamin D rays, so as to maintain good health, actually.

This would be a good time to check out our "Enclosures" forum area...tons of great ideas over there, from fairly simple/relatively inexpensive to amazingly well-designed (and somewhat more expensive) enclosure that really enhances the yard! If you have the space, making an 8' X 8' enclosure out of landscaping timbers, and then build a divider down the middle, so each tort gets about 8' X 4', is pretty simple.

Another idea: A friend, who has no real tool-savvy, but a lot of friends who do, had an "enclosure raisin'" (kinda like a "barn raisin" :cool: ) party, and we put her together a fine enclosure for her 110# sulcata, Goliath (aptly named! :p) in an afternoon.

I find working on my enclosures during the cool/cold season is easiest, myself, while my torts are inside for the winter...not as much rushing to finish, so I can make sure to get everything just right.
 

wellington

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I personally wouldn't risk it. There are too many simple ways to squeeze in another enclosure. The diseases we can't detect easily are the ones that are going to do more harm then just worms.
 
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