Vivarium vs Glass Terrarium

[Ellen & Toby]

So I am looking at possibly upgrading Toby's home as I have problems maintaining the right humidity (I hadn't discovered the forum when I got my set up and had gone off some wrong advice, now finally saved up enough to upgrade). I know most people use a vivarium for their RFTs but looking online it is suggesting that glass terrariums are better for species requiring high humidity. However looking at most of these they have mesh tops for ventilation and I'm wondering how the humidity is maintained... Wouldn't the mesh allow the moisture to be lost?
Also I'm wondering about space limitations, most of the vivarium/terrarium's I can find online are smaller than my current set up and with a growing tortoise I don't want to have to start again in few years. Also terrariums seem to be smaller than vivarium's... the confusion never ends! Any particular brand/size suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance everyone

 

[wellington]

The best thing to do is too make your own. Most pre made for animals is never going to be big enough. Thinking out of the box helps.
For instance, a pop up style portable green house, or a raised portable flower bed.

 

[Tom]

There is not a store bought one that is big enough for even a juvenile tortoise. You'll have to make one, or have one made. I would not use anything with an open top.

 

[Ellen & Toby]

The best thing to do is too make your own. Most pre made for animals is never going to be big enough. Thinking out of the box helps.
For instance, a pop up style portable green house, or a raised portable flower bed.

I had wondered about that, I could incorporate those into my current set up but would portable greenhouses be safe to use with the heat lamps? I'm thinking fire risk, Toby is kept indoors as (with the exception of this mini heat wave) it's normally too cold to be housed outside.

 

[Ellen & Toby]

There is not a store bought one that is big enough for even a juvenile tortoise. You'll have to make one, or have one made. I would not use anything with an open top.

That's what I suspected which is why I decided to ask. My current is open top as I was given wrong advice and didn't find the forum until after I had bought my set up. Since then I have been saving up for a new set up and I have been covering the top as best I can and spraying regularly to maintain humidity but it's hard work so now I have the money I want to treat Toby to the home she deserves.

 

[wellington]

I have used two of them. One had a space heater and two mvb bulbs and Che's with a tarp bottom. This one was all plastic greenhouse. Just keep the bulbs and domes, etc from touching the plastic or shining too close to the plastic.
The other one I had, uses hard plastic base with a soft plastic greenhouse for top. Same lights and heat used in this one except the space heater, again no problems.

 

[wellington]

Oh, both of these were in my basement for winter use, not outside.

 

[Ellen & Toby]

Thanks Wellington, that is good to know! Looks like I will be Greenhouse shopping