EJ mentioned in another thread that vivariums are vehemently discouraged on the UK reptile forum as habitats for tortoises.
Provided you can keep the vivarium at the proper temperatures with a heat gradient, basking spot, adequate humidity, and ventilation so the air doesn't get stale, what's wrong with a vivarium?
Some possible arguments:
"Tortoises will try to walk through the glass and get stressed" - This is true for open-top enclosures with transparent sides, and is more an argument against glass walls than directly against a vivarium. A short sight barrier of tape/paper a couple inches high is enough to still allow you to view inside.
"There's no ventilation!" - I don't know what 'adequate ventilation' would be, but as long as there's a decent section of screened area to allow air to flow through the enclosure I'd think it would be fine. The showcase cages have a strip of screening that goes lengthwise across about 1/3 of the top, and creates a gap when stacked to allow air to flow through:
What are the other reasons against a vivarium?
Provided you can keep the vivarium at the proper temperatures with a heat gradient, basking spot, adequate humidity, and ventilation so the air doesn't get stale, what's wrong with a vivarium?
Some possible arguments:
"Tortoises will try to walk through the glass and get stressed" - This is true for open-top enclosures with transparent sides, and is more an argument against glass walls than directly against a vivarium. A short sight barrier of tape/paper a couple inches high is enough to still allow you to view inside.
"There's no ventilation!" - I don't know what 'adequate ventilation' would be, but as long as there's a decent section of screened area to allow air to flow through the enclosure I'd think it would be fine. The showcase cages have a strip of screening that goes lengthwise across about 1/3 of the top, and creates a gap when stacked to allow air to flow through:
What are the other reasons against a vivarium?