What should I put under orchid bark

TortoiseNoob9

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I am going to move my western Herrmann's tortoise outside in the summer. The tortoise will need to bruemate during the winter. I need something that is inexpensive. The enclosure will be a 6 by 2 stock tank.
 

wellington

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You need an enclosure for brumating? That shouldn't be in an enclosure.
You need an enclosure for outside? Stock tank may get too hot and for an adult needs to be bigger, 4x8 minimum
 

Tom

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But 6ft is 9x the size of the tort when it will be an adult.
Yes. Yes it is. I agree.

Tortoises need large enclosures. Much larger than most other reptiles. Much like a horse, they rely on locomotion to help keep things mixing in the GI tract. By the time you put in some furniture, hides, food and water bowl, they is hardly any room left to walk for the tortoise. We see constipated blocked up tortoises here all the time. Especially common with sulcatas in Northern frozen climates, People try to keep them in basements or sheds for months on end over winter, and it causes all sort of problems.
 

TortoiseNoob9

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You need an enclosure for brumating? That shouldn't be in an enclosure.
You need an enclosure for outside? Stock tank may get too hot and for an adult needs to be bigger, 4x8 minimum
According to hermannihaven.com "Housing larger juveniles and adults indoors is possible especially during the winter. By using the “tortoise table” method, an 8x4 foot rectangular enclosure out of ply wood can easily be constructed. This will house a trio of adult tortoises in the 4 to 6”" This sight is ran by people who own a tortoise reserve. Their YouTube is Garden State Tortoise. If this is for 3 tortoises 6 by 2 should be good for one. My tortoise is just a yearling and since my tortoise is of the western variety it should only get 6in.
 

wellington

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Yes they can be housed indoors in winter, summer too but I wouldn't house a tort inside 24/7 but some do.
But if you are brumating it, it shouldn't be done in an enclosure but a controlled temp environment. If you just want to house it inside for winter and keep him up, not brumate then yes an enclosure would be fine.
I personally would not house 3 in a 4x6. But you said the stock tank is a 2x6 which in my opinion too small.
 

TortoiseNoob9

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Yes they can be housed indoors in winter, summer too but I wouldn't house a tort inside 24/7 but some do.
But if you are brumating it, it shouldn't be done in an enclosure but a controlled temp environment. If you just want to house it inside for winter and keep him up, not brumate then yes an enclosure would be fine.
I personally would not house 3 in a 4x6. But you said the stock tank is a 2x6 which in my opinion too small.
But, it is one tortoise not 3.
 

wellington

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But, it is one tortoise not 3.
2x6 too small for one adult.
4x6 okay but a 4x8 would be much better and is recommended minimum.
Don't forget the hide, water clay saucer, feeding dish all take up space. The water saucer needs to be big enough he can get completely in it.
If they don't have enough room to exercise their muscles they could eventually not walk correctly and need rehabbing. I had to rehab a leopard for being kept in a too small enclosure.
 

TortoiseNoob9

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2x6 too small for one adult.
4x6 okay but a 4x8 would be much better and is recommended minimum.
Don't forget the hide, water clay saucer, feeding dish all take up space. The water saucer needs to be big enough he can get completely in it.
If they don't have enough room to exercise their muscles they could eventually not walk correctly and need rehabbing. I had to rehab a leopard for being kept in a too small enclosure.
I will make a 4 by 6ft enclosure. The reason I wanted a 6 by 2 was cause you can get stock tanks that size, and I did not know if 8feet would fit in the area of my backyard I chose. Thank you for all your help.
 
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