What things should be in an enclosure?

[tort-donohue]

So I'm going to be buying a tortoise soon, most likely a Russian, and I want to make the enclosure perfect for it.

I'm wondering what type of things should be inside it? (It's going to be an indoor enclosure by the way)

What should the floor be made from? Soil, grass, hay? Where should the dishes be? What plants should I have?

Anything you know about enclosures or what you have in yours would be great!!

I've already bought the lighting and heat parts, but I need things to fill it

-Neil

 

[justino4444]

I would recommend a large wood table with deep coco coir for substrate to dig in. Many plants and hides a ceramic plant saucer for a water bowl and a tile for food dish

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

for the it substrate should have some moisture to it, i would recommend cypress mulch/coco coir, the substrate should be at least 5 inches deep so the tort can burrow down. use this type of clay water dish, it should be big enough for the tort to fit its entire body in. i like putting arugula, grasses, and nontoxic weeds in my russians enclosure.

 

[lismar79]

Agree with the above. Make sure your cypress does not have cedar or pine in it. Its toxic to torts. You will need a hide to. A plastic shoe tote with a hole cut into works great. Fill it with some moss. A flat rock under the heat uvb light is good for a basking spot. Do not get the coil type, they are linked to cases of eye damage. Here's a good one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQDJK/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[tort-donohue]

Thanks for all the great advice, it's really helping me out!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

also provide a cuttle bone in his enclosure. do you have any questions about the diet of the russian tortoise

 

[Yvonne G]

If you have a big enough space, you can all all kinds of sight barriers - big rocks, ceramic statues, clumps of plants, etc. Sight barriers make it more interesting for the tortoise. It's very boring for him to wake up and look out of his hide and be able to see his whole world. Sight barriers make it so he has to walk around to see what's going on in the enclosure.