ZooMed Tortoise House good for my full grown Russian?

[kira]

I'm looking into buying one for her outdoor enclosure. But I need to know if it's big enough for her & if it's a good enclosure all around. She's about 6 in. Is there another outdoor enclosure good for tortoises if this one isn't?

 

[theelectraco]

It isn't big enough for indoor or outdoor. For the price of it you can build a nice outdoor enclosure 5x the size, which they need.

 

[kira]

What dimensions for an outdoor enclosure would be good for her? If you know off the top of your head.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Pass on the zoo med house.

Use that $ to make an outdoor pen. I used 2x4's and plywood. Cheap, easy, great.

 

[theelectraco]

As big as you can go. I would say a minimum 8x6

 

[Tom]

In the wild your tortoise would walk miles. Give her as much room as you can. Don't think in terms of a minimum acceptable size. Think in terms of the MAXIMUM size you can build. Those tortoise ZooMed tortoise houses are way too small.

 

[LolaMyLove]

I have the zoo med house and NO it is not big enough. I use it for night time only until the temps get warmer outside. I wish I had read this forum before I wasted my money. Its fine for night use, but he can not stay in there all day.

 

[kira]

Glad I asked before I went and bought it! I won't be purchasing the ZooMed enclosure. I'm making my own soon. I'll probably make it look somewhat like the ZooMed enclosure, with the little indoor room so she can sleep, but much bigger. Thanks guys!

 

[biochemnerd808]

For an indoor enclosure, why not search Craigslist for a nice shelf? I bought a nice oak bookshelf on Craigslist for $30 for our newest rescue... I turned it on its back, took the shelves out, and am lining it with tarp and tadaaa! tortoise enclosure.

For outdoors, however much space you can spare. I am building one that is 5ft x 30ft... in the future when the kids are older, I can easily expand it. I'm using cedar posts and pressure treated 2"x12"x10' boards. I have some 2x2s that I'm making a little overhang on top with, and there will be a hardware cloth top to keep cats and hawks out.

Glad I asked before I went and bought it! I won't be purchasing the ZooMed enclosure. I'm making my own soon. I'll probably make it look somewhat like the ZooMed enclosure, with the little indoor room so she can sleep, but much bigger. Thanks guys!

 

[LolaMyLove]

You can get 5 shelf bookshelf pretty cheap like Katie posted above. Just make sure to line it well...

 

[SpdTrtl]

For an indoor enclosure, why not search Craigslist for a nice shelf? I bought a nice oak bookshelf on Craigslist for $30 for our newest rescue... I turned it on its back, took the shelves out, and am lining it with tarp and tadaaa! tortoise enclosure.

[/quote]

What a brilliant idea!