That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information
Tortoises have long been immensely popular pets, and with good reason. We know a good deal about their needs, but misinformation as to a proper enclosure abounds. In Part 1 of this article I discussed the general unsuitability of glass aquariums and the usefulness of outdoor enclosures. Today we’ll take a look at indoor cages that can be purchased or (if you are more skilled than I!) built.
Plastic-Based Animal Cages
Plastic-based wire animal cages are preferable to aquariums for small tortoises. Please bear in mind, however, that all except the Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kleimanni) and the Speckled Padloper (Homopus signatus) will outgrow most available cages (please see Part 1 for further information).
As many tortoises will attempt to climb wire or screen cages, you’ll need to check that your pet cannot reach above the plastic cage base and latch onto the wire.
Heat provision will be a bit more complicated than is the case for aquariums, since heat quickly escapes from screen enclosures, but the incredible array of bulbs and ceramic heaters that are available will enable you to solve any heating dilemma (please write in if you need assistance). The extra work on your part is essential, as it’s nearly impossible to provide a proper heat gradient for tortoises in an aquarium (please see Part I).
Cages worth your consideration include the Pets International Rabbit Cage, My First Home and the Pointer Hill Ferret Cage. Marshall’s Small Animal Playpen is a fine exercise enclosure, but check that your pet does not try to scale the wire.
Wire Cages
Wire rabbit cages are another option, but you will most likely need to install a plastic border around the base of the enclosure to prevent climbing; a very simple solution is to place an appropriately-sized cat litter box within the cage to serve as a base.
Building the Perfect Tortoise Home
The Table Top Tortoise Terrarium featured on the Tortoise Trust website is the best indoor tortoise environment I know of, especially considering that it can be built to your size specifications. I lack (completely!) the skills to construct one, but a more competent friend of mine made a similar model with little trouble.
Further Reading
This excellent article by Dr. Kevin Wright illustrates the space needed by even small tortoise species, along with host of other factors that must be considered in designing an enclosure.
Hermann’sTortoise image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Orchi
