So I've Been Offered A Tortoise

[Sweeden]

Basically girlfriend has had a tortoise (Lyla) for the past 5-7 years. Due to her becoming a teacher and also her dad working wierd hours etc she's asked me if i would take it. I kindly said yes as i like lyla and i'd love to build her a new home.

Currently she has a open top wooden box ~2 x ~4ft. Its all sand based with a small baking tray for water and a 2ft lighting tube and ceramic heater.

But what im thinking is a) its a bit of a rubbish environment and b) i want to have a play with a design. heres my thoughts which ive drawn together after some reseach....


At one end a fibreglass cave for her to hide/sleep in
next to this a planted area with grasses and maybe plants she can eat.
half of the tank covered in mulch/bark and a 1/4 of the tank in sank and then the other 1/4 of the tank a water filled area.
And hopefully windows on the sides so she can see out and not just a blank piece of wood

what are peoples opinions on the enriched environment idea?

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I know nothing about tortoises or their environments but I think it sounds really good

 

[simonfabris]

I'm not a fan of standard Tortoise Tables, so your suggestion sounds good to me, just a couple of things, I'd ensure she can move around the cave freely and easily without getting stuck, and regarding the planted area I think the idea is great, my only concern is how would you manage her food consumption? Just if you have a planted area what's to stop her from gorging herself and it all being gone within a week or even a day (I know some greedy tortoise)?! I'm sure you don't want an over weight Tortoise? Having said that I'm sure Lyla would love it!

 

[Asp]

Do you know the species of the tortoise? You should take into consideration the natural habitat, some tortoises are arid desert, some are grassland, some species that get sold as 'tortoises' are mainly terrestrial, tropical semi aquatics (I've seen a lot of south American wood turtles around recently).

My box turtles live in a converted plastic rabbit home. A 4" layer of bark and soil over a couple of inches of large pea gravel to keep the moisture in. A wooden hut takes up one end and some more pieces of wood give them something to climb over. A plastic paint tray makes a good water area that is easy to clean.

Generally plants get destroyed in a couple of days, so whenever the local supermarket gets pots of live herbs/salads reduced I plant a few in. I think they enjoy them.

 

[Sweeden]

she is a Horsfield i think, its a toss between that or a 'spir thighed' and she has no spirs.

going to now go look at natural habitats.....

 

[Asp]

grassland or scrubland, semi-arid, native to central asia/russia.

Easiest thing to replicate, a substrate of sandy soil (deep enough to allow for some burrowing) planted with the most robust grasses you can find and possibly some hard to kill herbs like thyme or mint, a few branches or bits of wood for climbing she'll be fine.