Can you get too big?
 

Hi,

I am new to the tortoise world. Just wanted to say hi. I am looking to help rescue tortoises.Our family have always been around torts.Not the point of the post though. I was wondering if you can get an enclosure too big. I was thinking of getting a greenhouse which is 20ft x10 ft and place a floor to stop the soil ontop of the floor getting wet and damp. The torts would then live in it permanently except from when i want to keep an eye on them. I would warm up certain points in the enclosure and make them ideal but obviously I could not permanently keep the whole thing completely warm it would cost a fortune so I was hoping to focus light on certain parts of it. I was wondering if this was a good idea as I would love for the torts to have a large amount of space to enjoy. Please would love to hear others thoughts,

Thanks

If you can afford the heating costs during cold weather and cooling costs during hot weather... what the hell... go for it.

whats the best way to make an outdoor enclosure then with the space available (10ft x20ft) i have a limited budget on running costs.

Hi, you don't mention what species of torts you are interested in rehoming. That might help give a steer into the torts' needs.

Our greenhouse is 20'x12' and temperatures get over 50 degrees C in the summer, with all the ceiling vents and doors open (my med torts aren't in there in the summer by the way. In the winter they are and I have 2x 2kw heaters, 8x 120w basking lamps, 2x 120w tubular heaters, 4x75w ceramic bulb heaters. My greenhouse isn't insulated, it's only wood and single pane glass).

You might consider a smaller greenhouse, maybe with shelving around the top so you can grow weeds in trays on the shelving? and then give torts access to the remaining space outside the greenhouse.

If you look in the 'housing' section check out other people's outdoor enclosures for ideas.

If you have a limited budget for running costs, make sure you have enough funds saved for any specialists vets fees for your rescue torts - as a fair few of mine needed vet assistance.

good luck, karen

Hi,
The budget is not too limited its just that i do not want to create massive monthly fees on heating alone. Is it expensive to run in the winter then? I can't imagine they can stay in at night but I guess it would be really nice for them in the day or can they stay at night as well?
Thanks,

I have two 8ftx6ft greenhouses, both are set on a footing of bricks, with a gap left out, so the tortoises can come and go as they please. I have both insulated with bubble wrap, to help keep in some heat during the early Spring and late Autumn. I have heat lamps, and a greenhouse heater in both. My tortoises hibernate in the soil in the greenhouses, along with my box turtles.

can I add that if you are talking about different torts arriving at different times and not the same species you will not be able to keep them together and every new arrival will need 6 months quarantine before going with anyone else. Therefore the size of the enclosure won't really matter as it will have to split into lots of smaller ones depending on the amount of torts you have.

Yes I completely understand that my basement is also going to be designated to the splitting up of the torts but I also wanted an area for the larger groups which need rehoming.I have not yet decided if too split it up into different sections yet but the sizes will still be as large as possible. I was hoping that the greenhouse could offer optimum conditions for an outdoor enclosure but the logistics behind it look quite expensive in the cooler periods.

You didn't mention what species of torts you are interested in?
Karen

Hi,
Two Species I love are Herman and Horsefield don't worry I am not looking to keep them together.