Why are vivariums and glass tanks bad?

[Bulbasaur]

As a child I had three torts in a vivarium. after a year they all died one by one. I always wondered if the fact that I kept them in a vivarium could have had a negative effect . After reading all of this I'm even more curious...

[19kel71]

When I first got my tortoise he's been kept in a vivarium and fed on shop bought salad. He had the first signs of pyramiding and was severley underweight and dehydrated. He was passing gritty urates for 3 months after I first got him. The first thing I did, was get him into a 4ftx2ft tortosie table on a topsoil/sand mix, feed him a weed only diet with a sprinkling of nutrolbol daily and give him 20 minute baths every day. Here are his before and after pictures..... after having him for only 9 months:

Before, Sept 2011



After, June 2012



He looks healthier and happier.... and I don't think that just me being a biased Mum!!

[EJ]

I don't see any difference outside of the angle the photo was taken.

[pagan queen]

Here's mine. She is nearly 2 and spent 18 months in a viv.

[Easter Bunny]

He looks gorgeous. Like his shell colouring, quite light in colour x

[19kel71]

Originally Posted by EJ

I don't see any difference outside of the angle the photo was taken.

Hmmmm..... is that a gauntlet I see before me?............................

Oh, I do apologise, it appears to be a mirage reflected from Norman's incredible shell growth since he's been out of a vivarium!

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by 19kel71

Hmmmm..... is that a gauntlet I see before me?............................

Oh, I do apologise, it appears to be a mirage reflected from Norman's incredible shell growth since he's been out of a vivarium!

Why do you put his growth down to him being out of a viv? My tortoises are both in vivs and their growth is excellent as you can see from my picture. Could the growth be down to your better standard of husbandry?


It is hard to see any difference between the two pictures but you can see the real thing.

[EJ]

noooooo?... an observation.

Ok... how long have you had him?

Going back I do see growth... same as before... this is why I thought there was no growth.

Originally Posted by 19kel71

Hmmmm..... is that a gauntlet I see before me?............................

Oh, I do apologise, it appears to be a mirage reflected from Norman's incredible shell growth since he's been out of a vivarium!

[cherylahutch]

I was wondering why are vivariums and glass tanks called the same thing. maybe a stupid question but they are completely different things. i can see that a tortoise kept in a glass tank would be a really bad thing but surely a wooden vivarium with vents is not alot different to a tortoise table. Ok it has doors on the front but many people seem to have a lid of some sort over the top of there tortoise table. Mine are all doing really well in there houses. I actually felt guilty putting mine into viv's because of some of the comments on here about them being bad for the tortoise and made the decision that they were doing just fine in them so I was not going to change them.

[EJ]

Actually... it is a pretty good question. I've always thought an aquarium/glass tank was a vivarium. This was before reptiles and amphibians became mainstream.

Now... I believe any enclosure that is fully enclosed is considered a vivarium.

They are totally the same thing.

Don't let certain groups/people sway your common sense.

Originally Posted by cherylahutch

I was wondering why are vivariums and glass tanks called the same thing. maybe a stupid question but they are completely different things. i can see that a tortoise kept in a glass tank would be a really bad thing but surely a wooden vivarium with vents is not alot different to a tortoise table. Ok it has doors on the front but many people seem to have a lid of some sort over the top of there tortoise table. Mine are all doing really well in there houses. I actually felt guilty putting mine into viv's because of some of the comments on here about them being bad for the tortoise and made the decision that they were doing just fine in them so I was not going to change them.