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| Star Tortoise Treasury | * Indian, Sri Lankan, and Burmese Star Tortoises... plus a few other tortoises... |
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Indian/Sri Lankan Star Tortoise (G. elegans)
Burmese Star Tortoise Other Starred Tortoises Angulate Tortoise Misc. Pages
Tips:
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Indoor Housing for Star Tortoises indoor enclosures & tubs
Sri Lankan Star tortoise Indoor setups You can have fun and be creative when building your tortoise's indoor enclosure, but do ensure that it's safe and has the proper lighting, temperature, and humidity for your tortoise species. Large, open-topped enclosures are best for tortoises. Choose an enclosure/tub that is as long as possible to create a heat gradient with warmer and cooler ends. Minimum pen size Build your indoor enclosure as big as possible. The more time your tortoise spends inside, the larger it should be. Tiny hatchlings are the only exception. They spend most of their time hiding and thus don't need a huge enclosure. If your tortoise is lucky enough to spend most of his time in a large outdoor area, then the size of the indoor pen is not as critical. There are numerous recommendations on how to calculate the minimum dimensions for an indoor tortoise pen. Some say the length and width of the enclosure should be at least 5 times the length of the tortoise. Others recommend a pen size of 10 times the tortoise length by 5 times the tortoise length. Another option is to multiply the length of the tortoise by 8 and then adjust the width as needed. Yet another way to figure out the minimum pen size is to allow at least 3 sq yds for each 12” of tortoise. Or use 100 sq in of space per 1" of tortoise shell. All the formulas above provide minimum size estimates for a one tortoise indoor pen. You should probably add about 30-50% of floor space if you keep two tortoises in the same enclosure. Suggested minimum supplies
Optional items
Note: This page mostly covers indoor tortoise enclosures, tubs, and tables. See also the lighting & heating, substrates, hideboxes, allergic keepers p.1 (more on substrates), and p. 2 (enclosure materials, air quality etc.) pages. Plastic tubs I avoid plastic products made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride, vinyl), a known toxic. PVC products can be identified with number 3 or letter V, but not all products are marked. Plastics labeled as #1 PET, #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, and PLA are considered safe. For more plastics info, see the allergy links page. Various large plastic boxes and tubs can be used as indoor tortoise enclosures. For example, a Rubbermaid For a baby Star tortoise, a medium/large size plastic storage box (min 30" or 76 cm long) makes a nice indoor enclosure. As the baby tortoise grows, he will require larger and larger indoor pens. Small tanks or boxes of any kind are not suitable enclosures for older, larger tortoises. Tortoises need room to wander. The more the better.
Plastic tub for babies - suitable for allergic & asthmatic keepers For this plastic tub with 12" walls I used a 100W mercury vapor bulb (MVB, a UVB and heat combo bulb) for day heat and a ceramic heat emitter for nights. Mercury vapor bulbs are large and require 8"-10" deep domes. They also get very hot. Check the temps, (hot and cool end) in the tub to ensure you are using the proper wattage for the size of the enclosure. Reptile lamp stands (pic) have a foot that goes under the enclosure for counterbalance. This plastic box is so lightweight that I had to put a brick on the stand's base plate to prevent the stand from accidentally tipping over. Note: IF YOU ARE NOT ASTHMATIC AND HAVE NO SEVERE ALLERGIES, just replace the felt-like reptile carpet (not fake grass astroturf) with a more natural substrate like soil or mulch. See the substrates and allergic keepers p.1 pages for substrate info.
Temporary isolation tub Here an artificial Christmas tree storage box (Iris model #251019, 52"x20", 132x51 cm) is used as a temporary isolation box. Everything inside the tub is either disposable (newspaper, cardboard hide box) or disinfectable (tiles, water dish). The newspaper is held in place by several flat tiles with rounded corners for safety. The MVB provides heat and UV. These Iris boxes are stackable, so the lid can be used securely as an insulating base underneath. Ps. If one of your tortoises is sick, he should ideally be housed not only in his own tub but also in a separate room away from your healthy tortoises. Vision reptile tubs Vision reptile tubs, which are made of food-grade high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are an alternative to wooden tortoise tables. They are odorless, easy to clean, and suitable for allergic tortoise keepers. They are usually available in white and/or gray color. As with most plastic tubs, the walls widen up and out a bit. This reduces some of the available floor space. The largest Vision tubs are extremely durable because they are made of thick, heady-duty material, but this makes them rather heavy. Shipping is expensive due to the large size and weight of these tubs. Best if you can pick them up locally or in a reptile show. The 'medium tub' is 68"x35" (5.7ft x 2.9ft) in size and has 14" high sides. It fits in the back of a large station wagon, SUV, or another similar car, with the backseats turned down. The 'large tub' is 76"x40" (6.3ft x 3.3ft) with 22" high walls. Acrylic enclosures Large acrylic enclosures are lightweight for their size. The largest open-topped acrylic enclosure with low 12"-13" walls that I found is 6ft x 2ft (72"x24") in size. Straight walls are a plus; no floor space is lost. All-acrylic tubs are also odorless and suitable for allergic and asthmatic tortoise owners. At least three of the four see-through walls should be covered with paper, aquarium background, or terrarium wall decor to allow the tortoise to feel more secure in it. Some acrylic reptile tubs can be flat-packed and shipped at a reasonable cost. All you need to do is to assemble the enclosure and put glue on the seams.
Acrylic pens - suitable for allergic & asthmatic keepers I am allergic to most odors and fumes, so I like to keep my enclosures as odor fee and clean as possible. Good for my health, and my tortoises' health, too! Everything I use inside is easily cleaned and disinfected. Long fluorescent UVB lights and MVB's illuminate these 4ft x 2ft pens (48"x24", 122x61 cm) with low 13" (33cm) walls. Acrylic pens are odorless, very light, and easy to move around. I put dry & humid hides, artificial plants, tiles, and rocks in my indoor pens, but I leave lots of free floor space for the tortoises to move around. In the winter, additional heat is required to keep the night temperatures at acceptable level for Stars, unless you keep your house very warm. For night heating, I use ceramic heat emitters with thermostats (not shown), if needed. Note: IF YOU ARE NOT ASTHMATIC AND HAVE NO SEVERE ALLERGIES, just replace the felt-like reptile carpet (not fake grass astroturf) with a more natural substrate like soil or mulch. See the substrates and allergic keepers p.1 pages for substrate info. Waterland land tubs Another non-wood enclosure choice is the Waterland land tub. They are made of black HDPE and are available in several sizes. The 'land tub' models have a 3/4 land area and a 1/4 water area. The water area is perfect for moist or wet substrate, and the low divider ramp helps keep it in place. The medium land tub is 70"x32"x14" in size. I really like the design of the land tubs with the low divider ramp in the middle. However, these tubs seem to give out a slight material odor (at least the ones I saw in a store did), which is not so good for my allergies. Plus, I don't much care for the intrusive black color because my indoor tortoise tubs are located in my main living areas. Wooden tortoise tables Wooden tortoise tables (large open boxes with low walls) are popular because they are cheap, easy to build, and can be made in any size. They must be moisture proofed, and in large sizes they get heavy and difficult to move. Unfinished wooden tortoise tables may emit a strong wood odor. Particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard may also give off odors. In addition, they contain formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen, bronchial irritant, and asthma trigger. See the allergic keepers p.2. I keep my tortoises' enclosures in my living quarters, not in a separate room or shed. Thus, I do not like pens that emit any kind of odors because I am often allergic to them. I do a smell test of the material before buying, if at all possible. Ready-made wooden tortoise tables & pens Zoo Med manufactures a 36"x24" wooden tortoise table (pic) that you can purchase ready-made. It can be used indoors or outdoors, Zoo Med also makes a small wooden outdoor tortoise play pen with a hide box. Stock tanks Farm stock tanks Glass tanks If you use a glass tank, choose one that is LARGE, has LOW SIDES (12"-13", 30-33 cm), and has an open top. The minimum size tank to use for a small baby tortoise is a long 'breeder tank' with a floor space of 30"x12" (76x30 cm) and low 12" walls. However, this tank is so small that your baby will quickly outgrow it at about one year of age (depending on his size). To find a glass tank with low walls, search for long 'breeder' tanks or for 'shallow rimless' tanks. Shallow rimless tanks may be called 'coral tanks' or 'reef tanks' because they work well for growing corals. Rimless tanks are available in 6-8 ft (183-244 cm) lengths with 12"-16" (30-41 cm) walls. Some people find it's easier to keep the temperature and humidity up in a glass tank. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending what you are trying to achieve (humid vs dry habitat). Do cover 3-4 sides of the tank with paper or aquarium background to prevent see-through and help your tortoise feel safer in his enclosure. Never put a glass tank in direct sunlight. It can become a deadly heat trap! Screen cages Some tortoise keepers even use large, vertical reptile screen cages Vivariums Generally, totally enclosed vivarium (terrarium) type reptile tanks (closed boxes with glass fronts) are not recommended as tortoise habitats, especially for dry area species. They usually have limited floor space, decreased air flow, and often provide a poor temperature gradient. Even a fine mesh screen top can filter out much of the beneficial UVB rays from the UV bulbs. Bookcase tables Many people like wooden tortoise tables. If you are not very handy with woodworking, you can make a tortoise table out of a bookcase. Buy a second-hand cabinet or a cheap, do-it-yourself bookcase and assemble it. Just take the shelves out, put it down on its back, and line it with some waterproof material such as a plastic shower curtain liner or a pond liner. Voila, you have a tortoise enclosure! Note: Unfortunately, many cheap bookcases are made of particleboard which can emit toxic odors (especially when new) that can cause itching, irritation, and asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. Solid wood bookcases with finished (sealed in on all sides) surfaces are a better choice for allergy sufferers. Also, pond liners are often made of PVC, a known toxic. See the allergic keepers p.2 page. Rabbit cages Some owners like to use plastic bottom rabbit cages Bed frame enclosures A twin-sized, wooden bed frame or a bottom trundle bed can be used as a large tortoise table if it has solid sides all around. You can easily add a solid bottom, if the base is made of slats. Then just waterproof it. See-through walls Many tortoise owners advice against see-through walls in tortoise tables because some tortoises may desperately claw the walls in an effort to get out. If you do use a see-through or semi-see-through enclosure, it's a good idea to cover 3 or 4 side walls with paper to give your tortoise more privacy and make him feel safer. Decorative aquarium or terrarium backgrounds look nice, but brown paper works just as well. I don't cover the front panel because I like to observe what my tortoises are doing. It is very entertaining, and I get to know their personalities and habits very well. My Sri Lankan stars are used to me having my nose pressed against the see-through front wall. They don't mind my presence too much and just go on with their daily activities. My Star tortoises seem to know exactly where the wall starts, even if the tub is see-through. They do not bump to the walls or try to walk through them. The clear acrylic (plastic) enclosures I use have a 1" high black plastic strip along the bottom of the walls. Maybe that's enough for them to recognize where the floor ends. Or maybe they are just smarter than the average tortoise. :O) Even so, I do always cover the back and sides of the see-through enclosures, and I provide many hiding places for my Stars.
Of all the places in the enclosure, she chose to sleep right next to the see-through front panel of the tub. Even when awake, she doesn't mind me pressing my nose against the wall and looking right at her. :O) Lighting & heating This section got so large that I separated it to a new page. See the indoor lighting & heating page. It includes info on preferred temperature gradient, humidity levels, UVB light bulbs, basking bulbs, heat emitters, light fixtures, lamp safety, heat mats, temperature controls, timers, electricity usage, UV meter, thermometers, hygrometers, and more. Substrates The indoor substrate section of this page grew so long that I created a new page for it also. See the substrates and allergic keepers p.1 pages for substrate info. Hiding places I moved the hidebox section to its own page as well. See the hideboxes page for info on humid hides, dry hides, and hidebox substrates. Food & water dishes This section was moved to a new location. See the bowls & dishes page for examples of tortoise dishes and waterers. Outdoors Let your Star tortoise enjoy the natural sunshine outside whenever the weather is warm enough. The more the better. Fortunately, I live in a warm climate. My tortoises get to spend a great deal of time outside on real dirt, among real plants, and under the real sun. :O) See the outdoor enclosures page for ideas.
Read also the lighting & heating, substrates, hideboxes, outdoor housing, diet, care tips, allergic keepers p.1 (more on substrates), and p.2 (enclosure materials, air quality etc.) pages for more Indian/Sri Lankan and Burmese Star tortoise care info. |
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storage box, a 
and it is modular. You can remove the end panel and attach two houses together for a larger tortoise table as your baby tortoise grows.