Tortoise Vivarium



Posted: Wednesday, September 09, 2009

by Ellie Bear
http://www.tortoisetips.com

A tortoise vivarium can be a show piece for your prized pet! However, there are a number of factors to consider before you decide it is right for you and your pet.

There can be some confusion amongst pet owners as to exactly what a vivarium is.. Specifically a it has both land and water incorporated within. For this reason you will have to do some homework as to which type of species of tortoise you wish to keep. There are species of that do not thrive in high humidity (water vapour) environments. Therefore if you decide on a species that does not live in an environment with high humidity you should not build a tortoise vivarium for that particular species.

If you do decide on a type that thrives in this environment you will need to think about where you wish to place it as it will have to be relatively large and will take up a large area of floor space in your home. You will have to provide areas for your tortoise to hide and burrow or it will become too stressed by being on view. When you are thinking of building any sort of home you must try to imagine how your pet would live in the natural world and try to mimic this as closely as possible.

Vegetation and rocks will also need to be placed into the tortoise vivarium to provide an more natural environment. Although you may want your prized pet to be on show all the time you must think how it lives naturally. Therefore it may be important for you to make three of the sides of the enclosure opaque so that the animal does not feel too vulnerable. One solution is to have a glass vivarium that you place your pet in for just a short amount of time. Then return it to its usual home where it can burrow and hide away. This may prevent your pet from becoming overly stressed.

There are also some problems with pet tortoises bashing themselves against the glass vivarium because they want to get through! This can cause not only stress but also cause injury to it.

You will also have to erect some form of heat and light source over your enclosure as these reptiles are ectothermic (cold blooded) and will require an external heat source to mimic the heat and light from the sun.

In conclusion- building a glass tortoise vivarium is possible but it will need a lot of thought. There are many problems inherent in choosing this type of enclosure over a wooden or concrete one but if you try to build your vivarium with your pets best interests at heart you will be more successful. Always remember the health and well being of your pet is paramount not your beautiful gleaming tortoise vivarium showcase.

Ellie Bear is a tortoise and turtle enthusiast and has kept and cared for many species of tortoise over the last 10 years. For much more information about how to set up a tortoise vivarium go to http://www.tortoisetips.com


Ellie Bear is a tortoise enthusiast and has kept and cared for tortoises for over 20 years. For the best up to date information on Keeping Tortoises go to http://www.tortoisetips.com
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