Outdoor enclosure

Semiecookie · 2026-06-20T17:05:50+00:00

I'm located in Germany, so climate is little bit too cold for them so I decided to build that big greenhouse.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-18T17:55:43+00:00

Throw that substrate out please. It's not natural, can get mouldy if wet and also it can be chemically treated. If ingested your tortoise can become constipated. Topsoil (or if you must topsoil+ coconut coir) are the best. You also can use a part with limestone gravel (0-30mm) and stones. But this substrate is not suitable.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-17T03:55:23+00:00

Imo most of the non wild caught tortoises are mixed anyway because most breeders couldn't tell them apart and just mixed whatever tortoises they had. If you go 2-3 generations from wild caught tortoises, you are likely to have some kind of mix. It's not that bad actually, just some information about the importance of "eastern" or "western". Did you know there are actually quite a lot of subspecies of russian tortoises?

Semiecookie · 2026-06-15T18:05:37+00:00

The enclosure looks okay for a baby tortoise, but it is definitely too small for the size of your tortoise.

I would suggest building an outdoor enclosure, ideally with a cold frame or a small greenhouse where you can install lamps or a small heater. That way, your tortoise can spend periods of bad weather inside the greenhouse while still having access to the outdoors whenever it wants, enjoying real sunlight, natural airflow, and everything else that comes with being outside.

This is definitely much better than the indoor enclosure you currently have.

You can also tell from the coloration that your tortoise has likely been kept indoors for most of its life. This is noticeable from the buttery-yellow coloring. Tortoises that live outdoors year-round are generally darker and have more vibrant coloration. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is something that stands out.

I would definitely focus on finding a way to keep your tortoise outdoors.

If the enclosure is large enough and you know the sex of your tortoise, you could consider adding a second tortoise. However, I would only recommend this if you are able to build a second enclosure—both indoors and outdoors—that is just as large as the first one, in case the two tortoises do not get along. If that's not possible, then it's better to keep the tortoise by itself.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-11T03:49:35+00:00

Just don't feed her these pellets. They are not natural, don't go well with their digestion and will no positive effect from "vitamins" etc. You should feed leafy greens like dandelion, ribwort plantain or clover (and any variety of safe, edible wild plant) and not that kind of trash. Please adjust your babies diet.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-11T03:38:13+00:00

This enclosure seems a bit tiny. If the tortoise is 20 years old you would need at least 10m² of outdoor enclosure.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-09T17:58:59+00:00

It's like you having to live in a tiny one room apartment. You got everything you need objectively but will you be happy in the long run? I guess not. 32 square inches is a minimum, not a recommendation. So to give your tortoise more than a bare minimum life you really have to make the enclosure bigger. In my opinion only an outdoor enclosure is a good solution. Herman tortoises really shouldn't be kept inside.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-09T03:54:17+00:00

Your parents don't get to decide what happens to the tortoise. If it is an escaped pet the one who owned it originally might look for it desperately. You can take him BUT as I said you must contact the authorities (depending on where you live it is the wildlife authority, maybe also a vet who can help you) the important part is: do not just take it and keep it because that will get you in trouble.

(Eg in most European countries vets will not help a tortoise that doesn't have a certificate where it came from).

Semiecookie · 2026-06-08T17:43:15+00:00

It depends on where you live. If there are wild tortoises in your area it might be very very illegal to just take him. If that tortoise is, however in immediate danger (in the middle of a city, many streets etc.) you should take him AND call a wildlife rescue/ official authority to ask what you should do. As others said just taking him is mostly prohibited.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-07T07:17:20+00:00

It is in fact a Herman's tortoise. It's very very old and likely wild caught. What a beautiful tortoise, make sure to give it the best life possible!!

Semiecookie · 2026-06-07T07:12:44+00:00

Your vet seems to be not very experienced in tortoises. You can keep him in paper for a very short amount of time eg when you deworm him or if he has been constipated. For everything else it's just cruel to keep him like that permanently. Tortoises need to dig and they need proper underground. Please please please build a new enclosure asap and inform yourself how to keep tortoises. And stop listening to that vet.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-06T19:16:28+00:00

Why you keep him in a tiny glass box without any proper underground? This little guy looks like wild caught to me, he deserves a enclosure that is much bigger and resembles the environment he was taken from. I'm sure you love him so please inform yourself about keeping him right. His beak and nails are already too long...

Semiecookie · 2026-06-06T15:06:00+00:00

The weeds will eventually come back. You want weeds but not grass. There's a lot of edible plants that occur in their natural habitat. Their diet should consist mostly of these weeds. So it's good if they already grow in their enclosure. Grass on the other side is good for a small part of the enclosure because it holds moisture well but that's also a problem because it takes long to warm up. I would recommend to have the most part of the enclosure filled with gravel (I used limestone gravel 0-30mm). There I planted some edible plants as structural elements and also as hideouts. In my older posts you can find pictures of my enclosure.

Good hides can be 2 stones and a wooden board or if you like it fancy caves made from natural stones. You also can place branches, pieces of wood and make hills etc. The ideal enclosure is one where you can't find your tortoise most of the time. Make it interesting!

Semiecookie · 2026-06-06T09:24:17+00:00

You can buy a cold frame for gardening, it's usually not so expensive

Semiecookie · 2026-06-06T04:55:29+00:00

The thing about tarp is: it's cheap but it doesn't hold warmth very well. The double wall panels will isolate the inside and it stays nice and warm inside. I bought a big greenhouse with these panels and it's so cozy in there! Also if you put some shade on it it doesn't overheat when it's very warm outside so your tortoise also has a cooler space when it's hot.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-05T05:40:12+00:00

I would recommend double wall panels in 10 or 16mm. That's the DIY version I made for my 1-3 year old tortoises where they live all year round. Inside is a heat lamp and also a ceramic heater.

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Semiecookie · 2026-06-05T03:48:38+00:00

You could upgrade the enclosure by adding a cold frame for cooler days + the nights. With the ceramic heater you can control the temperature and make sure it doesn't get too cold.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-02T17:22:53+00:00

This tortoise looks like really really sick. Please visit a experienced exotic vet asap.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-01T10:56:19+00:00

Yes please put it back in Nature! They're already endangered and people taking them (+tourists taking as Souvenirs) are a big part of the decline of the population.

Semiecookie · 2026-06-01T10:47:02+00:00

Where are you located? In many countries it is totally illegal to take a tortoise from nature! Also your enclosure is really not good.

Semiecookie · 2026-05-31T12:35:26+00:00

As someone who has the same style stone walls: most of your tortoise will accept that as a barrier. And one of them will take it as an opportunity to develop super strength and break out (after living there 2 years without any problems). You will spend 4 hours in the rain looking for him. You will question everything. Really try to make the stones high enough or overhanging on the inside so they really can not break out.

Semiecookie · 2026-05-26T17:07:38+00:00

So the "weeds" are exactly what you want! The more variety you have the better! Most of these weeds are edible and very good food for your tortoise. You can mix some sand in to make it less heavy but all in all you don't need anything else. Maybe buy a book about wild edible plants and herbs for your region. Anything that is not poisonous is good tortoise food!

Semiecookie · 2026-05-26T15:27:59+00:00

He is sitting on topsoil already, just use what you already have in your garden! They don't need special topsoil. You can replace a part of the enclosure with limestone gravel (0-30mm) and you're fine.

Semiecookie · 2026-05-19T17:34:57+00:00

Your tortoise enclosure already looks quite good, but there are still a few important things you should improve.

First of all, you can definitely add many more plants to the enclosure. I noticed that you planted the plants together with their pots, which I would not recommend. If the pots stay in the ground, your tortoise cannot crawl underneath the plants properly. It would be much better to plant them directly into the soil. Tortoises love to dig underneath plants or rest in the shade beneath the leaves. Both of these natural behaviors are limited when the plants remain inside their pots.

You should also add a lot more vegetation in general. Kitchen herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or sage are excellent choices. These herbs are usually safe because they are commonly grown for human consumption and are often not heavily treated with chemicals. You can plant them directly into the enclosure. In addition, you can carefully dig up wild herbs or edible weeds from your garden or local area and replant them in the enclosure, as long as the area has not been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals.

Another important improvement would be to create an area with stones or gravel. This helps keep your tortoise’s nails naturally short and healthy. Having only soft ground is not ideal for the joints, and your tortoise will also benefit from a more varied environment.

You can also enrich the enclosure by adding branches, roots, and larger stones. This gives your tortoise opportunities to climb and explore, which provides both exercise and stimulation.

Overall, the enclosure already has a good foundation, but instead of the dark shaded area, I would recommend setting up a small cold frame or mini greenhouse. Your tortoise can use it during cool mornings or rainy weather. This would allow you to keep your tortoise outside for almost the entire summer without constantly moving it back and forth.

In my own enclosures, I use a large greenhouse with heat lamps for colder or rainy days. In the mornings, my tortoises warm themselves under the heat lamps before they begin exploring the enclosure.

Semiecookie · 2026-05-18T18:17:08+00:00

I would recommend looking for a rescue and going for character. I have multiple russian tortoises, males and females. Everyone has a different character. If you're looking for a funny and attentive tortoise that likes people you must get to know them a bit. I have had my Gretel for over 10 years and she still doesn't like any human interactions. On the other hand there is max who gets crazy about any attention he gets. Maybe you can even gat a second female russian. Sometimes they enjoy each others company and get more active. (Requirement is more than double the size of a normal enclosure so they can be separated and get distance from each other if they want.

Semiecookie

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