Hey all, this is my first ever question regarding tortoises. I'm hopefully going to keep them in a year or 2 time, but wanted to ask whats the difference in a Vivarium and Terrarium? Reason for asking this is because I've seen alot of people and articles saying that tortoises should live in a "Vivarium" and I've seen alot of shops that are selling tortoises in terrarium.

Well the latin word vive means to live. So technically anything that an animal lives in could be called a vivarium.
Terr has something to do with earth and tends to house some sort of plants, as well as an animal

My advice would be that if you want an animal to live in a vivarium, get a lizard or snake. Very few tortoises are suited to living indoors in a vivarium.

The Tortoise trust website is very informative

Tortoise Trust Web - Indoor Housing & Vivarium Design

Thanks for the information, wasnt expecting to find out about this. Now im very unsure what to get

Would this then mean that tortoises are not really meant for english weather or wet and cold weathers. The tortoise I was thinking of getting is a Mediterranean tortoise or a Hermann's tortoise. But with this in my mind its quiet down sided. So how do people take care of tortoises with such bad weather conditions?

tortoises never i repeat never be housed in a viv. if kept indoors they should have an open tortoise table with basking area.

My fiancees mum has 5 Horsefields, all outside. She built an area, by the side of the shed, which has a tree growing in the middle.
It's simply about a foot high bricks all around, probably about 6ft by 6ft.

Then she has a little house, which is made out of those cube of glass (if you know what I mean?) and inside there is well insulated and has a heat lamp.

If you wanted to keep a tort indoors, you can keep them in a tortoise table.

These are expensive though. I would recommend what I made for my Guinea Pigs. It's called a C&C cage and is basically coroplast which is corogated plastic which for sale sign boards are made out of - made into a base, with a 6 inch lip, and then mesh panels all the way around.
Torts aren't the best climbers, so this will kepp them in, but still give them the space and ventilation they need.
I have 3 guinea pigs in a 5x2 (5 grids by 2 grids) which is almost 6ftx21/2 feet. It cost me about £30 to build.

With just one tortoise I would say a 4x2 would be good. But you buy the grids in a pack and the corplast in a sheet, so you will have enough to make a 6x2 if you have the space. The bigger the better really.

Here is the main C&C website, which explains everything

Guinea Pig Cages, Your Cavy At Home

As already mentioned Vivariums are not recomended for housing tortoises.

Yes you can keep tortoises in a british climate. I keep horsfields, Ibera and the more tropical heat loving Leopards.

I know of many keepers who successfully keep med torts horsfields, Ibera, Gracea, and hermanns out doors 365 days of the year. They do need an additional heat source certain times of the year and some where like a greenhouse or cold frame where to safely hibernate. They will need protecting from the frost and rats if hibernating the natural way. But I certainly would not reccommend you try the natural hibernation until you have some experience.

Most keepers keep their tortoises outside in an enclosure during spring and summer, with no additional heat source, but provide a coldframe or small greenhouse for the cooler days, then bring them inside on tortoise tables when long periods of bad weather happens and before and after hibernation.

Others sleep their tortoises indoors and let them out in to a purpose build outdoor enclosure during the day for security reasons.

Here are some examples of my tables

Horsfield


Leopard


I build mine myself out of MDF or floor boards, which ever I can get cheapest. I currently have 5 tables and the most I have ever spent building one table was £15, for the huge leopard table. I line mine with a glass tray I get cut especially, to enable me to clean them properly, but others use pond liner plastic tablecloths etc. I attach my lamp directly on to the wall using a hanging basket bracket or use a clamp lamp on the side. I use pig lamps with the mega ray combi bulbs so only need one fitting.

I have included a couple of links with instructions of how to build a tortoise table to give you an idea.
Tortoise Trust Web - Building a Tortoise Table
How to build a tortoise table

If you don't want to build your own, they can be bought, but tend to be on the expensive side.
Tortoise Table / Enclosure 1 m x 62cm by: Kimbos
Or can be bought off ebay
LARGE tortoise table/vivarium/house on eBay, also, Reptiles, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 31-Dec-08 14:57:42 GMT)


Many people adapt unwanted household items such as ottoman's, book shelves, wardrobes, drawers, beds etc.

Another option for small tortoises are rabbit cages like this one
Cages and Small Animal Accessories, bargains at zooplus: Cage Rabbit 120
Or plastic tubs
Tortoise Trust Web - Basic housing for hatchlings
A general guide to enclosures
Enclosures
Care sheets of tortoises
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/Downloa...toises_web.pdf

This one is based on horsfields, but the same care would be given to hermans as they are very similar in needs.
Russians

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Thanks
Lea

http://www.vanityfurgrooming.co.uk/

great examples of Tort Tables.. when home made they really dont need to cost the earth.