For many years keeper housed tortoises in glass aquariums. However, over many years of keeping pet tortoises, many keepers have moved away from using aquariums to house tortoises. When deciding how to house a baby sulcata, make the decision to house a sulcata tortoise in glass tank based on the following pros and cons.
Benefits of Housing Tortoises in Aquariums
It is easy to create a closed chamber enclosure using a glass aquarium. Because of the high walls, it’s easy to set up a thick layer of substrate that will hold humidity. The high walls also provide more space to set up UV lighting and heat within a closed chamber.
Baby sulcatas need the high humidity to prevent pyramiding. A glass aquarium is perfect for maintaining humidity.
Setting up a glass aquarium for a sulcata tortoise will also maintain heat. Because you can set up the tank to be a closed chamber enclosure, the heat will be better maintained in comparison to an open top enclosure.
Problems Housing Tortoises in Aquariums
On the other hand, there are a lot of downfalls to using a glass tank to raise a baby sulcata tortoise.
Where the heat can be better maintained in a glass aquarium, it can also build up. You will want to keep an eye on the temperature to ensure the tank doesn’t get too hot. You also want to make sure that the aquarium has a thermal gradient with a hot side and a cooler side.
The lack of ventilation in an aquarium can also cause stagnant air to build up. You also risk mold growth in the substrate, especially if there is poop or leftover food lying around. Lack of ventilation can also cause fungal and respiratory problens for the sucata tortoise.
When housing a baby sulcata tortoise in a glass aquarium, you will need a large aquarium. Once you add in multiple houses, a water bowl, food dish and any sight barriers, you’ve taken up a lot of space. You are limiting the floor space for your tortoise to walk around. Even tiny baby sulcatas need an aquarium of at least 50 gallons. As the tortoise grows, you’ll be replacing the aquarium quickly and frequently. Aquariums are a lot more expensive than building a tortoise enclosure.
Also, the glass walls can cause stress. The baby sulcata can see out of the enclosure. The sulcata may pace the perimeter of the aquarium. The sulcata may head butt the walls in attempts to get to the other side. The baby tortoise can injure his face. If you decide to use a glass tank to house a baby sulcata, you’ll want to cover the bottom half of the tank so the tortoise cannot see out.
