Member's Housing Gallery

Beautifully grown Testudo hermanni raised on near-natural diets with the maximum possible exposure to natural UV-B and solar infra-red via UV-B transmitting plastics. A natural brumation (hibernation) cycle is also employed from the very beginning.

We have a number of detailed articles on how to design and create really good, effective outdoor accommodation for tortoises in all climates. These should be your primary reference source. You can then adapt these concepts as required to your own situation.

There are number of factors to consider carefully and these will vary according to location, available space, and the species to be accommodated. One big factor these days is energy costs. Electricity is expensive! You really can end up with enormous electricity bills if you are running heating 24/7 in winter for a large number of tortoises, for example. So - one of our objectives has been to a) Reduce energy inputs while b) Providing effective and safe heating and lighting from solar sources. Even in winter, sunlight contains far more energy than most people expect. Even if it might not meet 100% of requirements, any reduction in reliance on expensive and poorly-performing artificial sources is to be welcomed.

This was the inspiration for our 'Climate Frame' design. See the full article here: 'The Climate Frame Terrarium UPDATED'.

Many outdoor pens that people use are actually far from suitable or appropriate and fail in numerous respects to meet the real needs of these animals. We spent over 20 years evolving and testing various designs and ideas, and we eventually found some really successful combinations. You can see the results here: 'Practical outdoor habitats and pen design in colder climates'.

One major concern has been trying to meet the needs of the tortoises not merely in a physical sense, but also from the perspective of their 'psychological' needs: Habitat Enrichment for Tortoises - Do we underestimate their real needs?

By incorporating the various concepts described above, some truly excellent habitats can be created that are satifying for both keeper and animals alike. They meet their needs for an interesting, stimulating environment, and one which also meets their physiological needs in terms of temperature, humidity and ability to engage in natural behaviours.

The abolute worst environments of all for tortoises are tiny indoor 'vivarium' enclosures. They are 100% reliant upon artificial light and heat which has numerous problems: How Heat Lamps can Harm the Health of Tortoises and Contribute to Growth Deformities

In addition to those issues, they typically provide grossly inadequate floor space (so much so in many cases that they are fundamentally inhumane in our opinion), poor ventilation and airflow, totally inadequate temperature gradients, very poor thermoregulation oportunities and inadequate substrate mass and depth for burrowing. The typical vivarium 'tank' is frankly a total disaster for tortoises. If that is really all you can provide, then please think again about keeping these animals. Some years ago we conducted highly detailed tests on a variety of commercially sold 'tortoise vivaria' and found that without exception they failed on every level. We used calibrated data loggers and thermal cameras to examine exactly what tortoises in such habitats were being subjected to. The results were shocking, and it is no surprise that we see very high levels of growth absormalities, high levels of renal failure and bladder stones, and many other serious health problems in tortoises that have been kept in such enclosures.

There are viable alternatives.

Some of these are shown and described in the articles linked above, but we also thought it would be helpful if we shared some real-life examples created by YOU. Our followers, members and supporters. This is a 'dynamic' page that we will continue to add new examples to. If you have examples of your own habitats that you think should be included, please take some nice clear photos and let us know. We cannot promise to include everything, but we will include as many as we can.

Here are some examples of Testudo hermanni and Testudo kleinmanni enclosures maintained in Scotland by Andy Robertson. There is extensive use of sunbed acrylic panels (removable) and some supplementary heating is used as necessary - though the solar gain even that far north is very substantial, Further south, for much of the year no additional heat at all is required. Species that brumate (hibernate) can aso do so in these enclosures, which is very important in preventing excess growth rates and consequent deformities: 'Unnaturally High Growth rates in Tortoises: Causes and Consequences'.

The tortoises that Andy raises using this system are a night-and-day difference from the damaged, deformed and depressed animals we constantly find ourselves rescuing from tiny 'vivs'. A further advantage is that a large amount of natural graze can be grown 'in situe'.

Habitats for Testudo klenmanni (Egyptian tortoises).

Creating great enclosures does involve a lot of planning and work, but as you can see, the results are worth it. Here are some enclosures in the process of desgn and construction (build and photos: Tim Savage).

Just part of a mature outdoor pen for Testudo hermanni with enough area to permit a good range of vegetation for self-feeding, with additional greenhouse access as required (Photo: Carole Whittam).

So much better than a featureless, boring pen on a lawn. A stimulating environment that offers different basking spots, supports a wide range of vegetation, and includes a greenhouse to help raise temperatures at the beginning or end of season, or during extended periods of poor weather.

Some truly outstanding pens for Testudo hermanni. Ghislaine Pommier explains:

"Here is the enclosure of my two Hermann's tortoises made in July and August 2024. It was by following the recommendations of your site that I designed it The enclosure is 32 m². I installed two tunnels, covered with rocks, earth and vegetation. I also dug two caves, opening to the rising sun, also covered with rocks and earth, it's their favourite place.

There is also a small pond, a fountain, and two water points.

Following another new article, I made a mini-greenhouse for autumn, and for spring, with a plexi top which I can remove in the summer to replace it with a bamboo shade.

The entire enclosure has been sown with multiple seeds to grow plants suitable for tortoises. I tried to reproduce their biotope. I thank you for all these very interesting articles that you publish and which are a wealth of information."

It is great to see the articles inspire such wondederful enclosures!

If you have similar examples to share, please email them to us as .JPG files preferably of at least 250kb each to permit clear viewing: tortoisetrust@me.com

To receive updates and notifications of new articles, videos and other important news please consider 'Subscribing' to the Tortoise Trust and to our YouTube channel. There is a free option available. This supports our work and allows us to continue to make this information available. The Tortoise Trust also offers comprehensive online courses that cover all aspects of behaviour, ecology and captive care.