FAQ: Enclosures for reptiles

The most common causes are a filter that is too weak, too much food, infrequent water changes or a tank that is too small. It helps to feed the turtle in a separate container so leftovers do not foul the tank.

A mesh lid stops the turtle escaping, keeps other pets out and reduces evaporation, but it must not block the UVB lamp. If the lamp shines through the lid, it must be mesh rather than glass or plastic.

Small plastic tubs are suitable only briefly or for transport, as they hold too little water and have no room for a filter, heater and proper basking spot. Hatchlings grow quickly, so they need a real tank or aquaterrarium.

Turtles often catch and eat fish or nip their fins, and fish may nip the turtle. Keeping them together is possible only in a very large tank with suitable species, but it is usually avoided.

The land area can be a platform, a hanging shelf or part of the tank separated by a glass divider and filled with substrate. It must stay dry, be heated by a lamp and be reachable by a gentle ramp.

Yes, female aquatic turtles can lay eggs even without a male, so they need a box or land area of damp sand and soil where they can dig. Without a suitable spot a female may retain her eggs, which is dangerous, so see a vet if she seems restless.

Musk turtles are small, so an adult often does well in a tank of several tens to around a hundred litres with fairly shallow water. They like to walk along the bottom, so branches and rocks that help them reach the surface are useful.

In warm weather some keepers house turtles in secure outdoor ponds where they get natural sun. The pond must be fenced against escape and predators, have a basking spot and shade, and the turtle must come indoors in cool weather.

Pet turtles must not be released into the wild, as red-eared sliders and other non-native turtles can harm local wildlife and often do not survive the winter themselves. If you can no longer keep one, look for new owners or contact animal welfare organisations.

A tortoise table is an open, wide enclosure with low walls, often wooden, that gives the tortoise plenty of room to walk and good air circulation. It often works better than a glass terrarium, where tortoises may keep trying to walk through the glass.

Tortoises do not understand transparent walls and try to walk through them, which can cause stress. Opaque lower walls, a larger enclosure or an open tortoise table help, and constant escape attempts may also signal the wrong temperature.

An outdoor enclosure should be sunny with shaded spots, a hide, a water dish and a secure fence sunk into the ground, as tortoises dig. Covering the top with netting protects against birds and other predators.

The fence should be at least twice the tortoise’s shell length in height and smooth so it cannot climb, with inward-facing top edges in the corners. The bottom of the fence is sunk into the ground so the tortoise cannot dig out.

A tortoise can be kept outdoors on warm days when the air temperature is high enough for its species and nights are not too cold. A greenhouse or heated shelter helps on cooler days, and in the cold season the tortoise is kept indoors or brumates as a vet advises.

It is a small enclosed structure in the pen where the tortoise can warm up on cool days or nights. It often has a lamp or heater with a thermostat rated for outdoor use, and it must be well ventilated so it does not overheat on a sunny day.

It helps to grow plants tortoises can eat in an outdoor pen, such as dandelions, plantain or clover, while shrubs provide shade. Avoid toxic garden plants and do not use fertilisers or pesticides in that area.

On warm days some lizards, such as bearded dragons, benefit from time in a secure mesh outdoor enclosure in direct sun. The enclosure must have shade and water and be supervised, and reptiles must not stay outside in cool weather.

Droppings and food leftovers are removed daily or when you notice them, the water bowl is washed often, and a full clean with a substrate change is done every few weeks or months. How often depends on the species, the number of animals and the substrate type.

A terrarium is most safely cleaned with hot water and reptile-safe disinfectants, following the label instructions. Rinse and dry everything thoroughly afterwards so no chemical residue remains.

Many household cleaners contain fragrances, ammonia or other substances that harm reptiles, so it is better not to use them. If you use diluted products, follow the instructions, rinse thoroughly and air the terrarium before returning the animal.