i agree alot with this. many reps are kept in a viv, i keep all of my reptiles in a vivarium and they need exactly the same requirements as a tort. IF you understand how a vivarium works then its no problem at all to create the perfect environment for a tortoise. It does however seem that reptile keepers can manage this perfectly well, while tortoise keepers struggle to get it right. I have no idea why! if you have never kept reptiles before, just go straight for a tortoise table, it will save you some grief and earache.

I personally find it much easier to create the perfect temperature range for my animals in an enclosed space than in an open topped pen. my leopard tortoises couldnt possible live in a viv cos they are HUGE so they have a greenhouse. But its exactly the same thing; a glass box with vets......I am due to collect two pancake tortoises in a few weeks and they will be living in a viv. A, for security and B, cos thats what i have available to house them.

The main prob with a viv i think is humidity but surely that would be sorted with dry substrate and air holes ?? I think another problem is the fact that they try to get out through the glass and can get distressed but you can cover the bottom section so they cannot see out. I use a home made table, it is way bigger than most vivs too. I do not think the viv will be a problem as long as those areas are addressed

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1 Horsefield Tortoise - Henry
2 Leopard geckos - Meemoo and Bubbles
1 Chaco Golden Knee - Coco
1 Carolina Corn - Minty
1 Camel toe - Incy

From reading up on Horsfields and posts made by other Horsfield owners and from watching our two, it seems that Horsfields are nearly always looking for an escape route from any type of enclosure regardless of size.
Our tort table is 6feet by 3feet and the outside enclosure is 6feet by 4feet so they have plenty of space and things to explore but ours will still spend quite a bit of time wandering around the edges and sometimes trying to climb or butt their way out, even when roaming around the ground floor of the house.
I am not sure if this applies to all torts but does seem a common trait in Horsfields

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Everything good is bad ............. everything bad is good ....

My 2 horsfield's do exactly the same especially when outside and thier outside pen is 8ft by 2ft!

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I'm not biased, I don't care who beats St Helens