Habitat Guidelines: Outdoor Pens for Box Turtles, Russian Tortoises, and "Greek" Tortoises

• pen must be predator-proof as appropriate to your area (from dog, raccoon, fox, skunk, coyote, etc.)
• fencing must be opaque, at least 12" high, and buried at least 4" in substrate
• in Colorado, nighttime low temperatures should be at least 45°F by May 15th and turtles should be able to live outdoors for at least 5 months of the year
• minimum size for one or two turtles/small tortoises: 36 sq. ft.; Three: 50 sq. ft.
• recessed water dish accessible from all sides for entry and exit
• artificial or natural hides (one for each turtle plus one additional)
• brush pile for burrowing
• live vegetation
• CoRHS recommendations: Spiderwort (Tradescantia spp.), strawberry, squash, sunflower, dandelion, globe mallow, bindweed, grasses
• for a list of toxic plants to avoid, please see the California Turtle & Tortoise Club’s list of poisonous plants: http://www.tortoise.org/general/poisonp.html
• areas of shade and areas of morning sun
• males should not outnumber females
• for photos of example pens, please visit: http://corhs.org/Turtle_Habitats/

Habitat Guidelines: Outdoor Ponds for Aquatic Turtles

• pen must be predator-proof as appropriate to your area (from dog, raccoon, fox, skunk, coyote, etc.)
• fencing must be opaque, at least 12" high, and buried at least 4" in substrate
• minimum size for one turtle: 100 gallons; Two turtles: 150 gallons
• for examples of pre-formed pond liners, please see: http://www.pondepot.com/preformedponds.html
• for a pond volume calculator, please see: http://www.pondliner.com/product/pond_liner_size_calculator/topics
• pond must have minimum depth of 2’ of an area large enough for turtle(s) to rest horizontally on bottom
• easy-access basking areas (one for each turtle plus one)
• aquatic plants, floating logs, and/or other cover to provide shade
• areas of shade and areas of morning sun
• filtration system must be suitable for turtles
• CoRHS uses and recommends a biological filter such as those offered by Skippy’s Beautiful Ponds & Gardens: http://skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm
• “turtle” filters as sold in pet stores are generally not appropriate for outdoor use
• traditional pond filters are designed for small fish, not turtles
• a UV sterilizer will help keep water clear, but is not necessary for turtles
• pond water must be adequately oxygenated through the use of air bubblers and/or flowing water
• if turtles will overwinter in pond, aeration and filtration systems must remain running throughout winter and pond must not freeze solid
• for more on hibernating aquatic turtles, please see the CoRHS Guide to Aquatic Turtle Hibernation: http://corhs.org/CoRHS_Aquatic_Turtle_Hibernation_Guide.pdf

Habitat Guidelines: Terrestrial Snakes

• pen must be escape-proof – use either top clips or weights on each corner
• ventilation – either top or side ventilation
• minimum size for one snake: 40 gallon aquarium (36” x 18” footprint) or 55 gal aquarium (48” x 12” footprint) for snakes that don’t exceed 4’ long as adults (see our habitat requirements page for more information) – attempt to provide the largest habitat you can for the benefit of the snake and so that you can enjoy watching more natural behaviors. Snake should be able to fully stretch out in his habitat
• heating elements (human heating pad, under-tank heater, ceramic heat emitter/element (CHE), radiant heat panels (RHPs), black or red bulbs) – snake must be protected from being burned by hot surfaces. Note: if you purchase a human heating pad, make sure it does not have an auto-shut-off feature. Human heating pads are UL listed for humans so are reliable. CoRHS’ recommendation is to use a CHE of the appropriate wattage for the space. A 150W CHE will typically heat one end of a 40 gal or 55 gal tank sufficiently (depending on ambient room temp)  You will need to test it in your environment to ensure proper temps. A far superior heating option is the use of RHPs, because there is no burn risk. Always be sure to have a second heat source available should your first one fail.
• thermometers (make sure they are placed where the snake’s belly lays to get a correct reading [can also help avoid burns if you have an under-tank heater]).  CoRHS strongly recommends the use of thermostats and temperature guns. Temp guns are inexpensive and give accurate temperatures. They can be purchased here:  http://www.reptileuv.com/reptileuv-mini-temperature-gun.php
• substrate that facilitates easy cleaning (used towels, indoor/outdoor carpet, shredded paper product, shredded cypress mulch). CoRHS cautions against the use of potentially harmful substrates that are readily available in pet stores: e.g., cedar mulch, sand, pine shavings, etc. Cedar and pine give off toxic fumes and sand can be ingested (causing bowel impaction) and cause severe eye damage.
• water dish large enough for the snake to completely submerge himself
• at least two artificial or natural hides large enough for the snake to be fully enclosed – one on the warm side and one on the cooler side
• enrichment items (fake greenery, branches, plants, paper towel tubes, etc.) – nice to change out items regularly to alleviate boredom. Change items no more than quarterly to avoid inducing the stress that cleaning and change may cause a captive snake.

Habitat Guidelines: Arboreal Snakes (boa constrictors, etc.)

• pen must be escape-proof – latches with locks are recommended
• ventilation – either top or side ventilation
• minimum size for one snake: 4’ long x 2.5’ wide x 5’high for a boa – larger for a larger snake (i.e. Burmese python) adults (see our habitat requirements page for more information) – attempt to provide the largest habitat you can for the benefit of the snake and so that you can enjoy watching more natural behaviors. Snake should be able to fully stretch out in his habitat
• heating elements (human heating pad, under-tank heater, ceramic heat emitter/element (CHE), radiant heat panels (RHPs), black or red bulbs) – snake must be protected from being burned by hot surfaces. Note: if you purchase a human heating pad, make sure it does not have an auto-shut-off feature. Human heating pads are UL listed for humans so are reliable. CoRHS’ recommendation is to use a CHE of the appropriate wattage for the space. To heat an arboreal snake’s habitat, you will likely need two 150W CHEs as well as a heat source near the bottom of the habitat (depending on ambient room temp)  You will need to test in your environment to ensure proper temps. A far superior heating option is the use of RHPs, because there is no burn risk. Always be sure to have a second heat source available should your first one fail.
• thermometers (make sure they are placed where the snake’s belly lays to get a correct reading [can also help avoid burns if you have an under-tank heater]).  CoRHS strongly recommends the use of thermostats and temperature guns. Temp guns are inexpensive and give accurate temperatures. They can be purchased here:  http://www.reptileuv.com/reptileuv-mini-temperature-gun.php
• substrate that facilitates easy cleaning (used towels, indoor/outdoor carpet, shredded paper product, shredded cypress mulch). CoRHS cautions against the use of potentially harmful substrates that are readily available in pet stores: e.g., cedar mulch, sand, pine shavings, etc. Cedar and pine give off toxic fumes and sand can be ingested (causing bowel impaction) and cause severe eye damage.
• water dish large enough for the snake to completely submerge himself
• at least two artificial or natural hides large enough for the snake to be fully enclosed – one on the warm side and one on the cooler side
• enrichment items (fake greenery, branches, plants, paper towel tubes, etc.) – nice to change out items regularly to alleviate boredom. Change items no more than quarterly to avoid inducing the stress that cleaning and change may cause a captive snake.
• shelves and climbing branches to access them are required.  “Cat trees” make great climbing and resting areas for large, arboreal snakes.