Hi Everyone

I am looking for as much help and advice as possible. I am in the process of adopting a 7 year old herman tortoise form the SPCA. Anyway they are kinda looking for a quick turnaround as Horace is currently being kept in one of those dreaded vivariums. Anyway I have never ever had a tortoise but I have spoken to a lovely man on the phone who rescues torts and he gave me loads of advice and has pointed me in this direction.

I am looking to house horace out doors in my back garden but the issue i have is the time it will take my hub to build a suitable enclosure for him to live in.

So what I thought of doing is setting horace temporarily up in a big giant (dog cage - size wise biggest dog cage you can get). I was gong to put his wooden house with basking light/heat light thing and also have an area where he can wander around in safely until we build his big enclosure. I was also going to have his temporary accommodation outside but I just wanted to check if everyone thought this would be ok as the last thing I want to do is damage him or hurt him?

Any other helP would be fantastic xxx

Hi  what a lucky tort to have found you!!
Luckily the weather is going to be getting warmer so that will sort out the uv and heat issue. What you are suggesting will be fine, you can put a false bottom in,put wood around the edges so he can't see out, and put sand/soil substrate for his tempory housing, it has got to be better than a viv, like you said! when it is an emergency you cope the best that you can. The fact that you know the difference in a bad habitat and a good one your little one can only benefit.
Hope Horace is with you soon, look forward to receiving more posts from you
Jane