If you want the most in the box, start with our PawHut Dual-Zone Tortoise House, the only one of the four indoor tortoise tables below whose package includes both a lamp holder and a feeding bowl.[1] Then choose the table that matches what matters most to you
- Best Complete Package: PawHut Dual-Zone Tortoise House With Clear Panels and Metal Mesh, £86.99. It adds metal mesh and a lockable top lid to the lamp holder and bowl, and it is made for indoor use.[1]
- Best for Basking Space: PawHut Wooden Tortoise House With Storage Shelf and Lamp Holder, £75.99. Its basking area measures 76.5 x 43.5 cm, the largest of the four.[2]
- Best Budget: PawHut Tortoise Table With Adjustable Lamp Holder and Pull-Out Trays, £63.99. It is the lowest priced of the four and has two pull-out trays and two openable lids.[3]
- Best for Floor Space: PawHut 3-Room Tortoise House With Two Stories, Ladder and Balcony, £107.99. Its 108 x 61 cm run is the only floor of the four to reach the Tortoise Protection Group’s (TPG) hatchling table size of about 1 m x 600 mm.[4][5]
The dual-zone, shelf and budget tables are all narrower than 600 mm.[5] None of the four packages includes a heat lamp, so you will need to buy one separately, and all four come with free UK mainland delivery.[1][2][3][4]
How we Chose
We chose these four from our tortoise house range and compared them using the details on each product page. The care guides we used cover Mediterranean species such as Hermann’s tortoise, while our product pages say tortoise without naming a species. We compared the four on five points:
- Package: Whether the box includes a lamp holder, a bowl and a manual.
- Basking and lamp: A lamp holder or stand, and the basking area size where we give one. UK care guides do not give a basking-area size, so we compare the sizes on our product pages.
- Hide and floor: The house and open floor sizes against TPG’s table sizes.[5]
- Cleaning access: Trays and openable tops, because daily spot cleaning is advised.[6]
- Price and ratings: Our current price, and the customer rating with its number of ratings.
Starter Tortoise Tables Compared on Price, Package and Care
| Best for | Product | Price | Overall size (L x W x H) | In the package | Rating |
| Best Complete Package | Dual-Zone Tortoise House[1] | £86.99 | 104 x 53 x 82 cm | House, lamp holder, feeding bowl, manual | 4.6 from 5 ratings |
| Best for Basking Space | Tortoise House With Storage Shelf and Lamp Holder[2] | £75.99 | 84.5 x 47.5 x 90 cm | House, manual | 4.8 from 5 ratings |
| Best Budget | Tortoise Table With Adjustable Lamp Holder[3] | £63.99 | 81 x 48 x 31.5 cm | House, manual | 5.0 from 2 ratings |
| Best for Floor Space | 3-Room Tortoise House[4] | £107.99 | 112 x 65 x 59 cm | House, manual | 4.9 from 16 ratings |
Best Complete Package: PawHut Dual-Zone Tortoise House With Clear Panels and Metal Mesh[1]
Our wooden tortoise house has the largest basking area of the four, at 76.5 x 43.5 cm. It comes with a lamp stand and a separate main house for resting.
- Basking and lamp: A lamp stand sits in the basking area. The lamp is not included.
- Hide and floor: A separate main house of 41.5 x 41.5 cm, with a 25 x 74.5 cm front window and a 25 x 37.5 cm side window.
- Cleaning: A built-in tray and an openable top, with a storage shelf below.
- Best suited to: An owner with room for a table 85 cm long and 90 cm high who wants a defined basking zone and a shelf for supplies in one piece.
- Pros: The largest listed basking area of the four, and a shelf that keeps supplies within reach.
- Limitations: At 84.5 x 47.5 cm overall it is under TPG’s hatchling figure in both directions.[5] It has the tallest listed overall height, 90 cm.
- Who should choose another option: Owners who want mesh and a bowl in the package (Dual-Zone Tortoise House) [1] or a lower price (Tortoise Table With Adjustable Lamp Holder). [3]
- Price and delivery: Priced at £75.99 at time of writing, with free UK mainland delivery. Contact us within 30 calendar days of delivery to return it.
Best for Basking Space: PawHut Wooden Tortoise House With Storage Shelf and Lamp Holder[2]
This wooden tortoise house has the largest basking area of the four, at 76.5 x 43.5 cm. It comes with a lamp stand and a separate main house for resting. It is designed for tortoises and for indoor use.
- Basking and lamp: A lamp stand sits in the basking area. The lamp is not included.
- Hide and floor: A separate main house of 41.5 x 41.5 cm, with a 25 x 74.5 cm front window and a 25 x 37.5 cm side window.
- Cleaning: A built-in tray and an openable top, with a storage shelf below.
- Best suited to: An owner with room for a table 85 cm long and 90 cm high who wants a defined basking zone and a shelf for supplies in one piece.
- Pros: The largest listed basking area of the four, and a shelf that keeps supplies within reach.
- Limitations: At 84.5 x 47.5 cm overall it is under TPG’s hatchling figure in both directions.[5] It has the tallest listed overall height, 90 cm.[2]
- Who should choose another option: Owners who want mesh and a bowl in the package (the dual-zone house) or a lower price (the adjustable lamp holder table).
- Price and delivery: Priced at £75.99 at time of writing, with free UK mainland delivery. Contact us within 30 calendar days of delivery to return it.[2]
Best Budget: PawHut Tortoise Table With Adjustable Lamp Holder and Pull-Out Trays[3]
It is the lowest priced of the four, and the only one to list a lamp holder with an adjustable height, 80 to 100 cm, alongside two pull-out trays.
- Basking and lamp: An adjustable lamp holder, and a built-in hide box and basking area with metal grating. The package lists the house and manual only.
- Hide and floor: A main house of 30 x 44 cm and a run cage of 44.5 x 44 cm, with mesh wire for air circulation.
- Cleaning: Two pull-out trays and two openable lids with locks.
- Best suited to: A first small tortoise on a tight budget, in a room with about 80 cm of floor to spare.
- Pros: The lowest price, an adjustable lamp height and two trays.
- Limitations: It has the smallest footprint and run of the four, under TPG’s hatchling figure in both directions, and the page gives no size for the hide box or basking area.[5]
- Who should choose another option: Owners who want a bowl in the box (Dual-Zone Tortoise House)[1] or the most floor (3-Room Tortoise House).[4]
- Price and delivery: Priced at £63.99 at time of writing, with free UK mainland delivery. Contact us within 30 calendar days of delivery to return it.
Best for Floor Space: PawHut 3-Room Tortoise House With Two Stories, Ladder and Balcony[4]
Its 108 x 61 cm run is the largest open floor of the four and the only one to reach TPG’s hatchling figure, and it has the most ratings, 16, with a score of 4.9.
- Basking and lamp: No lamp holder or lamp tray is listed. The page describes a balcony for basking.
- Hide and floor: A sleeping area of 43 x 29 cm, a run cage of 108 x 61 cm and a ladder to a 43 x 26 cm balcony.
- Cleaning: One plastic tray and openable mesh roofs.
- Best suited to: An owner with about 1.1 m of floor to spare who wants room for a growing tortoise.
- Pros: The most open floor, mesh roofs for airflow and the highest rating count.
- Limitations: It is the highest priced and heaviest of the four, at 14 kg. With no lamp holder listed, plan an overhead lamp stand,[5] and the two levels add a ladder to the floor plan.
- Who should choose another option: Owners who want a lamp holder in the package (Dual-Zone Tortoise House) [1] or the lowest price (Tortoise Table With Adjustable Lamp Holder). [3]
- Price and delivery: Priced at £107.99 at time of writing, with free UK mainland delivery. Contact us within 30 calendar days of delivery to return it.
Starter Checks Before You Buy a Tortoise Table
These four checks work for any tortoise table, not only ours.
- Floor size: TPG gives about 1 m x 600 mm for a hatchling and 2 m x 600 mm for a juvenile, so compare the open floor, not only the outside size.[5]
- Basking spot: TPG describes a lamp hung directly overhead, about 300 mm from the tortoise, and does not recommend clamping it to the side, so check the holder or stand can hang the lamp over one end at about that height.[5]
- Hides: The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) says hides should sit at both the warm and cooler ends, so a table with one house needs a second hide on the floor.[7]
- Sides and airflow: The Tortoise Table advises solid sides at least 20 cm above the substrate and an open top for airflow,[6] and TPG says a tortoise may constantly try to get through transparent sides,[5] while three of these tables list clear panels or windows,[1] [2][3] so check how much of the wall is solid and what a lid or mesh top does to air movement.
What Do Owners’ Ratings Show?
Customer ratings for these four tables range from 4.6 to 5.0 at the time of writing. The 3-room house has the most reviews, with 4.9 from 16 ratings, while the adjustable lamp holder table scores 5.0 from 2. Counts this small can shift quickly, so check the product page for the latest ratings before you buy.[1][2][3][4]
Delivery, Returns and Setup
All four tables come with free UK mainland delivery, with a courier fee for Northern Ireland. Contact us within 30 calendar days of delivery to return, exchange or refund an order.[1][2][3][4]
- Returns: We may charge return shipping on non-warranty returns and exchanges.
- Assembly: Each package includes a manual. We do not state the tools or time needed on the product pages, so read the manual before you order.
Key Takeaways
- Best Complete Package: Choose the dual-zone house, £86.99, if you want a lamp holder and bowl in the package.
- Best for Basking Space: Choose the shelf and lamp holder house, £75.99, for the largest listed basking area.
- Best Budget: Choose the adjustable lamp holder table, £63.99, for the lowest price with two pull-out trays.
- Best for Floor Space: Choose the 3-room house, £107.99, for the only run that reaches TPG’s hatchling figure.
- Before any of them: Plan to buy the heat lamp separately, and measure your space against TPG’s table sizes.[5]
FAQs
1. Is a tortoise table or a vivarium better for a first UK setup?
For a Mediterranean tortoise such as a Hermann’s, a table is the better choice. The Tortoise Protection Group (TPG) says vivariums are not a good idea because humidity builds up, the floor space is too small as the tortoise grows and the temperature is similar throughout.[5] The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) advises well-ventilated open-top enclosures such as a tortoise table.[7]
2. How often should a tortoise table be cleaned?
3. Does a tortoise table need a thermostat or a heat mat?
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) says heat sources should ideally be regulated with a thermostat, with temperatures measured on a separate digital maximum and minimum thermometer.[7] The Tortoise Protection Group (TPG) says simple reptile thermometers can measure the temperature under the basking lamp and at the cool end, and does not normally recommend heat mats, which can lead to thermal burns, while RVC lists a back-wall heat mat among background heat options.[5][7]
References
[1] PawHut Wooden Tortoise House with Dual-Zone Habitat, Clear Panels, Openable Top, Metal Mesh, for Tortoises and Small Pets, Grey | Aosom UK.
https://www.aosom.co.uk/item/pawhut-turtle-house-enclosure-2-areas-with-lamp-holder-hinged-roof-sliding-tray-104-x-53-x-82-cm-gray~2488FCNBPLO00.html
[2] PawHut Wooden Tortoise House with Storage Shelf, Clear Observation Windows, Lamp Holder, Openable Top, Built-in Tray, Grey | Aosom UK.
https://www.aosom.co.uk/item/pawhut-wooden-tortoise-house-with-storage-shelf-clear-observation-windows-lamp-holder-openable-top-built-in-tray-grey~1RF2JIM71I800.html
[3] PawHut Tortoise Table with Adjustable Lamp Holder, Wooden Tortoise House w/ Openable Lids, Pull-Out Trays, Grey | Aosom UK.
https://www.aosom.co.uk/item/pawhut-tortoise-table-with-adjustable-lamp-holder-wooden-tortoise-house-with-openable-lids-pull-out-trays-grey~1KU17J4D07801.html
[4] PawHut Tortoise House 3-Room with 2 Stories, Ladder, Balcony, Tray, Openable Roof, 59H x 112L x 65Wcm, Grey | Aosom UK.
https://www.aosom.co.uk/item/pawhut-tortoise-house-3-room-with-2-stories-ladder-balcony-tray-openable-roof-59h-x-112l-x-65wcm-dark-grey~1QGR0LB6PPO01.html
[5] Buying & setting up for a baby tortoise – Tortoise Protection Group.
https://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/164.asp
[6] Indoor Housing – The Tortoise Table.
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-care/enclosures/indoor-housing
[7] Mediterranean Tortoise Care (reviewed December 2022) – RVC Exotics Service, Royal Veterinary College.
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/EXOTICS/Animal%20Care%20Factsheets/Mediterranean-tortoise%20care-and-advice-Dec-2022-jh.pdf