I dont know If I would go as far as saying they dont make good indoor pets. I would say they are very expensive to set up indoors properly. I have a 125 gal and a 75 gal tank for my aquatics. For my tortoise I have a 6 ft by 2 ft wood and plexi enclosure they all have uv and heat lamps. You really need to give them the space, lighting proper diet and heating they need and yes there are alot of res that need homes cause they are the ones that are peddled on the street as these cute little babies that can live in a death bowl their entire life that is not true what so ever. Sliders get huge.