# tort table designs - things to include



## Josh (Sep 16, 2007)

hi guys,
if you saw my other thread you know that i might be adopting a couple of desert tortoises 
im going to need to build them an awesome tortoise table and im calling on all tfo posters to help me include all the essential functions of a tort table. if you have designs, dimensions, or tips please post them!

thanks!


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## T-P (Sep 17, 2007)

Well, i dont have plans drawn up...never have done.
but you must make sure the sides are high enough for them to NOT climb (cuz if you have hides and stuff they may be smart and climb on them and over the sides).
Depending on the size of the DT's you may wanna build it as large as possible.

When i built my table top (then we smashed it cuz it was to large LOL)...
we used plywood, that was about 3mm thick. We lined it with pond lining...so the wood wouldnt rot from the damp soil (thats when we tried it lol and my mother hated it).
we brought four 5 foot long and 2 foot wide sheets of wood to build with.
with wood nails and so on.

O_O thats all i can tell you..not helpful sorry


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## halfnelson (Sep 17, 2007)

Make sure you can reach all areas for cleaning. Long and narrow is better than square.


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## Josh (Sep 18, 2007)

good tips. thanks guys!
looks like i will probably buy a large tank from poster spikethebest and when my little dudes get big enough, ill construct something for them outside


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## Crazy1 (Sep 18, 2007)

Josh, 
you can also use a kiddy pool -small ones at Petsmart for dogs. This works well and is big enough for them to run around in and minimal cost. I will be over wintering my greeks this year and I want a larger than 40 gal square aquarium (which they were in when I brought them home.) So I will be using my dogs pool this winter for them which I will house in my computer room so the Dogs stay away from them.


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## Josh (Sep 18, 2007)

petsmart has those little kiddie pools? i was going to try toys r us or pic'n'save


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## Iluvemturts (Sep 19, 2007)

Try Walmart or Kmart.


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## T-P (Sep 19, 2007)

Toys r us are great for lil kiddie pools.

Also glass tanks or wooden vivs are bad for all tortoises


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## Crazy1 (Sep 19, 2007)

Petsmarts pools are a little smaller and seasonal. Toys R us , Walmart, K-Mart even Target has them-Don't know if they are available all year long.- Also what about a used playpen. A friend has hers in a used net playpen-just a temporary thing.


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## Vegas Chad (Sep 19, 2007)

As for outdoor pen... Well, indoor too... It is best to not let them be able to see out the sides... If they can see out the sides they will just keep trying to escape. Same with a pen of sorts... Some use the mesh dog pens that have large squares in them, your tort will spend they day with his head sticking out because he thinks he can escape.


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## Crazy1 (Sep 19, 2007)

So true Vegas Chad. they must have the area they can see through solid- be it board, colored opaque plastic, anything as long as they cant see what is on the other side of the "fence"-remember the old saying 'it's always greener on the other side of the fence' well I think Torts took this saying literaly and really, really, believe it.


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## Laura (Sep 19, 2007)

For my russian I used a kiddie pool from Walmart. It was $10 bucks. Brought it home poked holes in the bottom for drainage, put rock and dirt in it, ( be sure to have it in a location you wnat it in.. it gets heavy) and then put a few flower pots on thier side, a feed dish and a shallow dish for water. 
I transplanted some grasses and its looking nice and the tort loves it! He can cruise in circles all day if he wants. 
Gonna have to move him inside soon....


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## chris (Sep 20, 2007)

T-P said:


> Toys r us are great for lil kiddie pools.
> 
> Also glass tanks or wooden vivs are bad for all tortoises



What makes glass tanks bad for torts? Even large aquariums for baby torts?


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## Josh (Sep 20, 2007)

chris, i dont think tanks are all bad. its just that air flow can become a concern, and generally speaking, i think everyone here just hates the idea of a tortoise in a 10gal aquarium.


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## chris (Sep 20, 2007)

josh said:


> chris, i dont think tanks are all bad. its just that air flow can become a concern, and generally speaking, i think everyone here just hates the idea of a tortoise in a 10gal aquarium.



Makes sense. I have 2 empty 55 gallons. I am wanting a couple of baby redfoots. Would these work for a while as they are babies?


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## Josh (Sep 20, 2007)

i would think so... as long as they are allowed to roam somewhere else too on a daily basis. of course this implies you've got the right temp inside along with UVB bulbs...(blah blah blah)...


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## Josh (Sep 20, 2007)

i went to walmart target toys r us and petco today to look for a kiddie pool. no dice.
i posted a bunch of craigslist wanted ads but all ive gotten in return is someone suggesting i check Food4Less stores...


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## Jentortmom (Sep 20, 2007)

Circulation is a big problem with aquariums, plus they can see out the glass and spend the whole day trying to get out. They have reptile tanks that are wider and shorter, I am not sure how circulation is in those tanks. A huge rubbermais tote works great for babies, boxies, even a temporary pond. They are $ 15.00 at walmart and you can get them year round. Of course if you have a bunch of them they take up a lot of space, but one or two are good.


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## halfnelson (Sep 26, 2007)

ToysR Us has plastic sand boxes (same size and shape as the pools) that would work well. They even have lids.


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## Flying Jenny (Oct 12, 2007)

Here is the first tort table we have built for our Hermann's. He loves the two level thing and goes up and down the "stairs" on a daily basis. He is bigger now than he was in these pictures and has a larger habi-hut and a larger water bowl. We are going to build him a bigger version of this habitat around Christmas time so he has more room to move. The tray that has the weeds in it is a plastic silverware tray from Target. We bought a bunch of them and planted them with weeds so that we can switch them out after he eats up all the weeds.


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## Jacqui (Oct 13, 2007)

The pools at most places (and sandboxes) will be seasonal and should already be sold out. Christmas items are now being stocked. Which is good, because like mentioned the rubbermaid conatiners are great. At Christmas (meaning they should be in stock now or real soon) are ones for wrapping paper. They tend to be a little larger in size, but not so much depth. With your wee ones, they would be deep enough to hold them.

Am seeing a lot of the pools coming onto Freecycle (this areas Craig's list) and also those cute turtle sand boxes by Little Tykes (I believe).


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## T-P (Oct 14, 2007)

Actually Vegas Chad, you can use things like meshed pens.
I use them all the time, and my tortoises never try to escape.

Indoor, you can use rabbit cage.


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## barbie69 (Nov 2, 2007)

I was able to purchase an outdoor pond for $35 on craigslist as well as 3 sandboxes at $10 each !! My boss also brough me her son's old sandbox for free and it is HUGE!! I am so excited to get them all set up!! 
I did ask this on another thread but I thought I would ask here too....where do you all get your soil for the soil/sand mix that everyone says is the "best" substrate? I would like to try this for at least one of the enclosures to see if I like it, but I don't have a clue what soil to use.


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## JustAnja (Nov 2, 2007)

I use organic top soil mixed with play sand 50/50 for large enclosures. For smaller enclosures I use Bed-A-Beast (the coco shreds) mixed with play sand 50/50. The bedabeast/coco bricks are not that cheap, like $5 for one brick that will make enough coco bedding for a 40 gallon tank. Its not much when it all expands.


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## Jacqui (Nov 2, 2007)

I remember the first time I saw one of those bricks. I thought folks were crazy and it would not make much bedding. Then I plopped one in the water in a large bowl and it just kept expanding and falling over the sides.

Some of them do a great job of expanding, but others take a little longer. Not sure the whys to that. Same brands and same water temps, but not always the same speed and ease of expanding.

I do like the fact they come in the nice neat little bricks from the store. Easier to pick up and bring home.


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## barbie69 (Nov 2, 2007)

Hmmmm I think I like the idea of the coconut fiber stuff better that dirt. I wonder how many bricks I would need for a sandbox if I do the 50/50 split. How often do you do a complete cleaning(remove and replace all the bedding)? 
Thanks for the help!!


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## chilieo (Dec 3, 2007)

Just to let everyone know.....kiddie pools are ONLY summer seasonal. I've found that out the hard way. I can't even find anyone, currently, that is willing to get rid of one. So, as an FYI - went and got a Walmart Tree Box it's approximately 4 feet long by 2 ft wide. So, far it's great plenty of room for GT to roam.

Any suggestions for adding things into this environment? ? ? (rocks, excercise, etc.) I currently have a hide-a-log and a water "bowl", but that's about it. (o, minus the substrate of bed-a-beast and cypress bed.


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## TestudoGeek (Dec 3, 2007)

barbie69 said:


> How often do you do a complete cleaning(remove and replace all the bedding)?



I change the coconut substrate completely more or less every 2 months. But I have a baby tort still and I spot clean everyday.

I personally don't add any sand, but have added flat (and also round) stones to the enclosure to improve what I like to call "the footing experience". LOL


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## Lori J (Mar 22, 2010)

Flying Jenny said:


> Here is the first tort table we have built for our Hermann's. He loves the two level thing and goes up and down the "stairs" on a daily basis. He is bigger now than he was in these pictures and has a larger habi-hut and a larger water bowl. We are going to build him a bigger version of this habitat around Christmas time so he has more room to move. The tray that has the weeds in it is a plastic silverware tray from Target. We bought a bunch of them and planted them with weeds so that we can switch them out after he eats up all the weeds.



i know this is an older post..but nice home. where did you get the logs from? they are a great idea.


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## N2TORTS (Mar 22, 2010)

Josh said:


> hi guys,
> if you saw my other thread you know that i might be adopting a couple of desert tortoises
> im going to need to build them an awesome tortoise table and im calling on all tfo posters to help me include all the essential functions of a tort table. if you have designs, dimensions, or tips please post them!
> 
> thanks!



One thing ... about DT's. . .. they love to dig and burrow..... and most so called " Tort ~ TABLES" ... are not deep enough to accomidate this. If making one I would not only worry about the square footage ,but also the depth of it to help satisfy this natural urge and keep your tort happy. 
JD~
*on a side note* 
My first DT was obtained in 1973. 3 still in the family and my aunts is going on 32 years with her!



Josh said:


> i went to walmart target toys r us and petco today to look for a kiddie pool. no dice.
> i posted a bunch of craigslist wanted ads but all ive gotten in return is someone suggesting i check Food4Less stores...



Josh ....
try CVS...Thriftys .. or longs ..drug store "type"...belive it or not they start to carry those this time of year!
JD~


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