# Plastic flaps for enclosure entry



## nyejoshua (Mar 17, 2018)

Does anyone have a good recommendation for where to get plastic flaps for the entry to my sulcata’s enclosure?


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## Markw84 (Mar 17, 2018)

Where are you located???


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## wellington (Mar 17, 2018)

I buy mine from Home Depot. Then I cut them into strips and staple them up overlapping them. It's the plastic they sell on a role in a their flooring department. It doesn't have those pointy hard things on the one side. This is smooth on both sides and its clear.


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## Markw84 (Mar 17, 2018)

I use vinyl door strips. The stuff the markets use for doors to their freezers. You can get it on Amazon depending upon your location


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## teresaf (Mar 17, 2018)

My husband works on restaurant coolers, fryers, grills, ect and got mine when he replaced some on a walk-in cooler.


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## NorCal tortoise guy (Mar 17, 2018)

I've always used rubber pond liner avalible from most home stores


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## Cowboy_Ken (Mar 17, 2018)

Check out fabric stores or those “do it yourself” sections of large container stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, sometimes Walmart will carry it as a carpet runner, but this typically has those pointed bumps all over one side to help keep it in place on a carpet. I used that on one of the first I made. I just grabbed a hammer with it on my smooth, clean, concrete, garage floor. With the bumpies pointin’ up, I pounded on them to, “dull” them down. It worked. After a while y’all will learn how much is needed for each one, and it goes by fairly fast. 
Thinking the Cowboy way about this, I was thinking that if y’all have youngin’s skilled enough to use a hammer, pay them to do it. Heck, give them some iCash or whatever for them to use on their iPhone. 
That one used with the bumps, was a “need something now situation”. It worked great for years. It never caused the tortoises any problems, and I would have been able to (insert sarcasm here) feel from them if it was an issue not just in feelings, but also by the looks one there faces (that was still sarcasm. <if you don’t know look it up. >) 
Minus the posting in the middle of the “sarcasm section” all of the rest was true and useful information I too stapled mine to the wood. I used a separate piece of wood to staple the strips to then screwed the wood above the door opening, this allows me to adjust the height. Depending on how tall tortoise carapace is towards the front, you can make the plastic strips too long allowing as little air exchange as possible. If it’s too short, too much air exchange will take place.


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## Chicobeaks (Mar 17, 2018)

Go to a restaurant supply shop and get a couple of the pvc strips they use for walk in coolers. I have them on a couple of my hot houses and they work great. My tortoises stay warm in 30+ degree weather with those, a heater and a thermostat.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 18, 2018)

Do a Google search for "vinyl strip door."


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## PA2019 (Mar 18, 2018)

I went super cheap and just bought a thick, clear plastic shower curtain from Ross for $5. I made 3 layers and staggered the cuts so they overlapped. 

I looked at buying a roll of floor liner at Home Depot, but didn’t need so much.


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## Maro2Bear (Mar 18, 2018)

I use an indoor outdoor carpet mat from the dollar store




Here you can see our Sully posing in his entrance. Likes to sit half way in/out as he ponders what to do or where to go for the day!


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## Hugo's Home (Mar 19, 2018)

I went to home depot and bought the plastic floor strips to cover carpet without the spikes. I like the carpet mat idea the best and will probably replace mine with that since my guy has started to rip the plastic.


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## teresaf (Mar 19, 2018)

My concern with the carpet fabric stuff would be that he can't SEE through it therefore he might not GO through it. Especially if you overlap it like you do the plastic stuff to maximize the effect of keeping the temperature inside separate from outside. I know Maro2bear's tort has figured it out but some tortoises are just stupid....


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## WithLisa (Mar 19, 2018)

Depends on the size of the tortoise (or rather the entry). If that's big enough I would get a transparent desk pad. Cheap and easy to work with.


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## Maro2Bear (Mar 19, 2018)

teresaf said:


> My concern with the carpet fabric stuff would be that he can't SEE through it therefore he might not GO through it. Especially if you overlap it like you do the plastic stuff to maximize the effect of keeping the temperature inside separate from outside. I know Maro2bear's tort has figured it out but some tortoises are just stupid....



Our Sully never had a problem... likes to play peek-a-boo...


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## teresaf (Mar 19, 2018)

Maro2Bear said:


> Our Sully never had a problem... likes to play peek-a-boo...
> 
> View attachment 233552


I know. That's what I said...but some torts are just plain dumb. One of my torts has no problem going up the ramp into her heated house every night. I have to go out and pick up the boy and put him in the heated house every evening. Every morning SHE opens it and goes out and wanders around ...he's just dumb.


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## Cowboy_Ken (Mar 20, 2018)

teresaf said:


> Every morning SHE opens it and goes out and wanders around ...she's just dumb.



DUMB you say? Or just very intelligent training you to do half the work. Who’s back is getting the workout?


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## Cowboy_Ken (Mar 20, 2018)

I had one do that once that I saw. Not as a habit, just long enough for a picture.


and what did this one get me to do in the snow? Yup, stand out in it while I watched the smoke drift from the wood-stove in the toasty, warm house where the couch lives in front of the TV. LOL
View attachment 233573
View attachment 233574


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## Robertchrisroph (Mar 21, 2018)

Ebay. There is a guy or gale that sells it for a dollar a foot with six dollars shipping. I've ordered four times from them. No problems


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## Sue Andreski (Mar 21, 2018)

I use clear, heavy duty plastic shower curtains.


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## Turtulas-Len (Mar 21, 2018)

I believe the best material for door flaps depends on where you are and your climate. What works for people in warmer climates wont work for people like me where we have very cold and windy winter weather.( If you keep your tortoise outside all year).


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## Girly Girl Gigi (Mar 25, 2018)

My Sulcata tortoise loves her outdoor dog house! I’ve been using this natural material for the enclosure, but I’m planning to change it before summer!


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## jrh (Mar 25, 2018)

I just ordered mine from this website, cost about 25 dollars for a 26"x18" door with top plate hardware and a few extra strips... you can go to the page for animal doors and customize the size and type that you want. 
https://www.strip-curtains.com/proCat/stripdoors/petdoorflaps_stripdoor.php
I ordered three and will update when they arrive...


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## Maro2Bear (Mar 25, 2018)

Girly Girl Gigi said:


> My Sulcata tortoise loves her outdoor dog house! I’ve been using this natural material for the enclosure, but I’m planning to change it before summer!



Lucky you...in Florida!


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## Lyric (Mar 28, 2018)

I'm going to use the clear shower curtain idea for my redfoot, Lyric. Should work really well here in Florida.


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## jrh (Apr 8, 2018)

jrh said:


> I just ordered mine from this website, cost about 25 dollars for a 26"x18" door with top plate hardware and a few extra strips... you can go to the page for animal doors and customize the size and type that you want.
> https://www.strip-curtains.com/proCat/stripdoors/petdoorflaps_stripdoor.php
> I ordered three and will update when they arrive...


I got the door curtains shipped in and I'm very happy with them, they are made with heavy gauge steel to form the clamp around the holes in each slat for the vinyl... makes for easy replacement as well...


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## Maro2Bear (Apr 8, 2018)

Looks great!


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