Construction a wooden enclosure

Hi,
This is a followup from my most recent thread.(thanks to all who answered) They suggested that I get a bigger enclosure and change the diet. What wood should I use and any how should I build it(like the setup) and I try to give my tort a good diet but he is so picky that he won't eat very much of anything that is very nutritious. Any advice?

Keep offering healthy foods. He will eventually eat it. Is the enclosure for outside or inside?

Inside will be WAY easier than outside...you have to worry with escape and predators outside, which is doable but just harder.

The size is more important than materials indoors in my opinion, just do 4x8 foot with walls at least 14 inches high, that gives you 4 for substrate, and 10 to prevent escape which Russians are absolute masters at. Try to avoid materials that put off fumes under a hot light. Personally I used a quality wood and sealed it with polyurethane, once the sun bakes it for a week it never puts off an odor even under MVB bulbs and stops wood rot from moist substrate like coco coir.

If you want to do outside I will post my method (long winded, expensive, and hard to do) which hasn't failed me predator or escape wise.

Nope it’s inside. Is 3.5x2 enough because he’s only a baby right now. Also what type of wood do I use?(aspen, oak etc) @DARKFIRE007 also @TriciaStringer any specific foods? He is super super picky and I don’t know what to do...

When I say baby I mean he’s one year old

I'm in the process of building an indoor enclosure for a small Yellowfoot (~4"), using a large plastic Christmas Tree storage bin (https://www.walmart.com/ip/IRIS-Holiday-Tree-Storage-Tote-with-Compartment-Lid-Red/48037027) that is 53" by 21" by 14". (Assuming Walmart can finally get an undamaged bin delivered) I've collected all the necessary hardware, appliances, and substrate materials, just waiting on the big bin to get here. Thank goodness it's still hot here in Texas...

Merilyn (Tortoise lover) said:

Hi,
This is a followup from my most recent thread.(thanks to all who answered) They suggested that I get a bigger enclosure and change the diet. What wood should I use and any how should I build it(like the setup) and I try to give my tort a good diet but he is so picky that he won't eat very much of anything that is very nutritious. Any advice?

Click to expand...

If you chop up the nutritious food and chop up the food he likes and mix it he might eat it. You can start with a ratio that is more of what he likes and then slowly decrease those foods and increase nutritious stuff. You can even cover the chopped pile with the food he likes so that's what he sees and smells and the mix can be hidden under that. You might have to trick him into it a little.

Mine love collard greens, turnip greens, and kale. You can get big bushels of them for like 1-3 bucks at any local wal-mart or grocery store. I would try those and toss in some flowers that are on the edible list every other day.

And even if young, it won't hurt to do the 4x8 size now. I mean why build one that will soon not have a use? I would say build the adult size and be done with it. Besides, no harm in giving a kid a big yard to play in...

ok thanks

Merilyn (Tortoise lover) said:

Hi,
This is a followup from my most recent thread.(thanks to all who answered) They suggested that I get a bigger enclosure and change the diet. What wood should I use and any how should I build it(like the setup) and I try to give my tort a good diet but he is so picky that he won't eat very much of anything that is very nutritious. Any advice?

Click to expand...

I believe the easiest way you could do it is to buy a large table off of goodwill and slap some wood on the sides.