M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
I read about new Sulcata shed's and barns and so I wanted to post pictures of Bob's shed hoping to give ideas if needed to help the new enclosures.
One hint I would give would be to put in a rooftop vent that you can open and close. Bob's shed has a metal roof and even here in Oregon it gets way too hot in the summer so I have to put a house fan in the doorway to suck in the cooler air and move the hot air out. That becomes a hassle so a vent that you could open and close would be a good idea...
Here is his shed, it's 20'X12', note the metal roof. It has a people door and the doggie door with a ramp for Bob use. He goes crazy if he is not allowed out so I open his doggie door every day and give him the option to go out or stay in. He is big enough to make his own decision about that.
Here is what I have for moving the air, I open his people door which has a board across the bottom to prevent his leaving that way if I want him to stay in and I put a fan there to move the hot air out. I guess now that he is old enough I can take away that board and let him leave whatever way he wants. I am so used to having that door blocked I'll have to think about if I want to open it up for him. There are times when I want this door open but don't want him out...I may leave it like this...
This is Bob's sleeping box and Queenie's tort table. I would make something better for keeping the heater and something so the cords aren't hanging around. There is a big strip to plug in but it's on the other wall and the cords don't reach. I would also make something like Tom did to hold the heater more into the room. I keep the hay piled under the tort table so the floor is easy to clean when Bob does his duty. I put some hay out where I put his food, but I have seen him in the pile eating the hay, but having a bare floor is much easier to clean and Bob goes into the pile and burrows when he wants to.
Here is his doggie door, the hay pile and his water dish. The dish is unspillable but he has pushed it around when he's bored and he's gotten high centered on it which makes me laugh...
Be sure to put a big wattage basking light, here is Bob's it's a 260 watt Trex bulb and I have seen him many times out in the cold rain or snow and back inside under this light...
Here's Bob's cute little stumpy feet in the basking position. I just posted this picture cuz I think it's cute. I love seeing their legs back like this...
Be sure to put a ramp if needed and the vinyl strips that keep the cold air out and yet allow the tort to go in and out.
I guess that's all the suggestions I have for those building Sulcata enclosures. Bob's has worked well for 5 years, my only wish is that the shed had a rooftop vent. I hoped this has helped, his pen is enclosed by a solid cedar fence. Here is a picture of Bob helping build the fence. It has 3 gates also and is just the best thing ever. I can nap now without worrying that he is escaping. I used to have to go outside and check on him every few minutes but I don't have to do that anymore...I am done, I hope this helps anybody making an enclosure for a big tortoise...
Since tinypic can't show Maggie's pictures anymore, I've asked her to send me some new ones.
This is the tort table inside Bob's shed:
This is Sam inside the sleeping box on the pig blanket:
This shows the sleeping box and the radiator-type electric heater:
A bird's eye view of the shed and yard:
One hint I would give would be to put in a rooftop vent that you can open and close. Bob's shed has a metal roof and even here in Oregon it gets way too hot in the summer so I have to put a house fan in the doorway to suck in the cooler air and move the hot air out. That becomes a hassle so a vent that you could open and close would be a good idea...
Here is his shed, it's 20'X12', note the metal roof. It has a people door and the doggie door with a ramp for Bob use. He goes crazy if he is not allowed out so I open his doggie door every day and give him the option to go out or stay in. He is big enough to make his own decision about that.
Here is what I have for moving the air, I open his people door which has a board across the bottom to prevent his leaving that way if I want him to stay in and I put a fan there to move the hot air out. I guess now that he is old enough I can take away that board and let him leave whatever way he wants. I am so used to having that door blocked I'll have to think about if I want to open it up for him. There are times when I want this door open but don't want him out...I may leave it like this...
This is Bob's sleeping box and Queenie's tort table. I would make something better for keeping the heater and something so the cords aren't hanging around. There is a big strip to plug in but it's on the other wall and the cords don't reach. I would also make something like Tom did to hold the heater more into the room. I keep the hay piled under the tort table so the floor is easy to clean when Bob does his duty. I put some hay out where I put his food, but I have seen him in the pile eating the hay, but having a bare floor is much easier to clean and Bob goes into the pile and burrows when he wants to.
Here is his doggie door, the hay pile and his water dish. The dish is unspillable but he has pushed it around when he's bored and he's gotten high centered on it which makes me laugh...
Be sure to put a big wattage basking light, here is Bob's it's a 260 watt Trex bulb and I have seen him many times out in the cold rain or snow and back inside under this light...
Here's Bob's cute little stumpy feet in the basking position. I just posted this picture cuz I think it's cute. I love seeing their legs back like this...
Be sure to put a ramp if needed and the vinyl strips that keep the cold air out and yet allow the tort to go in and out.
I guess that's all the suggestions I have for those building Sulcata enclosures. Bob's has worked well for 5 years, my only wish is that the shed had a rooftop vent. I hoped this has helped, his pen is enclosed by a solid cedar fence. Here is a picture of Bob helping build the fence. It has 3 gates also and is just the best thing ever. I can nap now without worrying that he is escaping. I used to have to go outside and check on him every few minutes but I don't have to do that anymore...I am done, I hope this helps anybody making an enclosure for a big tortoise...
Since tinypic can't show Maggie's pictures anymore, I've asked her to send me some new ones.
This is the tort table inside Bob's shed:
This is Sam inside the sleeping box on the pig blanket:
This shows the sleeping box and the radiator-type electric heater:
A bird's eye view of the shed and yard:
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