Creating a hatchling habitat

StarSapphire22

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Modified my enclosure a bit today...last night one of my cats used the screened part of the lid as a spring board to the fish tank. Thanks to 2 sides already being a bit loose because of bendy plastic, it ripped off completely. :(

This time I used Velcro...I think it will hold much better, and also has a bit more give to move with the plastic a little. And, if I need to I can remove it. :D
 

Saleama

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ILoveTortoises2 said:
SenjiSandy said:
ILoveTortoises2 said:
I have ordered from here and loved it.... They grew quick too. You should get a small or medium size and see how you like it too. I'm actually going to buy more soon :)

What is "here"? [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

That setup will do fine temporarily, but Tom is right, need higher sides. My neighbor is building me a custom closed chamber, sorta like this....


Tom, everyone, input, ideas, dimensions, etc???? I'm thinking 3' long and 2' wide, but no glass on sides, only front, and sealing to make water proof.


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!

Ohh WoW.. That is exactly how I wanted my enclosure but came out different. I don't have all the tools I needed to do this. Wish I had someone that could make this for me I would pay them LOL :p


StarSapphire22 said:
I have plans to build a 3x8 and divide it. It would be a table setup, with a lid while hes little. I'm open to other ideas, but we aren't the handiest of people, so I need something fairly easy to build. We've never done something like this before.

The bin is only for a couple months while we save up for and perfect our table and work on clearing space for a big table.

I'm not handy. I did want my enclosure to look like the photo above your last comment but this is how it came out. Even though it looks good It really isn't what I wanted. But maybe I'll do something different next year or after Christmas but I deff would like to make 1 like that photo. I did this all by myself. My hubby held some pieces together but that was it. This was easy to do :)

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-77503.html



It looks great! Just watch the humidity. You will find out that as you move forward in your tortoise ownership, you will auto adjust everything quickly all on your own! :) I started with a plastic tub and moved to a full blown 5 x 4 x 1.5 tort table within two weeks. Three days later I had added an additional 5 x 4 x 1.5 outdoor table with grass and succulents. A week after that I added a 6 x 2 x 1 table for quarantine that became a juvenile box turtle table and now I have four tubs set up for hatchling box turtles and a swamp tank for my baby boxies to have a swim in four out of seven days a week. I found that the plant growing and buying and all the habitat stuff was just as fun as having the torts. I also built a 12 x 7 outdoor garden for my 2 Russians!
 

StarSapphire22

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My humidity has been hanging around 80-85 with little to no effort. My substrate on my cool side won't dry out completely, it is just ever so slightly damp, no matter what. Grr. My ambient temp is at about 77.5-78.5 no matter what. I even moved my lamp closer. I haven't checked my basking temp today, but my temps have been pretty stable, I'm just not sure if they're good. :/ I think I'm gonna get a temp gun.

Littlefoot left New Jersey this evening. He just landed in Kentucky. He'll be here soon!
 

StarSapphire22

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He's absolutely perfect. And so incredibly tiny. I was just giggling all the way through bath time. I'm totally in love.

Here's just some quick phone shots I snapped.

Bath time! He pooped 3 times...no urates, and idk how to tell if he peed. :/
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Explorin'!
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Thinking about eating, but no luck yet. Though he might have eaten a bit of dirt...thats ok, right?
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Go away, Stranger.
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I put his lid on, turned on the lamp and he has been happily exploring the warm end. :D
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StarSapphire22

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Thank you! :D

He might have eaten a bit when I wasn't looking...that or he just pushed it around. Either is possible...he likes trucking over things. He's hiding in the pansies and moss now. :)

I keep seeing him doing this kindof bobbing/rocking thing. He uses his hind legs to push forward and it looks like he tucks his head/arms slightly in and out. He did this before he pooped so I thought maybe he was, you know, pushing...but he just did it again and there was no poop (not to mention he's already made 3 little turdnuggets). What's he doing?


Little peanut is tuckered out. <3
 

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StarSapphire22

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The goof has perfectly good spring mix, dandelion, Mazuri, and pansies...what is he munching? Sphagnum moss. What the heck.
 

BeeBee*BeeLeaves

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StarSapphire22 said:
he just did it again and there was no poop (not to mention he's already made 3 little turdnuggets). What's he doing?

Dancing for joy because he is finally home! The Little Hermann Dance. What? You did not know? : )
 

StarSapphire22

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Ha! I hope that's what it is. He doesnt like me much yet, but did let me handfeed him a little. I'm so in love...trying to leave him alone though...it's so hard! I'm worried he'll flip or he's thirsty or something.
 

Levi the Leopard

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StarSapphire22 said:
I keep seeing him doing this kindof bobbing/rocking thing. He uses his hind legs to push forward and it looks like he tucks his head/arms slightly in and out. He did this before he pooped so I thought maybe he was, you know, pushing...but he just did it again and there was no poop (not to mention he's already made 3 little turdnuggets). What's he doing?

aww... he's breathing!

cute worried new mommy :)
he's adorable btw!
 

StarSapphire22

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That's all it is?! Gosh I feel dumb. Though that would explain why it looks like he's swallowing all the time.

Mommy might be paranoid.
 

reatrocity

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Littlefoot is adorable!! It has been fun watching you create your space and everything for him, especially since we both did so roughly around the same time. :) I'm actually considering using the top to better lock in humidity and heat at night, especially during the winter time. Glad to see your lil' guy doing so well!


Oh yeah, and I don't know I ever mentioned this before... but at least for a while, do go over and check on him as much as possible, especially when he's running around everywhere and just note what he likes climbing and his habits. I only say this because on the first day I got Morgan, I had something set up in a way that caused Morgan to be stuck on his side. Luckily I checked up on him, and adjusted the enclosure and anything that could potentially cause that to happen again. You just never really know, especially for us as new owners. I thought I did a good job at making it flip proof, but I didn't. Looks like you're doing great though!

Though, I'm sure you're watching him obsessively. :) I can't help but pass by and just gaze at Morgan as often as possible every day.
 

StarSapphire22

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Thanks! And yup, totally obsessing. XD He flipped once, but luckily I was right there. I think he's pretty much the most amazing little creature I've ever seen...I'm so totally in love.

I was gonna upload more pics, but the app won't let me. :(


Try this again...

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