Discount Christmas tree boxes!

[ShadowRancher]

For all our midwestern members Meijer (AKA the greatest store on earth) has a huge plastic tub that is meant for artificial Christmas trees for $25!...its great, Im getting 2.

Its this exact tub so you can check out the specs,
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YUUOH0/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

As you can see its 86 dollars on amazon and not Prime eligible (which is nuts, its made out of PLASTIC).

Can't wait to make Levi's new house.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Seems like a Rubbermaid tub would be better, no?

 

[ShadowRancher]

Why? is there something bad about it I didn't notice? Its the same type of thing but the biggest Rubbermaid I could find was less than half the size. A tree box was recommended to me a couple of times, Yvonne actually gave me the link to this one last month.

 

[terryo]

I love it! I use them for my box turtle hatchlings for the Summer outside, and for my little Cherry Head who can't go in the big tortoise garden yet.

I also used it for a little RES that was rescued and couldn't swim

I have a few of them.

 

[dmmj]

Be sure to check wal mart, target, K mart, all of these places should be marking them down.

 

[CGKeith]

Yep, those are great! I've picked them up at our Walmart the past couple of years for $25

Last year they were out in the garden center behind some other stuff. Look around, ya never know.

 

[ShadowRancher]

Terry, those are beautiful set -ups...I think I have some inspiration!
And yeah I'll check a couple of other stores too but western Michigan Meijer loyalty can be pretty fierce plus I was born in the town they were founded in so its about tripled

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know where the $86 came from, but the regular price on them is 39.99. So $25 is a pretty good deal.

 

[ShadowRancher]

I thought that sounded crazy....must just be some random idiot seller on amazon that thought they could inflate the price for the holidays. Anyway going to get them tomorrow, hope they fit in the car...

 

[lynnedit]

I don't know where the $86 came from, but the regular price on them is 39.99. So $25 is a pretty good deal.

Yep, $86 on Amazon, but now coming down in the big box stores mentioned above. They are bigger than the Rubbermaid totes, and much higher (14") than most underbed storage containers.
Down to $30 at our Walmart.
I'm watching prices and supplies, as you can't get them any other time of year...

 

[DesertGrandma]

They are nice and deep. I picked up a couple this year at the container store for 39.99, so yours is a good price. I love them. Haven't checked Walmart though since Christmas is over...might be lower now.

 

[Madkins007]

One cool idea I snagged from Mike Pingleton's Red-foot book is to take 2 of the same tub and turn one upside down on the other to get more 'headroom'. Drill a few holes in a long edge and install loose wire-ties to make a hinge, and a hole in each corner to drop a bolt into to keep everything lined up safely. Air holes can be added if everything fits too tightly.

In our case, you could mount long fluorescent bulbs on the inside of the new 'cover' and it should be high enough for safety. For Red-foots, you could lay some hardware cloth mesh on the bottom and add some waterproof heat rope on top and have a great humidity machine that also does a lot of the heating.

With some careful thought, you could also do things like...
- Mount a CHE in a ceramic ceiling fixture on the roof of the tub,
- Add clear plastic panels to the side for viewing,
- Add a clear plastic panel with a hinge or Velcro for access for feeding, changing water, etc.
- Install a simple drain to get rid of excess water,
- Heck, install a simple drain, prop the tub up on the other end, and route the drain to a cheapo waterfall pump for a waterfall or rain feature!

 

[lynnedit]

Wow, nice idea. Makes me want a Redfoot....

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Why? is there something bad about it I didn't notice? Its the same type of thing but the biggest Rubbermaid I could find was less than half the size. A tree box was recommended to me a couple of times, Yvonne actually gave me the link to this one last month.

Not bad. It's just that, it seems to me that their surface area is not that much greater, but their height is lower, so that limits how deep you can make your substrate before your turtle can crawl out. Also, these seem to be pricier than totes.

I've never seen one in person, only their pix and dimensions on line. Doesn't seem like a great value to me, but then, I might change my mind if I saw one up close.

 

[llaperle]

Wow. I like this idea as "the next step up" from my under-the-bed tote I currently use. I wonder if we have them in Canada???? Might have to check at Walmart.

Oh, and I agree, those are some amazing set-ups Terry that have definetely inspired me. Can you tell me more about what you have planted in there. I think I see Pansies and dendelions and some lettuces. My Shelldon is a Hermanns, but I'm sure he'd love all that stuff!

---

Wow. I like this idea as "the next step up" from my under-the-bed tote I currently use. I wonder if we have them in Canada???? Might have to check at Walmart.

Oh, and I agree, those are some amazing set-ups Terry that have definetely inspired me. Can you tell me more about what you have planted in there. I think I see Pansies and dendelions and some lettuces. My Shelldon is a Hermanns, but I'm sure he'd love all that stuff!

Ah ha! My online search has revealed that they can be found at Solutions on sale for $39.99 this week. Us Canadians just don't get those great deals that our neighbours do LOL
They might be available elsewhere too, I didn't do an extensive search.

 

[terryo]

Thanks. I drill small hole's in the bottom for drainage. I planted some Spring Mix, strawberries, pansies and butter lettuce. My CH's love the butter lettuce and Spring mix. Also some dandelions. My son made me a screen top for it and if I leave them out for the night, I put the screen top on. I really love these. For the little box turtles, I seperate it into three sections with pieces of tile, otherwise I would never find the babies.

 

[lynnedit]

Why? is there something bad about it I didn't notice? Its the same type of thing but the biggest Rubbermaid I could find was less than half the size. A tree box was recommended to me a couple of times, Yvonne actually gave me the link to this one last month.

Not bad. It's just that, it seems to me that their surface area is not that much greater, but their height is lower, so that limits how deep you can make your substrate before your turtle can crawl out. Also, these seem to be pricier than totes.

I've never seen one in person, only their pix and dimensions on line. Doesn't seem like a great value to me, but then, I might change my mind if I saw one up close.

You're right: my tote is 43"x19" but much deeper, of course. So about 9" longer, not that much. Still, they are nice...

Thanks. I drill small hole's in the bottom for drainage. I planted some Spring Mix, strawberries, pansies and butter lettuce. My CH's love the butter lettuce and Spring mix. Also some dandelions. My son made me a screen top for it and if I leave them out for the night, I put the screen top on. I really love these. For the little box turtles, I seperate it into three sections with pieces of tile, otherwise I would never find the babies.

OK, you always make it sound so smooth and easy, will you ever be teaching a tortoise enclosure landscaping course?

 

[ShadowRancher]

One cool idea I snagged from Mike Pingleton's Red-foot book is to take 2 of the same tub and turn one upside down on the other to get more 'headroom'. Drill a few holes in a long edge and install loose wire-ties to make a hinge, and a hole in each corner to drop a bolt into to keep everything lined up safely. Air holes can be added if everything fits too tightly.

In our case, you could mount long fluorescent bulbs on the inside of the new 'cover' and it should be high enough for safety. For Red-foots, you could lay some hardware cloth mesh on the bottom and add some waterproof heat rope on top and have a great humidity machine that also does a lot of the heating.

With some careful thought, you could also do things like...
- Mount a CHE in a ceramic ceiling fixture on the roof of the tub,
- Add clear plastic panels to the side for viewing,
- Add a clear plastic panel with a hinge or Velcro for access for feeding, changing water, etc.
- Install a simple drain to get rid of excess water,
- Heck, install a simple drain, prop the tub up on the other end, and route the drain to a cheapo waterfall pump for a waterfall or rain feature!

Um...wow and here I was just going to cut a hole in the top for my MVB and CHE and thought I was pretty slick. I may still do that, still won't be home for a couple of days and I'll wait to modify anything until I have a chance to test out what heights are best for heat (I have learned the hard way several times to measure twice )