Autiwara

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Feb 4, 2018
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Norway
I'm planning to hopefully build a new enclosure for my 2 year old red foot but with 0 experience in building anything, 0 knowledge about wood and 0 knowledge about insulation I wanted to take some precautions and ask if there are any possible mistakes to avoid making my first enclosure and any tips and tricks you might think of? I wanna build a tortoise table-like enclosure with a plexiglass top, but that might change. Thanks!
 

Yvonne G

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Imagine it with about 4 or 5 inches of substrate before you cut the sides. A tortoise will be standing on top of the substrate and reaching up to the top of the wall with his front legs in order to climb over. You want to make it tall enough he can't reach the top of the wall.
 

Byron Todd

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Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
38
I'm planning to hopefully build a new enclosure for my 2 year old red foot but with 0 experience in building anything, 0 knowledge about wood and 0 knowledge about insulation I wanted to take some precautions and ask if there are any possible mistakes to avoid making my first enclosure and any tips and tricks you might think of? I wanna build a tortoise table-like enclosure with a plexiglass top, but that might change. Thanks!
Get a rafter angle square. Otherwise, you will attach side walls then realize as you attach the last one that they are all at angles.

https://www.harborfreight.com/build...layout/12-inch-rafter-angle-square-66778.html

Or use a carpenters square and build all the walls prior to installing them on the flooring.
FH08NOV_493_56_008.jpg
 

Byron Todd

Member
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
38
Imagine it with about 4 or 5 inches of substrate before you cut the sides. A tortoise will be standing on top of the substrate and reaching up to the top of the wall with his front legs in order to climb over. You want to make it tall enough he can't reach the top of the wall.
To piggy back on this comment, I used 1x12 boards for the walls which are very solid and are high enough to add a substrate (and even to grow plants in).

Also, you said "no experience with wood" so if you don't know this already, it will save you a lot of headaches: the actual dimensions of lumber are not the same as they are listed at home depot. For example, a 2x4 is actually 1.5x3". A 2x2 I believe is 1.5x1.5".


The pictured cage has an automatic misting system that keeps humidity high and allows for plant growth. Misters turn on for 1 min a few times a day.
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