Enclosure Help South Florida.... Will Hire

boardpunkchic

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Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hello,

I have a 3 year old red foot who is growing like a weed! I was wondering if anyone in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area would be available to hire to design and build her an awesome house that will fit her as an adult. If anyone is interested I will take some photos of what I currently have. I have cats so house has to have a wire/mesh top and preferably be high off the ground.
I want something really cool and original for her with multiple levels and hides. Also this is an indoor enclosure.

If interested please let me know and I will provide more info.

Thanks!!!
 

wellington

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Is there a reason you don't put her outside? Your weather with high humidity is great for RF.
A timber or cinder block fencing, lots of shade and a heated night box for when it might get cold is ideal for her. A top can easily be added.
A tortoise should be housed outside when weather permits.
 

boardpunkchic

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Fort Lauderdale, FL
Is there a reason you don't put her outside? Your weather with high humidity is great for RF.
A timber or cinder block fencing, lots of shade and a heated night box for when it might get cold is ideal for her. A top can easily be added.
A tortoise should be housed outside when weather permits.
Yeah.... I live in a condo. But please don't think she is negleted. She gets plenty of time out of her house everyday.
 

boardpunkchic

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Is there a reason you don't put her outside? Your weather with high humidity is great for RF.
A timber or cinder block fencing, lots of shade and a heated night box for when it might get cold is ideal for her. A top can easily be added.
A tortoise should be housed outside when weather permits.
I got Soup because I wanted her to be a part of my family....not an outdoor only pet. She loves attention....she loves hearing and seeing people and being inthe middle of everything. Even if I had a yard....her house would not be outside. She is my child. I love her and take amazing care of her. She sees a reptile vet every year and is healthy and happy. So no, I do not belive a tortoise her size "needs" or "Should" be housed outside
 

wellington

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Sorry I don't agree with you. You are putting your wants and needs in front of your torts. It's not a dog that wants to be with its human. It's a tortoise, a solitary animal that lives its life alone except for breeding or fighting other torts it comes across.
If it's your baby then you should give what it needs not what you want.
 

jwr0201

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Soup - that's a neat name!
I'm in a condo-villa association in FL as well. I plan on building an outside enclosure in the back that will be approx. 30 to 50 sf. We are permitted to plant to 3 feet out from the wall, so that's how far out I plan to go and utilize a corner to make an 'L' shape enclosure.
Maybe you have the ability to do the same if you are on the ground level - ?
 

Chubbs the tegu

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I got Soup because I wanted her to be a part of my family....not an outdoor only pet. She loves attention....she loves hearing and seeing people and being inthe middle of everything. Even if I had a yard....her house would not be outside. She is my child. I love her and take amazing care of her. She sees a reptile vet every year and is healthy and happy. So no, I do not belive a tortoise her size "needs" or "Should" be housed outside
I dont agree that a tort should be stuck indoors 24/7. But if this is what u choose then its gonna need a huge indoor enclosure ( and not multi level.. they are not iguanas. ) should be able to roam close to a full room sized enclosure if they will be no time outside.
 

Tom

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I got Soup because I wanted her to be a part of my family....not an outdoor only pet. She loves attention....she loves hearing and seeing people and being inthe middle of everything. Even if I had a yard....her house would not be outside. She is my child. I love her and take amazing care of her. She sees a reptile vet every year and is healthy and happy. So no, I do not belive a tortoise her size "needs" or "Should" be housed outside
Its not safe for tortoises to be loose on the floor in an area where humans are coming and going. It can't be made safe, and one day your torotise will pay the price if you continue to to it. Everyone thinks its safe, and they tell us all about how closely they supervise, and then one day it happens. Disaster of one variety or another. Only then do they realize it wasn't safe. I'm not saying this to insult you or upset you. I'm saying it because I don't want to see your tortoise die in one of the many ways so many other tortoises have died because they were loose on the floor or loose in the yard.

I stopped and re-read your words very carefully in the above quoted post. I considered them carefully and thought about my experiences with tortoises in a variety of housing situations over the years, and all that I've seen around the country and around the world. I define "need" as a necessity. Something they cannot survive without. Like food or water. A tortoise "needs" food, water and adequate housing and temperatures. It can't survive without those. I agree with you that they do not "need" to live outside. They can certainly survive indoors full time with the right set up and routine. However, I disagree with you about whether or not they "should" live outside at least part of the time. For me, I consider what is "best" for the tortoise. What living situation is going to meet their physical and mental needs most optimally. A large, well-designed, safe outdoor enclosure in a great climate like yours is what is best for your species. You can have the best of both worlds. Outdoors on nice days when the weather is favorable, and indoors at night or on the rare cold winter day, and when the rain is too heavy. Indoors is best for people who live in areas where temps are below freezing for several months a year. Outdoors is best for people who live in the right climate for their species, and you live in the right climate for a RF for sure. I think you should at least consider it. It can still be part of the family while getting exercise, sunshine and real grazing outside.

Look up the word anthropomorphism and see if you think it applies.
 

boardpunkchic

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Its not safe for tortoises to be loose on the floor in an area where humans are coming and going. It can't be made safe, and one day your torotise will pay the price if you continue to to it. Everyone thinks its safe, and they tell us all about how closely they supervise, and then one day it happens. Disaster of one variety or another. Only then do they realize it wasn't safe. I'm not saying this to insult you or upset you. I'm saying it because I don't want to see your tortoise die in one of the many ways so many other tortoises have died because they were loose on the floor or loose in the yard.

I stopped and re-read your words very carefully in the above quoted post. I considered them carefully and thought about my experiences with tortoises in a variety of housing situations over the years, and all that I've seen around the country and around the world. I define "need" as a necessity. Something they cannot survive without. Like food or water. A tortoise "needs" food, water and adequate housing and temperatures. It can't survive without those. I agree with you that they do not "need" to live outside. They can certainly survive indoors full time with the right set up and routine. However, I disagree with you about whether or not they "should" live outside at least part of the time. For me, I consider what is "best" for the tortoise. What living situation is going to meet their physical and mental needs most optimally. A large, well-designed, safe outdoor enclosure in a great climate like yours is what is best for your species. You can have the best of both worlds. Outdoors on nice days when the weather is favorable, and indoors at night or on the rare cold winter day, and when the rain is too heavy. Indoors is best for people who live in areas where temps are below freezing for several months a year. Outdoors is best for people who live in the right climate for their species, and you live in the right climate for a RF for sure. I think you should at least consider it. It can still be part of the family while getting exercise, sunshine and real grazing outside.

Look up the word anthropomorphism and see if you think it applies.
I understand and appreciate what everyone is saying. I live on the 4th floor so an outdoor enclosure is not an option.
She doesn’t free roam. I take her out and let her run around under strict supervision only.
I am trying to do what’s best for her which is why I came here for help with her enclosure.
 

boardpunkchic

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Sorry I don't agree with you. You are putting your wants and needs in front of your torts. It's not a dog that wants to be with its human. It's a tortoise, a solitary animal that lives its life alone except for breeding or fighting other torts it comes across.
If it's your baby then you should give what it needs not what you want.
I agree that letting her outside would be ideal but it’s not an option. I live on the 4th floor. My reply was a bit… dramatic…. Because I had a feeling every one was going to judge me for keeping her inside. I came here for advice because I want to do what’s best for her.
 

ZenHerper

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Redfoots get kinda big...you can search the forum for "tortoise room" to find threads by people who have converted the right amount of space indoors for their 12-15 inch torts.

For example:

To have it done properly and to code, you'll want to hire a licensed contractor...
 

wellington

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I agree that letting her outside would be ideal but it’s not an option. I live on the 4th floor. My reply was a bit… dramatic…. Because I had a feeling every one was going to judge me for keeping her inside. I came here for advice because I want to do what’s best for her.
Okay, see I didn't know you had no yard. For her best interest and safety, and if you have a spare room, dedicate the entire room to her as already suggested. A proper size enclosure would need to be the size of a room anyway.
If you are renting, I would place plastic on the floor and about 2 or 3 feet up the walls. Then substrate, orchid bark world be the best and cleanest. You could do half substrate and half a ruff nonslippery tile just to cut down on all the orchid bark. Use saw horses to hang lights and heat from. Use tort safe live plants and some fake plants to decorate give cover etc.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I live in Sunrise. (South Broward)
This is my current, very successful and very inexpensive enclosure.
I also have a short YOUTUBE video:
REDFOOT HABITAT FLORIDA STYLE.
I hope you can get some helpful ideas from it.
 

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