Enclosure Idea: Looking for some feedback or pros/cons

[Kerri Doug and Speedy]

Hello there everyone, We have followed the forum for maybe ten years but often enjoy reading posts more than we make them. Recently our large custom glass tank broke and we had to transfer our redfoot Speedy into a temporary smaller enclosure. We had been debating a new enclosure anyways and in a couple of years when we buy a house, we plan on giving an entire room devoted to this (Outside is not an option due to climate restrictions except maybe a few days in the summer). In the meantime researching we were also looking at growing our own food for Speedy for the first time and found this product which we thought was handy:

https://www.vegtrug.com/range/vegtr...rs-not-included/cold-frame/medium-cold-frame/

That got us thinking. Could this make a good enclosure itself? It solves some problems in terms of weight and moving a heavy viv set-up and in a couple of years Speedy will have a larger set up in a room of her own, then we could just use it for more plants. Obviously it will need some amendments to tortoise proof it but we really like that it can be assembled and disassembled etc. Thoughts? Concerns? Upgrade ideas?

 

[wellington]

It makes a good enclosure for babies and juniors. Not an adult. However a regular pop up greenhouse would work with a tarp as the floor. Set it up in a room or basement. One like pictured above.
The first one is mine set up in basement. It's a 10x12x7high heated with oil filled space heater and lights hung with rope from frame.
The second one is from online but I have used them. Get as big a size as possible.

 

[Kerri Doug and Speedy]

Hey thanks for the reply. Yes that is a pretty big indoor set-up. I think we will maybe look for a house with a sun-room or insulated porch type set up where we can humidity proof it and then kind of turn it into a living green house that Speedy can stomp around in and explore and maybe help herself to some healthy plants that are hanging towards her reach.

Question #1: With the raised planter my concerns were that even though the wood is treated with a "food safe" sealant, that cedar tends to have some toxicity to it and we may have to treat it with something else first (suggestions?) or even paint it with something to help it withstand the humidity.

We also bought some HDPE hydroponic liner and may replace or cover some of the poly-carbonate windows with glass or some sort of wood then silicone some zoo-med cork tile and hang a zoo-med repti sun led/ uvb from the ceiling (I like that there is a bit more space in the roof of this set-up for this). We run a home-made fogger and will place a tiny waterfall in the enclosure and live plants to help with humidity. If it works out well then I may look at adding another planter beside it and some sort of bridge between the two.

Question #2: I am a bit worried about her digging and possibly ripping the liner and was thinking of some sort of insert shaped to this set up and lined with linoleum but is this the easiest or best way to go about it? I'd be glad to have any other suggestions.

Thank you in advance of any other feedback anyone has.