Hello ... Again ! (back and hopefully better)

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

Hello I'm back and its been a while (sorry!) but i have a build I'm pretty happy with and would like some feedback on/ wanted to share.

Top enclosure - is for a Russian tortoise (female) measures 10 foot by 3 foot
Bottom enclosure- is for an eastern box turtle (male) measures 9 foot by 3 foot (able to slide out)

Both Enclosures have -

• Pond liner​
• about a three inch lip/edge on top to prevent escapes​
• deep ends/ cool ends for burrowing (roughly 10 inches deep on both) and heat areas (Infront of the window may add hides in that area since it looks a bit bare but ill wait for feedback first since that may be a lil much going on that close to the lights )​
• 2 shallow terracotta bowls each (will add more water features in the future still looking for ideas)​
• flood lamp heat bulbs and i forgot what kind of UVB tubes but i just put fresh ones in so i can get that info if anyone is curious​
• all heat and UVB lamps are on timers​
• substrate -coco coir, repti bark, cypress mulch , and moss​
• slates for basking (adding more soon to give them more area to bask)​
• they still love the tunnels lol so i kept them of course one is filled with moss (humid hide) and one is bare for each enclosure​

waiting for a few more things like temp and humidity gauges, some plants, and i need to mount the grow lights for them also but I'm not sure where yet may keep plants in the old galvanized steel tub enclosure visible on the other wall

decor / room also not complete but i will keep updated as i add and change things

Overall I Wanted something that's easier to build off permanently (i still have lots of ideas for add-ons down the line) and work on/clean and i think I've got it with this build while also meeting all their needs (hopefully)
i have pictures of the build process also if anyone is interested i can post later (very grateful to my family for helping me in this long process most importantly my uncle- thank you.)

this is only my second post so hopefully i can edit or add anything i missed later in the replies - thank you for taking time to check it out and i hope everyone is doing well!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Haven't seen a build like this before, have to praise you for both creativity and execution!

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

Haven't seen a build like this before, have to praise you for both creativity and execution!

Hello and thank you!!! nice to hear from you again ! i took a lot of your comments into consideration from my old set up to improve this one one so thank you for your input on both its been a very helpful- would love to hear if you ever added any tunnels and how they worked for your lil dudes ?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Hello nice to hear from you again ! i took a lot of your comments into consideration from my old set up to improve this one one so thank you for your input on both its been a very helpful- would love to hear if you ever added any tunnels and how they worked for your lil dudes ?

No I haven't got a tunnel right now, but I am planning on getting one! I currently only have one Russian tortoise.

Right now one of his four hides isn't getting much use, and I suspect it feels to open as it has a very high ceiling and one wall completely open. At first, I tried my hand at trying to make my own out of Spiraea branches and wire, but it didn't work out that well lol.

For a short while I used a half of a concrete pipe in his outdoor enclosure, but it was too abrasive as he tried to climb over it. Right now I am thinking of just getting a plastic pipe to cut in half.

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

No I haven't got a tunnel right now, but I am planning on getting one! I currently only have one Russian tortoise.

Right now one of his four hides isn't getting much use, and I suspect it feels to open as it has a very high ceiling and one wall completely open. At first, I tried my hand at trying to make my own out of Spiraea branches and wire, but it didn't work out that well lol.

For a short while I used a half of a concrete pipe in his outdoor enclosure, but it was too abrasive as he tried to climb over it. Right now I am thinking of just getting a plastic pipe to cut in half.

I've thought about using balsa wood ...maybe worth a look into- but I'm not sure how well that would hold up over time but id be curious to see since i feel that would open up to a lot of possibilities (think/picture mini bridges and or huts that are easier to build but secure ) I've also seen some fleece corner covers i believe are for Guinea pigs or rabbits and the like but maybe worth a shot if your looking for something besides logs I've found looking in other sections for other small critters huts and tunnels helps to not narrow options -especially since size varies so much between the animal your looking for and personal preference for looks overall -ive found my lil oli is usually rabbit sized lol
i really like the idea of the Spiraea branches and wire, maybe thicker branches or filler branches and i think they could look really cool like mini teepees.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I've thought about using balsa wood ...maybe worth a look into- but I'm not sure how well that would hold up over time but id be curious to see since i feel that would open up to a lot of possibilities (think/picture mini bridges and or huts that are easier to build but secure ) I've also seen some fleece corner covers i believe are for Guinea pigs or rabbits and the like but maybe worth a shot if your looking for something besides logs I've found looking in other sections for other small critters huts and tunnels helps to not narrow options -especially since size varies so much between the animal your looking for and personal preference for looks overall -ive found my lil oli is usually rabbit sized lol
i really like the idea of the Spiraea branches and wire, maybe thicker branches or filler branches and i think they could look really cool like mini teepees.

I fear that some of the lighter hides would offer too much redecorating options for my Russian He will try to climb everything and pushes things around if he is able to move them. Really, the biggest reason I have held back with most deco options is that I worry he will get in trouble

 

[Ink]

Beautiful

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

I fear that some of the lighter hides would offer too much redecorating options for my Russian He will try to climb everything and pushes things around if he is able to move them. Really, the biggest reason I have held back with most deco options is that I worry he will get in trouble

fair enough lol - very valid reason for safety overall. Maybe you can weigh down the bottom by attaching rocks or something similar with wire or maybe a large base plate its attached to that you bury under the substrate with rocks on top of the plate to secure it or glue it down underneath (with pet safe glue)/ attach strong magnets(large ones they cant eat or mess with)- then again maybe your lil Russian just has a taste for decor we just don't understand yet lol

(sorry for awful run on sentences and grammar will be working to improve. Hope I'm making sense)

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

Beautiful

Thank you !

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

fair enough lol - very valid reason for safety overall. Maybe you can weigh down the bottom by attaching rocks or something similar with wire or maybe a large base plate its attached to that you bury under the substrate with rocks on top of the plate to secure it or glue it down underneath (with pet safe glue)/ attach strong magnets(large ones they cant eat or mess with)- then again maybe your lil Russian just has a taste for decor we just don't understand yet lol

(sorry for awful run on sentences and grammar will be working to improve. Hope I'm making sense)

Haven't thought of magnets!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Wow wow wow! What an incredible build! Fantastic job!

Quite literally my only thing of note is to che k there’s no moss in with your Russian?

Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

Wow wow wow! What an incredible build! Fantastic job!

Quite literally my only thing of note is to che k there’s no moss in with your Russian?

Thanks for sharing this!

Hello and thank you so much ! I'm sorry I'm not sure i understand your question completely but - the Russian does also have a humid hide/tunnel with moss should that be removed ?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and thank you so much ! I'm sorry I'm not sure i understand your question completely but - the Russian does also have a humid hide/tunnel with moss should that be removed ?

Moss carries an impaction risk for tortoises, I don’t think it’s the case for your box turtle, but I’d remove it from your Russian enclosure

 

[Packinggreens&lildozer]

Moss carries an impaction risk for tortoises, I don’t think it’s the case for your box turtle, but I’d remove it from your Russian enclosure

Hello and thank you - i assume that's if your feeding on the moss directly or near the area of the moss (in that case it may be mistaken for food) and i agree but i think its a case by case situation some may try to eat moss(or anything) on its own if curious enough and if so of course remove it at once. However I have not had any problems and she doesn't actively seek it out unless she wants to sit in the humid hide/tunnel its located in (she prefers to go in the hide on her own vs me soaking her as often and having her throw a fit lol) - also are there any other safe alternatives for humid hide "substrate" (not sure what to call it) you know of that i can look into ?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and thank you - i assume that's if your feeding on the moss directly or near the area of the moss (in that case it may be mistaken for food) and i agree but i think its a case by case situation some may try to eat moss(or anything) on its own if curious enough and if so of course remove it at once. However I have not had any problems and she doesn't actively seek it out unless she wants to sit in the humid hide/tunnel its located in (she prefers to go in the hide on her own vs me soaking her as often and having her throw a fit lol) - also are there any other safe alternatives for humid hide "substrate" (not sure what to call it) you know of that i can look into ?

I guess it’s one of those things up for personal discretion, I personally wouldn’t want to risk it on the off chance she’s taking nibbles without my notice lol, everything else in there if eaten should theoretically pass, but moss has been known to block them up.

For a humid hide, as long as your substrate is nice and moist in there, it should remain humid