Indoor enclosure, cherry head, need ideas

[myk]

Hi everyone,
This forum is so so helpful, so many wonderful people here.

TLDR: ideas for indoor enclosure/setting up a room *semi-temporarily* hopefully will move houses in 4-5 years. Currently living in Northeastern US

anyway I need to come up with a creative solution. I was going to buy an animal plastics enclosure or an even more awesome one from Mark, or make one similar to Sterant, but I'm realizing reading in here that I need something *much* bigger (the breeder at the reptile show did not express how much room a little tortoise needs 😞)

I've searched on here but I feel like I could read forever and never make a decision...I need a little hand holding I think

Please hit me with your best ideas... I'll have a budget of about $500-800 and it would be great to have something that can be (easily-ish)moved to another house. I am somewhat "handy" but don't have any tools.

I'm thinking our basement/"bonus" room might be best space wise, but it's carpeted.

I think I've read 64sqft of space is minimum?

Had anyone done anything like I mention before, or is there a better idea?

Could I put covered plastic tubs connected with some type of tube? Would need 8-9 storage tubs. Cons: large footprint:can't stack them, would need multiple heat sources?

Or do similar with a folding kiddie pool, cut the sides to attach to a heated tub or enclosure (is it ok to have such a large uncovered space? What temp would I need to keep the room at?)
Pool is 87" (7.25') diameter= about 41sqft so it'd need additional 23ft2 (this would be 3 tubs, or a 3x7 enclosure.

Thanks for any help and ideas. You all rock

Amazon pool link: https://a.co/d/7BNIWEx

Lowe's solid black : is 7.6sqft

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-75-Gallon-PS-Commander-Tote/5013943287

Walmart tree box 52"x20" 15" tall 8.6ft2

Robot or human?

Home Depot clear box 45"x23" 22" high 7.5sqft

HDX 70-Gal Clear Tough Tote w/Wheels in Black with Yellow Lid 206282 - The Home Depot

This HDX reinforced stackable 70 Gal. heavy-duty clear tough tote with wheels will handle any storage job ranging from general storage needs to extreme storage jobs. The tote includes a clarified polypropylene

www.homedepot.com

Look at the pop up pools on Amazon, I was considering that,

 

[myk]

Look at the pop up pools on Amazon, I was considering that,I went with above ground planter ,but it needs alot of tweaking

 

[Lrn2trvl]

I was looking at the garden beds as well, but they mostly don't have bottoms ...

 

[Lrn2trvl]

Oh, my dad started the PVC enclosure, without me.... And has taken it over, but it is now on pause due to weather and health... of course he's changed things (I guess that's where I get it from!)

He thinks the PVC won't be study enough to move so he's improvising a frame. And he said he'll try to make the top part more like a lid... Not sure if he'll figure out how to make it hinged.... Hopefully he finishes soon, because as soon as the weather is warm, I'm going to set him to making an outdoors enclosure! 😁

 

[myk]

I was looking at the garden beds as well, but they mostly don't have bottoms ...

Yeah I had to build a base,

 

[Cordycord]

Hello and welcome to the forum from South Florida
While I have many decades of Redfoot keeping experience, very little of that is with keeping them indoors.
Mine have all lived outdoors.
Even my smallest babies after a certain age.

I've always been a fan of the mini greenhouse enclosures. But again. I've never used one.
Go as large as you have the space for it. My Redfoot initially go into 8'x8' pens.
My primary pen. That houses my adult male is 10x25.

Hi! I’m so glad to have stumbled upon your reply because I plan to have my cherryhead hatchling live outside. At what age do you usually move them outside? I live in Manila, Philippines so we have pretty good temperatures & humidity redfoot-wise. Would appreciate any advice you can give me as most of the info I find online are about indoor enclosures. Thanks so much!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hi! I’m so glad to have stumbled upon your reply because I plan to have my cherryhead hatchling live outside. At what age do you usually move them outside? I live in Manila, Philippines so we have pretty good temperatures & humidity redfoot-wise. Would appreciate any advice you can give me as most of the info I find online are about indoor enclosures. Thanks so much!

Every situation will be different. And most won't be as simple or as trouble free as I've experienced.
I have a secure yard. Privacy fence. Enclosures are hidden from view.
I live in the suburbs and I have no predator animals to worry about.
I also live in an almost ideal climate. Your climate is probably similar. Probably a bit hotter?
How about animals that would try to eat a tortoise?
I've kept very young tortoises outside. I even had two that hatched outside. Then lived out there for a very long time until I found them homes. No issues.
You'll need to determine for yourself if the area you've designated is safe and at what size would it be safe to leave what sized tortoise outside permanently.
I'm lucky.
Your experience will vary.

 

[Cordycord]

Every situation will be different. And most won't be as simple or as trouble free as I've experienced.
I have a secure yard. Privacy fence. Enclosures are hidden from view.
I live in the suburbs and I have no predator animals to worry about.
I also live in an almost ideal climate. Your climate is probably similar. Probably a bit hotter?
How about animals that would try to eat a tortoise?
I've kept very young tortoises outside. I even had two that hatched outside. Then lived out there for a very long time until I found them homes. No issues.
You'll need to determine for yourself if the area you've designated is safe and at what size would it be safe to leave what sized tortoise outside permanently.
I'm lucky.
Your experience will vary.

We dont have any predatory animals over here and our backyard is fully secured. The only thing that would probably try to get at the tortoise would be our dog and stray cats that can get in occasionally - I’ll be covering the enclosure to solve that.

So as far as predators are concerned, I think it’s pretty secure. Thanks so much for the response!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

We dont have any predatory animals over here and our backyard is fully secured. The only thing that would probably try to get at the tortoise would be our dog and stray cats that can get in occasionally - I’ll be covering the enclosure to solve that.

So as far as predators are concerned, I think it’s pretty secure. Thanks so much for the response!

There are feral cats here. Lots of them. They've never bothered with any of my tortoises. But dogs are a serious threat. And I'm including nice, friendly family dogs. They just want to chew on them.

 

[Cordycord]

There are feral cats here. Lots of them. They've never bothered with any of my tortoises. But dogs are a serious threat. And I'm including nice, friendly family dogs. They just want to chew on them.

Oh for sure. I’m not letting my dogs around my tortoise unsupervised - or even supervised actually. And the enclosure is on a table so the tiny dogs won’t be able to reach them. Thank you!

 

[Lrn2trvl]

Oh, my dad started the PVC enclosure, without me.... And has taken it over, but it is now on pause due to weather and health... of course he's changed things (I guess that's where I get it from!)

He thinks the PVC won't be study enough to move so he's improvising a frame. And he said he'll try to make the top part more like a lid... Not sure if he'll figure out how to make it hinged.... Hopefully he finishes soon, because as soon as the weather is warm, I'm going to set him to making an outdoors enclosure! 😁

Here are more photos! I forgot to take a photo with the lights and mulch, so I'll add those next time I'm at my parents' house

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Here are more photos! I forgot to take a photo with the lights and mulch, so I'll add those next time I'm at my parents' house

Looks very nice! And we need a bunch of photos with tortoise enjoying the livequarters