Indoor enclosure

[Bobbyott]

starting my new enclosure, thoughts on the layout? It's 3ft wide 13ft long down one wall and 6ft down the other wall, sides will be 2ft high I'm going to try and do a section of the side plexiglass and totally enclose the top. It's all 3/4 plywood and I'm going to paint all the inside with a white waterproof paint. Do you think it will be big enough for awhile?

 

[Yvonne G]

I would just do all walls wood. Your tortoise may want to keep trying to escape through a see-through wall. How big is the tortoise?

 

[Bobbyott]

I would just do all walls wood. Your tortoise may want to keep trying to escape through a see-through wall. How big is the tortoise?

Hahahah he's only 8mo, but looking to make one that will last for a long time. I was on the fence about the plexiglass, wood is cheaper. Think the white paint is ok? Probably use a rustoleum paint its water proof.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's what GBTortoises has to say about painting indoor enclosures:

I am a lifelong carpenter and woodworker with some experience at designing and building tortoise enclosures.
For direct moisture contact either pressure treated plywood (unfinished) will work well. Any other type of plywood with a good quality finish such as an alkyd enamel, polyurethane or lacquer finish will also hold up well to moisture.

There are a few problems associated with laminated MDF board when exposed to direct moisture. First, the laminate typically used to cover the MDF is a very thin vinyl product, easily dug open by tortoise claws which then exposes the underlying MDF board. There are different grades of MDF but it is all basically just very small chips held together with adhesive to form a board or sheet. Once all those chips come in contact with moisture they absorb it, swell (sometimes double or more their size), come apart and crumble.

 

[sibi]

I would use all pressured wood, no paint, no Plexiglas. If you want, you can use a non-toxic corking like the ones used on fish tanks. This will help to keep a good seal. Btw, cute tort!

 

[Bobbyott]

I read that you should never use pressure treated wood on a tortoise enclosure, it said the chemicals used to treat the wood isn't good for them. I'm going to paint it with a good wood waterproof paint.

 

[sibi]

You

I read that you should never use pressure treated wood on a tortoise enclosure, it said the chemicals used to treat the wood isn't good for them. I'm going to paint it with a good wood waterproof paint.

You got a point there. Make sure the paint is non-toxic.

 

[Speedy-1]

I painted my night box with good old exterior latex semi gloss. Caulked every crack and corner with silicone and it is holding up just fine ! I did use exterior plywood !

 

[Bobbyott]

I'm painting it with rust oleum for wood , that will hold up to the moisture. I'll post pic when it's done