Insulated tortoise box

ksanchez

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5 Year Member
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Feb 22, 2013
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69
Location (City and/or State)
Ca
My father and I made a box that will eventually be for my redfoots/cherryheads, but is temporally being used for my 5, almost 6 year old sulcata.
By the way all of this is also show on my facebook page in a folder called turtle/tortoise home ideas
https://www.facebook.com/groups/turtle.and.tortoise.lovers/

After I thought of the size of a house I wanted to make we did the following steps:
Step 1 cut two pieces of plywood the same size (depending on the size you want)
**DON'T forget either the sides or top and bottom need to be longer to fit together. **
Step 2 cut 4 pieces of 2X2 (two long and two short) to fit around the plywood perimeter.
Step 3 screw on 2x2's on the outside of this piece of plywood
Tortoise box Steps 1-3.jpg

Step 4 (OPTIONAL) You can paint the inside before you do step 5, if you want to help with moisture (we did that).
Step 5 cut a piece of insulation to fit inside the 2x2's and place it inside (it should be a perfect fit/ it should fit snugly)
Tortoise box step 4.jpg

Step 6 cover the piece of plywood you've been working (with the 2x2's and insulation) with the other piece of plywood.
Step 7 Put screws all the way around (we used 12 screws, Two for each corner and one in the middle of each side.) We also countersunk the screws, which I think is very important.
Tortoise Box steps 6-7.jpg

We did the same thing for all 4 sides, the bottom, and the top (but you can make the top different). Although remember either the sides or top and bottom need to be a little longer (the width of two pieces), so they will fit together like a box). So we had 6 pieces like this. We made a floor because this is going on concrete not in the dirt.
Tortoise box (finished pannel).jpg

Here is another viewTortoise box (finished pannel 2).jpg

Then we painted all 6 pieces and let them dry. We used a wood paint with primer but we still gave it three light coats. The first coat just soaked into the wood and didn't cover it well.
After paining we started to cut out the door.
Tortoise Box (cutting out door).jpg

Another view of cutting the door out
Tortoise Box (cutting out door 2).jpg
Here is the door opening. We did it this way to show the insulation for everyone to see it was inside the panel.
This picture also shows the truckbed lining spray paint we sprayed inside on the floor to help withstand the moisture. Don't worry we let it air out several weeks before letting the tortoise inside.
Tortoise Box (door opening).jpg

Here is the finished project, after the doorway was sanded and sealed. The part I don't like it the door. I will be fixing this, but have other projects that need to be done first.
This picture also shows the handle I put on to open the lid.
Tortoise Box (a handle for opening the lid).jpg

Here it is open. Remember I don't like the door and it will be changed.
We made groves, and drilled in a little on both sides of the brown stick so I can screw it in a little to keep the top open when I am checking on my tortoise or doing something inside, even if its windy. THIS PART HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL! We filled in all the screw holes and pained over them, but they can be taken out it needed or if I ever want to change anything. :)
Tortoise box open.jpg

Here is the notch in the brown stick
**Sorry the pictures below this post were just taken tonight and it is dark and soaking wet outside, so they are not the best.**
IMG_2568.JPG

This picture shows how we drilled the screw whole sideways so I could just hand tighten it a little. I dropped the screw because it was dark so I can't show you it with the screw (sorry).
IMG_2574.JPG

We also added 4 handles. Two on each side and the best part is they lay flat when not in use.
IMG_2565(2).JPG

Another view of one side (each side has two handles) so one person stands on one side and uses two hands to carry the box.
Don't you just love the crickets. ;-)
IMG_2575 (2).JPG
 

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Yvonne G

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Thanks for the step-by-step. Very informative. Nice box. You did a good job with it.
 

ksanchez

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
69
Location (City and/or State)
Ca
Thank you so much @Yvonne G. This was the first tortoise box we've made. The next one will hopefully be even better. I tried to take pictures of the process to share, but I might have forgotten a few times to take pictures.
I need to make a box for my sulcata now and I want to make one that will last for a long, long time and be safe and keep it warm in the winter or cool in the summer for him. The safety of my tortoises and the functionally of the box/house is what's most important to me not the cost or time it takes to make the box/house. I want to make it the best I possibly can. I want it easy to open, get into to do any thing that needs to be done and or easy to reach in to fix and or replace items. I welcome any and all suggestions for my sulcata box, I will definitely be changing how the door is. I have gotten some great ideas already from @Tom and I am going to buy a RHP like he suggested, I just need a little more information to make sure I I go it right, since I haven't used one before.
 
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