My first tort table . . . help

[siwash]

Hi folks,

I have been housing Leo in a glass terrarium until now but it cracked and I have decided to finally go with a table. I have debated whether I should build one or buy a small bookshelf. I am limited to building size since I live in a condo in the city.

Here are my questions if I decide to build:

1. What type of wood (cheapest option that still looks ok; spruce, pine plywood?)

2. How thick should I have the lumber yard cut it?

3. How do I make it resistant to moisture/water?

4. Can I stain the outside for aesthetic purposes?

5. What min height should I make it?

Any other considerations?

Thanks kindly in advance!

 

[Redstrike]

Hi folks,

I have been housing Leo in a glass terrarium until now but it cracked and I have decided to finally go with a table. I have debated whether I should build one or buy a small bookshelf. I am limited to building size since I live in a condo in the city.

Here are my questions if I decide to build:

1. What type of wood (cheapest option that still looks ok; spruce, pine plywood?)

2. How thick should I have the lumber yard cut it?

3. How do I make it resistant to moisture/water?

4. Can I stain the outside for aesthetic purposes?

5. What min height should I make it?

Any other considerations?

Thanks kindly in advance!

1. There is nothing wrong with the cheapest plywood (spruce/fir BC grade), I've used it with no issues and it looks fine after a little sanding and painting/polyurethane.

2. I usually go with at least a half inch thickness. This provides a sturdy enough paneling to work with while keeping the weight down some.

3. Pond liners, shower curtains, plastic drop cloths, linoleum sheeting, tile, truck bed lining, polyurethane all can be stapled or applied for water proofing.

4. Staining or paint is fine, just give it ample time to air out for your tortoise (same goes for the inside treatments if you use truck liner, polyurethane, etc.). Once the fumes have dissipated, it's fine.

5. In my opinion, the higher the better. If you get nice high sides you can put things like plants in and really spruce it up for your tort without worrying about him/her making any serious escape attempts. I have 4 redfoots, so humidity is an issue for me. my next design is going to have 4-5 foot sides and a top with a sliding glass front. I'll have ample space for plants (vertically) versus my current setup (18" sides) where I have to avoid CHE's and lights contacting their foliage.

Good luck! Be sure to look around the enclosure section for inspiration, I'm always getting new ideas from others here on the forum.

 

[siwash]

Thanks so much! great info...