My tropical jungle....NOT

[AnimalLady]

So, I envisioned a tropical jungle oasis when planning the new torts home. Tropical plants everywhere, shade, so much shade and just straight up beautiful. WELL. That's not exactly what I ended up with. Plants are costly, and I under budgeted I guess. So, what I did was put a piece of plywood like a roof type hide thing. This piece of plywood will be cut in half today or tomorrow, so it wont be that huge, I'm thinking of giving half to Mac and half to the new baby.
I'm not good at this, and I realized it yesterday and it upset me, lol.. BUT, I'm very good with constructive criticism, so let it rip!
Also, I know I should probably have put a 2nd layer of cinder block, but I haven't gotten around to it yet and well, yea, just that. It stays like this for now.

The vine in the back is NOT toxic and it is safe, no worries. Also, the can of ant spray is gone, I sprayed it all around the enclosure to help with the ants and stuff.


So, I just wanted to show you all the 2 set ups side by side. Mac to the left, baby to the right (I really need to come up with a name, maybe Baby isn't a bad one, eh?)



Here it is... the "Tropical Oasis Jungle", right. I ordered a GIANT log hide, this one is too small I think.
Again, that plywood will be cut in half. I'm starting cuttings from my other spider plant, EVENTUALLY this enclosure will be filled with plants.


A better picture, but without the pretty rocks





Sooo, what do you all think? Suggestions?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Very nice. Give the "Jungle" part some time. It'll all grow out before you know it.

 

[AnimalLady]

Thanks Ed!

 

[Yvonne G]

I really like it. You're doing a great job. And in the meantime, start accumulating, as $$ allow, more cinder blocks. Two-high would be much better.

When I was making my rain forest out of a desert area I put shade cloth up all over the area. Then as the plants grew and provided more shade, I removed the shade cloth. I bought the black stuff because it seems more "invisible" than the colored stuff.

I thought I had a better picture, but you can sort of get the idea here. This is my yellowfooted tortoise's rain forest with shade cloth over the open space:

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I wish I had some photos of my fish pond areas on my phone. It started out with two pothos and a single banana plant. now it looks like the Amazon in about 3 years.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Where do you live? Warm climate?
If so, I wouldn't cut the plywood. It's going to give you more shade coverage.

Speaking of plywood, is it going to be in direct sun or in the shade itself?
I've found that my shade source (your plywood for example) works great when it's in the shade and heats up like a mini oven when it's in the direct sun.

Toss some seeds in there and in no time it'll be a thick jungle!

 

[AnimalLady]

I really like it. You're doing a great job. And in the meantime, start accumulating, as $$ allow, more cinder blocks. Two-high would be much better.

When I was making my rain forest out of a desert area I put shade cloth up all over the area. Then as the plants grew and provided more shade, I removed the shade cloth. I bought the black stuff because it seems more "invisible" than the colored stuff.

I thought I had a better picture, but you can sort of get the idea here. This is my yellowfooted tortoise's rain forest with shade cloth over the open space:

View attachment 153787 View attachment 153788

I cant see your pix for whatever reason, and I'm dying to see them!

 

[AnimalLady]

Where do you live? Warm climate?
If so, I wouldn't cut the plywood. It's going to give you more shade coverage.

Speaking of plywood, is it going to be in direct sun or in the shade itself?
I've found that my shade source (your plywood for example) works great when it's in the shade and heats up like a mini oven when it's in the direct sun.

Toss some seeds in there and in no time it'll be a thick jungle!

Yup! Sunny Miami is where I lay my head
You think I should keep that whole piece? Well, that would make my life easier lol. Its in direct sun most of the day. The other enclosure to the left isn't really, I put up an umbrella for him so he's not in direct sun all day. There are spots of direct sun, but not the entire enclosure.
Seeds.. GREAT IDEA. Do you know if Redfoots can eat that Tesudo mix? I have a bunch of those seeds!

 

[AnimalLady]

I wish I had some photos of my fish pond areas on my phone. It started out with two pothos and a single banana plant. now it looks like the Amazon in about 3 years.

OH OH POND?! Snap some pix and post em! Now I wanna see because im nosy lol

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Give me a minute and I'll see what's on my phone.

 

[AnimalLady]

Score!

@Yvonne G, I logged onto my Chrome browse and now I can see the pix!

Thats really nice and HUGE, Is that a lemon tree?!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Two ponds. One is 265 gallons. The other is 150.
That's the only photo on my phone of them and it's not a good one.

 

[AnimalLady]

OHHHHHH what you call "Pothos" I call "Malanga" I didnt know the name of it in English, sad....

Are those tort safe? We have those plants EVERYWHERE at work and i could take a couple snips and I know they grow like wild fire! Those would be PERFECT for the tort enclosure and I wouldnt have to wait long..

WELL, whenever you're in the photographing mood, take some pix of your pond, i love ponds, love them. I hope to have a HUGE one someday. Ponds and salt water tanks are my hubs specialty! He maintains a 600 gallon one at work... So i'm lucky there.
Do you have any Koi? I love Koi!

 

[Yvonne G]

Score!

@Yvonne G, I logged onto my Chrome browse and now I can see the pix!

That's really nice and HUGE, Is that a lemon tree?!

No, it's a Washington navel orange, and it has THE (accent on 'the' and pronounced 'thee') most juicy and delicious oranges you've ever tasted!!!!!! Once the fruit starts to turn color, the ones at the bottom of the tree get little beak scrapes all over them.

Yes, your RF tortoises can eat the testudo mix.

 

[AnimalLady]

No, it's a Washington navel orange, and it has THE (accent on 'the' and pronounced 'thee') most juicy and delicious oranges you've ever tasted!!!!!! Once the fruit starts to turn color, the ones at the bottom of the tree get little beak scrapes all over them.

Yes, your RF tortoises can eat the testudo mix.

Lol little beak scrapes, how cute!
Oh nice, I love oranges, my favorite being the blood oranges omg so good

 

[Gillian M]

Congrats! A very well done job. Love it!

 

[AnimalLady]

Thanks Gillian!

 

[Anyfoot]

So, I envisioned a tropical jungle oasis when planning the new torts home. Tropical plants everywhere, shade, so much shade and just straight up beautiful. WELL. That's not exactly what I ended up with. Plants are costly, and I under budgeted I guess. So, what I did was put a piece of plywood like a roof type hide thing. This piece of plywood will be cut in half today or tomorrow, so it wont be that huge, I'm thinking of giving half to Mac and half to the new baby.
I'm not good at this, and I realized it yesterday and it upset me, lol.. BUT, I'm very good with constructive criticism, so let it rip!
Also, I know I should probably have put a 2nd layer of cinder block, but I haven't gotten around to it yet and well, yea, just that. It stays like this for now.

The vine in the back is NOT toxic and it is safe, no worries. Also, the can of ant spray is gone, I sprayed it all around the enclosure to help with the ants and stuff.


So, I just wanted to show you all the 2 set ups side by side. Mac to the left, baby to the right (I really need to come up with a name, maybe Baby isn't a bad one, eh?)

View attachment 153785

Here it is... the "Tropical Oasis Jungle", right. I ordered a GIANT log hide, this one is too small I think.
Again, that plywood will be cut in half. I'm starting cuttings from my other spider plant, EVENTUALLY this enclosure will be filled with plants.
View attachment 153784

A better picture, but without the pretty rocks

View attachment 153786



Sooo, what do you all think? Suggestions?

Looks good to me. Throw some seeds in as suggested. Is there anywhere local where you can go dig up some dandilion and plantain weeds, to replant in your enclosure.
Could you use the holes in the top of the cinder blocks to grow something in from seed, pansies maybe. Can't tell how big the blocks are.
Maybe a flat Rock at substrate level to help keep your torts nails trimmed.( not sure if small rocks can get too hot in your climate). This is not something I have to worry about. Lol.

 

[Lyn W]

Looks good, I would be very pleased with that. Is the ant spray safe to use in the enclosure though?
I've read that diatomaceous earth (food grade) is good

 

[Jacqui]

Jungles take time. You have a great start. As for plants, ask friends, neighbors, folks on Craig's list. Use seeds (veggies and flowers). A good thought is perhaps vine plants like squash. This time of year there are a lot of pumpkin seeds laying around.