New enclosure
- Thread starter rhondak
- Start date
So far so good.
Great work! 
Well these are the photos of the enclosure throughout the week. The second level will have plexiglass walls on 3 sides. The first level has 2 different sections that are his hiding "rooms". We built the second level floor so that I can remove it to clean out his rooms and get access to him if needed. We have to stain the outside and paint a few areas inside. I cannot wait to get him in this and see what he does. I hope he likes it!
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What a great idea to create extra space by adding the second level! Very nice work.
Nicely done, I think he'll enjoy running up and down the ramp and hiding under the ramp.
Some ideas that you may have already considered. If you can build the ramp with a hinge at the top that may help keep him from dislodging the ramp. You may be able to make the 2nd story in a fashion that will allow the top story to slide as well as lift off of the 1st story. By using the ramp as a handle you could lift the bottom of the ramp and the pull/slide the 2nd story over exposing the hidden rooms. Putting a slightly elevated wood strip on the front and back will prevent the 2nd story from twisting and falling into the first story.
Your doing a great job!
up and down the ramp and hiding under the ramp. Some ideas that you may have already considered. If you can build the ramp with a hinge at the top that may help keep him from dislodging the ramp. You may be able to make the 2nd story in a fashion that will allow the top story to slide as well as lift off of the 1st story. By using the ramp as a handle you could lift the bottom of the ramp and the pull/slide the 2nd story over exposing the hidden rooms. Putting a slightly elevated wood strip on the front and back will prevent the 2nd story from twisting and falling into the first story.
Your doing a great job!
Here is today's progress on Boris's new indoor enclosure. My boyfriend did a great job building it for me. I can't tell you how long it took me to try and find a design that would be a good size but not too big that I couldn't keep Boris in the living room with us.
Now I am trying to figure out how I what I want to do for the inside for him... Such decisions!!
I am hoping to get Boris in it this week. I cannot wait to see what he does when he gets in there.
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- Joined
- Oct 22, 2013
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Wow that looks excellent !
This is awesome. How big is it. Especially the openings for the hidden rooms
Mrturtle527 said:This is awesome. How big is it. Especially the openings for the hidden rooms
The enclosure is 30" x 72" with the bottom side walls 10". The openings for the hidden rooms are around 8" wide and 6" high. The right side room has a ramp to get in and out of since we made it so he could have deep substrate to dig in. The second floor has a section that we can lift up so that we can check on him while in the rooms and clean them when needed. The first day in it he wouldn't move for awhile and than went and hid in the corner for the day. Yesterday he was moving all around it and making new favorite spots. I wish I had a video camera to watch him when I am not home to see what he's doing.
That looks wonderful! Nice size.
I have one with a small second level like that. I added a 75w bulb in a clamp lamp (secured with a 'C' clamp to the side). That is where the tortoise eats, so it is easier to keep clean. No substrate, just tiles to trim the beak and help retain warmth. (tiles are just placed, not glued in).
Down below consider a tube UV bulb (positioned the long way, so 36"?), to spread the UV light out, and either an MVB or a basking light on the warm side.
Then you can have plenty of substrate down below. You can consider different substrates in your hides; perhaps soil/coir in the deep hide, and aspen in the shallower one. My tortoises sometimes prefer burrowing in aspen at night. They have soil/coir everywhere else, which I add water to about once per week to keep the under layers moist.
Do you plan to line the enclosure before putting in substrate?
Nicely done!
I have one with a small second level like that. I added a 75w bulb in a clamp lamp (secured with a 'C' clamp to the side). That is where the tortoise eats, so it is easier to keep clean. No substrate, just tiles to trim the beak and help retain warmth. (tiles are just placed, not glued in).
Down below consider a tube UV bulb (positioned the long way, so 36"?), to spread the UV light out, and either an MVB or a basking light on the warm side.
Then you can have plenty of substrate down below. You can consider different substrates in your hides; perhaps soil/coir in the deep hide, and aspen in the shallower one. My tortoises sometimes prefer burrowing in aspen at night. They have soil/coir everywhere else, which I add water to about once per week to keep the under layers moist.
Do you plan to line the enclosure before putting in substrate?
Nicely done!
Looks like it will be tortoise paradise!
Here are some updated photos of the inside of his enclosure. I might change things around but this is how we have it now. I am going to change the bulbs and use the Power Sun instead. I have read that the Power sun projects a longer distance and I want to make sure that Boris gets enough UVA/UVB in his new enclosure. 
this was when we first put him in the enclosure. He wouldn't move! It took a couple of days for him to explore around and find his new favorite spots. I took the aloe plant out because he kept trying to hide behind it. I might put it in a clay pit and it it back in.
This last photo is Boris checking out the second level. I am probably going to put some small plants ( Russian tort friendly)up there but still thinking of what to do. I even thought about doing a "patch" of Russian tort seed mix from Carolina pet supply that he could graze on.
this was when we first put him in the enclosure. He wouldn't move! It took a couple of days for him to explore around and find his new favorite spots. I took the aloe plant out because he kept trying to hide behind it. I might put it in a clay pit and it it back in. This last photo is Boris checking out the second level. I am probably going to put some small plants ( Russian tort friendly)up there but still thinking of what to do. I even thought about doing a "patch" of Russian tort seed mix from Carolina pet supply that he could graze on.
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Looks good to me! What substrate are you using?
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That looks AMAZING! I'm really excited to start planning out a new home for my guy soon.
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