new idea...could it work?

[heyprettyrave]

im constantly trying to come up with new ways to improve my redfoots indoor enclosure. and for the past few days ive been really debating if it was possible to put a very very little 'pond' in her enclusure.

this is what i thought i could use to divide it from the rest
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753969

and then i figured i could use either a tarp or pond liner to make the bottom
i was also curious if i would need a filter?

has anybody done this for their indoor enclosure, if so could i please see photos

 

[BuffsTorts]

How would you clean and change daily?
They will do their business in it.

 

[heyprettyrave]

thats why i was thinking the filter? though i did plan on changing it very often

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

thats why i was thinking the filter? though i did plan on changing it very often

I doubt that the typical aquarium filter will keep the water clean enough...clearing out tort "poop" is a bigger job than fish "poop"!

I'd suggest something more along the line of a plastic "stepping stone" mold...they come in various sizes, and most craft stores carry them. Heavy duty .060 ABS plastic will last long after a young tortoise moves outside, and most are 1" to 1-1/2" deep, but some are as deep as 3", so you can, if needed, add a layer of small stones to make it the right depth. Some are round, some square, some rectangular. Some are big enough for a full-grown redfoot.

If there's a Hobby Lobby near you, check out what they have to offer.

 

[Candy]

Very good idea I never thought about buying one of those. I'm going to have to check out a craft store now.

 

[terryo]

I have a little RES that can't swim too well. I have her in a long Christmas tree bin. On one side I have a plastic tub that fits right in the bigger bin. The other side is soil mixed with peat moss and has some stepping stones to get in the water tub and some more stones in the tub to climb out. When I have to change the water I just put a little fountain pump with a long tub in and pump the water out. It's so easy and takes two min. You could clean the water that way if you're not putting a filter in there.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Very good idea I never thought about buying one of those. I'm going to have to check out a craft store now.

Just happened to be at Hobby Lobby yesterday (my wife and daughter would live there if they could ) and while wandering around, I spotted them and realized that they'd be great for Jennifer and Ptolemy's winter home (which I'll start building next month)...these forms are very study, so no danger of breaking while changing the water (I've had lighter plastic containers give out!)

 

[Kristina]

I use a small cement mixing tub. I made it shallower with pea gravel, and piled rocks to make it easy to get in and out of. To clean it I just stick the hose in it every few days and let the water run until it flushes clear. The tub was $6 at Home Depot.

I have aquatic plants in there now too, and fathead minnows, which eat the mosquito larvae.

 

[Tropical Torts]

Kristina where did you get the flathead minnows? And they dont have any effect on your torts when they go in the water and drink?

 

[Kristina]

Bait shop, dollar a dozen And no, it doesn't hurt the tortoises or the box turtles any. The water they go in to drink from in the wild has fish in it too

I have fatheads in the Boxie pen, Redfoot pen, Hingeback pen and in with my baby turtles in a larger cement tub. The turtles catch one every now and then. I think it is good excersize for them to chase them.

In the Redfoot stream they swim all the way from the pool at the bottom to the water fall at the top. Kind of neat to watch.

 

[terryo]

I put 10 rosie reds in the boxie pond and they ate every one of them.
I love the moss on the log Kristina. It looks like something you see when you go hiking in the woods.

 

[Kristina]

Thanks I am really happy with how everything filled in.

 

[heyprettyrave]

okay, so having a small swimming area deeper than what she has now is a good idea? im thinking she would like it bec she swims quite often. and i just got the idea of using an aquarium pump to get the water out, and i think instead of the pond liner ill go to home depot and find a little contaner like suggested and use that. now, i used to put minnows from the pet store in her water earlier on, though she didnt eat them. bec shes bigger now, would she eat them?