New indoor/winter enclosure build. Looking for suggestions.

[Toddrickfl1]

I'm about to start building a new indoor/winter enclosure for my Redfoot Murphy. This thread will be a work in progress and I'm open to any and all suggestions. The enclosure will be in my basement/pond room. The area I've got cleared out to work with is about 14' x 10'.
This is going to be a permanent enclosure for Murphy who's almost an adult so a closed chamber is not feasible. I have two large ponds in the basement and i've been taking random ambient humidity readings and it's stayed around 65-75%. So I don't think humidity will be an issue. (Maybe come winter but we'll see then)
The basement is not insulated and does get pretty cool in the winter time so I'll be building some kind of large heated house as well. I haven't really decided on any real plans for the setup yet so like I said I'm open to all suggestions. My first real question is would it be ok to build on the floor or would it be better built off the floor?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I'd use solid foam insulation between the tortoises' intended area and the cement, floor and wall. It can be made dig and scratch proof with plywood. Then heat the whole of the area that the tortoise will be in. So make the whole enclosure the 'house'.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I'd use solid foam insulation between the tortoises' intended area and the cement, floor and wall. It can be made dig and scratch proof with plywood. Then heat the whole of the area that the tortoise will be in. So make the whole enclosure the 'house'.

Ya it's an unfinished basement. The basement itself is about 2000 square feet. So I'd have to figure out how to heat the whole area.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Exactly what Will said-insulate underneath and it will keep you from chasing your tail with Heating. I would make a basic floor frame with at leat 2x4 or even 2x6- 2x6 would allow rolled insulation to fill the gaps very well. Just make sure to put a vapor barrier underneath. Good Luck and we will be watching

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Ya it's an unfinished basement. The basement itself is about 2000 square feet. So I'd have to figure out how to heat the whole area.

A room within a room. That smaller room would be the whole tortoise enclosure. If you make a heated house and then the tortoise free roam the rest of the area, at some times of the year it will be too much of a difference between heated house and the whole of the basement.

Maybe an area that is two panels of plywood, 4 by 16 or 8 x 8. It does not have to go to the ceiling, but give yourself some space to work the enclosure.

 

[KBeam]

Ya it's an unfinished basement. The basement itself is about 2000 square feet. So I'd have to figure out how to heat the whole area.

We heated our basement in Indiana with radiant floor heating. Works great.

 

[method89]

Shower curtain walls... I could explain further but it will require a drawing

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Shower curtain walls... I could explain further but it will require a drawing

I had that thought actually. Maybe like 5ft walls and covered with some kind of plastic. I'm also thinking maybe some kind of removable lid I could put on in the winter.

 

[method89]

I would build one wall with studs and drywall and the other side would be accessed by the shower curtain. The table would be contained within the walls

 

[Blackdog1714]

They make lots of 10x14 greenhouse maybe you could just get one and make a few adjustments to it !

 

[Toddrickfl1]

For now I've decided I'm going to build an 8x8 insulated platform with 2x4s. Then 2ft high walls around. When the wintertime comes I'll build some kind of top for it.

 

[method89]

They make lots of 10x14 greenhouse maybe you could just get one and make a few adjustments to it !

Yeah, but where is the fun in that?!?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

 

[Toddrickfl1]

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Almost finished with the heated house.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Almost there, I hung a shop light above with two 6500k led bulbs. Tomorrow I'll add mulch, and some plants. The hide will be heated with a 40 watt radiant heat panel. They're will also be 2 - 150 watt CHE's on either side. Everything will be hooked up to thermostats. I can't wait to move Murphy in.

 

[KronksMom]

You're moving super fast. Great work!

 

[method89]

are you going waterproof the bottom or sides first?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

You're moving super fast. Great work!

Haha i'm on unemployment till my job needs me back so I have nothing but time on my hands right now. This entire project was funded by the State of GA lol

 

[KronksMom]

Haha i'm on unemployment till my job needs me back so I have nothing but time on my hands right now. This entire project was funded by the State of GA lol

Lucky Murphy!