New tortoise enclosure

Status
Not open for further replies.

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
So it's a ways before being completed. The bottom is going to be aspen and the second floor will have repticarpet. Pellets and water on the bottom w/ UVB and basking area. Night time heat lamp, water, and fresh food on second floor. I still have to add all the extras as well as the "steps" for the ramp and a safety wall. Any other suggestions? It's for 2 leopard tortoises one's 5 inches and one is 3 inches at the moment. The enclosure is 6x3x2 and the second floor is 3x3. The ramp also lifts up for quick cleaning and the entire second floor (the bottom of it) can be removed for thorough cleaning.

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Macheteslaststep/006.jpg
http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Macheteslaststep/007.jpg
http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Macheteslaststep/008.jpg
http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Macheteslaststep/009.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
You've been busy! What is the material you used? It looks like sheet rock. Sheet rock swells and disintegrates when you get it wet.

Yvonne
 

Josh

Ask questions, share answers, talk torts!
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
4,108
Location (City and/or State)
Redlands, CA
nice job! you're going to have two very happy leos!
yvonne, it looks like painted particle board to me...
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Nice two story for your leos, hope you have that guardrail on well you know those shelled kids they love to try and plow through things. :p
 

Laura

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
7,502
Location (City and/or State)
Foothills above Sacramento CA
I'd be a little worried about them falling off the ramp or pushing the barrier.. make sure its secure.
What are you going to put on the ramp to give them traction? it looks steep.
Lucky torts!
 

KMSReptiles

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Messages
9
it looks to be made of plywood? Right..nice house
Kevin Stoltz
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
It's plywood, just painted. The paint is "Sprig of Ivy". Thought it would be approriate.:cool: The fence is screwed into the second floor as well as a support board. I'm putting wooden "steps" on the ramp (strips of 3/8 inch wood from AC Moore) that will be spaced accordingly. If they have problems with it still-I have sandpaper to coat the steps for extra grip. The plywood was also sealed before painting. I'm going to be putting a guard rail on the ramp, just a wall type thing. I was going to use the fencing there also, but thought it'd be too much of it? I also have to figure out how to mount my light fixture. It's a 3 bulb strip hood. I'll get more pictures as more is completed. ;)
 

Josh

Ask questions, share answers, talk torts!
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
4,108
Location (City and/or State)
Redlands, CA
it looks like you've covered all the bases! if the 3 bulb strip hood is fluorescent, you could mount them like i did mine. i basically made a U-shaped mounting bracket out of wood that just bolts right on to the short sides of the enclosure. the bulbs fit inside the U and the ends of the U hold up the fixture. if this doesn't make sense, i can take some photos...
 

james

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
114
Location (City and/or State)
san diego
i have to stop reading the enclosures section!!!! i can't wait to build my DT a nice table, but i have to wait because i might be moving soon. ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! table looks great tho.
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
josh said:
it looks like you've covered all the bases! if the 3 bulb strip hood is fluorescent, you could mount them like i did mine. i basically made a U-shaped mounting bracket out of wood that just bolts right on to the short sides of the enclosure. the bulbs fit inside the U and the ends of the U hold up the fixture. if this doesn't make sense, i can take some photos...


Huh? My fixture holds 3 screw in bulbs.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752557
This is the fixture that I have. I have 2 heat lamps (100 watts each) and one compact UVB (5.0). They've done well with it so far in their tank, I just have to figure out how to get it on the table lol.
 

Josh

Ask questions, share answers, talk torts!
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
4,108
Location (City and/or State)
Redlands, CA
hehe...we don't have the same fixtures so it doesn't really matter now...
how does the fixture compare in length to the enclosure? maybe you could bolt on a small platform where the light can rest. i personally like to have my lighting completely removable. it makes cleaning much much easier.
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
The enclosure is 3x6 and the fixture is 2 feet long. You mean like just building a frame for the fixture to rest on? I have extra 1x2s so I could do that...hmm...have to get the boyfriend to cutting again lol. Hopefully I'll get to work on it a little today. I have to finish painting and get some of the extra stuff from the store. Oh well-back to work.
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ

james

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
114
Location (City and/or State)
san diego
looks great! quick question, are your torts able to flip back over on the top level? without any substrate, i would assume it would be tough to get the traction to get back over?
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
james said:
looks great! quick question, are your torts able to flip back over on the top level? without any substrate, i would assume it would be tough to get the traction to get back over?

The self stick laminate is textured ;) And my torts have never flipped over...but just incase yes, they can right themselves on it.
 

drgnfly2265

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
1,232
Location (City and/or State)
FLORIDA
Looks like a great encloser. But my sulcata would walk off the side of the ramp if I had something like that for him. He's a jumper. ;)

___________________________________________________________

Jamie

1 Sulcata (Bowser)

www.myspace.com/bowsertortoise

:rolleyes:
 

Macheteslaststep

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
236
Location (City and/or State)
NJ
drgnfly2265 said:
Looks like a great encloser. But my sulcata would walk off the side of the ramp if I had something like that for him. He's a jumper. ;)

___________________________________________________________

Jamie

1 Sulcata (Bowser)

www.myspace.com/bowsertortoise

:rolleyes:


That's why there's a wall on the ramp. They have been really good with it. The only problem I have so far is that my little one seems stressed from the move. He's not eating as well :rolleyes: Oh well, he's ok besides that. It's only been a week so I'll give him some more time before I start to worry.
 

drgnfly2265

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
1,232
Location (City and/or State)
FLORIDA
[/quote]


That's why there's a wall on the ramp. They have been really good with it. The only problem I have so far is that my little one seems stressed from the move. He's not eating as well :rolleyes: Oh well, he's ok besides that. It's only been a week so I'll give him some more time before I start to worry.
[/quote]

That is what I am going to worry about when I finally get finished with Bowser's new home. I hope he starts to eat better :)

____________________________________________________________

Jamie

1 Sulcata (Bowser)

www.myspace.com/bowsertortoise

:rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top