Permanent habitat

[mamameg]

Hi All! I have a red-foot that is under a year old. Originally I had planned on building her forever home to be 8 feet long and 3 feet wide and putting it in our formal living room. But while we have the space there, we don't use the room often. I'm now debating on building an angled habitat in the dining room. It's where she is now and so nice to see her often! The problem is I don't think it can be 3 feet wide in there. How important is the width? We live in Detroit so having a nice, large habitat is very important since she can't be outside 2/3 of the year. Thanks in advance!

 

[wellington]

Three feet isn't wide enough. Specially if this is her Permanent enclosure. If you plan on building a bigger one as she grows then you could go a little smaller now, but not much. Btw, width is important. They need to be able to turn around without hitting the sides and because they pace the perimeter there needs to be room for them to do that without always running into the items that need to be in the enclosure.

 

[mamameg]

Three feet isn't wide enough. Specially if this is her Permanent enclosure. If you plan on building a bigger one as she grows then you could go a little smaller now, but not much. Btw, width is important. They need to be able to turn around without hitting the sides and because they pace the perimeter there needs to be room for them to do that without always running into the items that need to be in the enclosure.

So what is the size parameters you would suggest? Ideally we would be building her permanent indoor pen this spring/summer.

 

[wellington]

@allegraf or @ZEROPILOT can answer that better with sizing for an adult RF.
Not sure though if your building for a one year old or are you wanting to build for when it's an adult?

 

[mamameg]

@allegraf or @ZEROPILOT can answer that better with sizing for an adult RF.
Not sure though if your building for a one year old or are you wanting to build for when it's an adult?

She is my only tortoise so I would like to have her next home be her permanent home. Unless there is a design I could easily add onto.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Your Redfoot as an adult would need something along the lines of 10 or 12 feet square. And that would be small.
However, I have kept one in a 24"x13' L shaped pen with a box at one end for sleeping. She was 14" long and it wasn't ideal. But it worked.
I see the humidity as your #1 hurdle. How are you going to get your humidity high enough?
I live in Florida, so that part is simple because mine are kept outdoors.
Keeping an adult, tropical tortoise indoors is one trick I haven't tried.

 

[mamameg]

Your Redfoot as an adult would need something along the lines of 10 or 12 feet square. And that would be small.
However, I have kept one in a 24"x13' L shaped pen with a box at one end for sleeping. She was 14" long and it wasn't ideal. But it worked.
I see the humidity as your #1 hurdle. How are you going to get your humidity high enough?
I live in Florida, so that part is simple because mine are kept outdoors.
Keeping an adult, tropical tortoise indoors is one trick I haven't tried.

Thanks for responding. Not sure how I didn't know that she needed something square! Sounds like the dining room idea is out and maybe even the formal living room. I could do 10-12 feet long there, but probably only 3-4 feet wide.

For humidity- this is something I have been thinking about as well. I guess I was thinking about having multiple foggers? I also saw a YouTube video of a guy putting pvc pipes underneath the substrate that I was thinking about experimenting with.

We're building her a large outside habitat this summer, but she will only be able to live out there comfortably during the summer months so figuring out an awesome indoor enclosure is super important!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Go as large as you are able with the inside enclosure. It does not need to be square. But should be wide enough to turn around in its narrowest spot. I had a pen that was two 10 x10 foot areas connected by a slim 12" corridor because of a tree.
Please post your experiences with how things are going. It can help others dealing with tropical tortoises in cold environments.

 

[wellington]

You might want to consider a big portable greenhouse in your basement. I know you want her where you can see her a lot, but it really has to come down to what's best for her.
I house my adult leopards in a heated shed for winter and this year the two girls in the basement in a large greenhouse. I enjoy them when I'm feeding and cleaning. The rest of the time I don't see them. I enjoy and see them more in the summer months when they get to go outside.
The greenhouse would be able to hold humidity. A 10x12 you can find for around 50 bucks. You just have to add a tarp for the floor.

 

[mamameg]

You might want to consider a big portable greenhouse in your basement. I know you want her where you can see her a lot, but it really has to come down to what's best for her.
I house my adult leopards in a heated shed for winter and this year the two girls in the basement in a large greenhouse. I enjoy them when I'm feeding and cleaning. The rest of the time I don't see them. I enjoy and see them more in the summer months when they get to go outside.
The greenhouse would be able to hold humidity. A 10x12 you can find for around 50 bucks. You just have to add a tarp for the floor.

That is a great idea! Do you have a link by any chance? I have a playroom in the basement that my kids hardly use and they could easily share with their little "sister" Loretta!

 

[mamameg]

Go as large as you are able with the inside enclosure. It does not need to be square. But should be wide enough to turn around in its narrowest spot. I had a pen that was two 10 x10 foot areas connected by a slim 12" corridor because of a tree.
Please post your experiences with how things are going. It can help others dealing with tropical tortoises in cold environments.

I have an entire pinterest dedicated to her for indoor and outdoor habitats. I will post when others have questions and/or I finalize my decision.

 

[wellington]

Mine is similar to this one below. I think I got mine thru Walmart online. It was around 49 bucks and even free shipping. Search portable or pop up green house. Get the largest you can and one you can walk in will be easier. However I also have one of the triangle low ones, like above, that worked for my 1 1/2 year old. Just not quite as easy on the human.

 

[Anyfoot]

@mamameg I think we need to think bigger for redfoots in cold climates. It's not going to be cheap. But using a wooden shed that can be insulated and turned into a tropical house with a small door going to an outdoor area so your torts can come and go at there own will. You'll be surprised when left to there own choice when they will come outside. Mine regularly go out at 12/15 deg c on a clear day chomping down on clover and weeds.
Here's a link to what I built. Way OTT for most but you can do something like this on a smaller scale to provide a good life for your tort(s). I'm currently building a tort house with a 10x8ft shed for my hingebacks. This would easily house a trio of reds.

And it's fun.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/indoor-enclosure.130200/

 

[mamameg]

@mamameg I think we need to think bigger for redfoots in cold climates. It's not going to be cheap. But using a wooden shed that can be insulated and turned into a tropical house with a small door going to an outdoor area so your torts can come and go at there own will. You'll be surprised when left to there own choice when they will come outside. Mine regularly go out at 12/15 deg c on a clear day chomping down on clover and weeds.
Here's a link to what I built. Way OTT for most but you can do something like this on a smaller scale to provide a good life for your tort(s). I'm currently building a tort house with a 10x8ft shed for my hingebacks. This would easily house a trio of reds.

And it's fun.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/indoor-enclosure.130200/

Holy cow! That is amazing!!!! I don't have a room she can use that would access a backdoor, but I reeeeeally love the idea of it. I'm thinking now maybe half of the boys playroom in the basement. It could be 10-11 feet by 4-5 feet. A table top with a greenhouse (or something else) on top? What if we also went up? We could create ramps?

 

[mamameg]

is this crazy?

 

[Anyfoot]

View attachment 222547 is this crazy?

Doesn't look big enough to me.

You have to remember that one day your tort is going to be at least 12" SCL. You have a few options for when it's an adult.
1. Build a good 4x8ft indoor closed system enclosure. The trouble with this is you have to put it outside when weather permits.

2. Build an outside night box like what @Tom does. My reason for not going down this road is because basically mine would be in that box for 6 months of the year.

3. Build an enclosure that you can walk into. Like using a shed. You can put it in the garden with an outdoor area, make that outdoor area safe and your tort can come and go as it pleases. You just lock it away at night. The down side of this is every time you open the door to enter it you lose heat. So bigger the shed the better. The one you are showing up there has a bigger door than the shed is Ok slight exaggeration but you get my drift.

 

[Anyfoot]

View attachment 222547 is this crazy?

Where all crazy, tort crazy

 

[mamameg]

Doesn't look big enough to me.

You have to remember that one day your tort is going to be at least 12" SCL. You have a few options for when it's an adult.
1. Build a good 4x8ft indoor closed system enclosure. The trouble with this is you have to put it outside when weather permits.

2. Build an outside night box like what @Tom does. My reason for not going down this road is because basically mine would be in that box for 6 months of the year.

3. Build an enclosure that you can walk into. Like using a shed. You can put it in the garden with an outdoor area, make that outdoor area safe and your tort can come and go as it pleases. You just lock it away at night. The down side of this is every time you open the door to enter it you lose heat. So bigger the shed the better. The one you are showing up there has a bigger door than the shed is Ok slight exaggeration but you get my drift.

We can be outside for maybe 5 months out of the year, give or take a few weeks. But I want her indoor habitat to be just as amazing (even more!) for the other 7 months.

So you are suggesting a shed with a pen for outside?

And a walk in green house for inside that is 4x8 feet?

 

[mamameg]

Where all crazy, tort crazy

We are all tort crazy! That shed is 8 x 4 feet, but I would want to build it instead of buying. Just looking for ideas.

 

[Anyfoot]

No. If your only going to build a 4x8ft enclosure you may aswell keep it low like a box so you don't have to heat a big area. I was thinking of a 8x10ft enclosure that you can walk into.

I'm now thinking you maybe better off with 2 enclosures. Build a 4x8ft indoor enclosure for winter, And build a 4x8 night box that is in a garden area for summer months.

Personally I would use a 8x10ft shed that you could grow tropical plants in. But that's me. I can't see a way of making it for less £1000. Also in the winter you will be able to sit in there watching your tort, and no doubt you'll want more in the future. Our weather is so unpredictable, with my tort house it doesn't matter.

Your tort is only small. You have months/years to build something big. Plan for it and do it correctly. No rush job