red foot caging

[RedFootMomma]

When I got my red foot I believed the pet store "specialist" that the tank I got (about 1.5' x 3') was big enough & would be for years to come. Not so! I felt tremendous guilt not having a good size enclosure for my friend, knowing he needed & deserved a better living space. In addition, he started to pyramid, most likely due to not having enough space to exercise (I am diligent about diet, humidity, etc). I built a new enclosure, double the size, as large as I can fit in my small home, & it still isn't enough. Now I'm looking to build a greenhouse for him, wanting him to have the best life possible. I did not plan on buying a tortoise, I fell in love with him & felt badly he was so far from his native environment (we live in the mountain west at 7000ft, hardly a tropical rainforest). I believed what I was being sold & just went with it, now I'm trying to play catch up & am riddled with guilt I was not better prepared. I have done, & will continue to do all I can to give him a good life, but to knowingly go into a lifelong commitment without an appropriate habitat is selfish. I'm sorry to be harsh, but think about the life you will be able to provide for this tortoise, not just the immediate gratification of owning one. They are beings worthy of our respect. Best wishes

 

[Redfoot Micah]

Thanks for the answer. Can I use something like polyurethane? This cage will be big enough, correct? I would like to be able to keep him in this for years. He will be taken out every day to exercise and socialize. If you cover part of it, how does the heat get through? Also, how big across is the opening to the den area in the tortoise home? Sorry for all the questions...

I have the same habitat - and I did use polyurethane on it to seal the wood because it comes non-treated. I have a hatchling redfoot so it is like a mansion to her at the moment but when she gets bigger, she will for sure outgrow it.

 

[InvertaHerp]

So will mine. Then off to the 6 by 2. Since the space could be better, he wll be taken out EVERY day to excercise in a large room, and will. Summer outdoors.

 

[junebugsmom]

I have a redfoot that I put in a zoomed house when I bring her inside when the weather is too cold outside. She's about 6" and I would not keep her in it as her regular house (she has a house and pen outside).

The opening to the hide is 8". I lined the bottom with plastic and put substrate on top of it.

You will need to plan to cover the top to keep the humidity in. Otherwise it won't be humid enough for a redfoot.

 

[theelectraco]

You can coat it with polyurethane but you will still need a liner on the bottom because the wood is small slats and there are gaps so it won't be water tight

 

[mike taylor]

Before you spend money on the zoo med enclosure. look on line you can build a better enclosure cheaper.And if you put anything on it make sure the smell is completely gone.you can get the home depot to cut two sheets of plywood in half long ways and screw them together to make a cheap outdoor starter enclosure.JUST do alot of research before you spend the money on any enclosure and tort.Good luck and be a responsible tort.keeper the more you learn before you get him the better and you can use a large christmas tree tote as a good starter indoor enclosure.

 

[theelectraco]

Before you spend money on the zoo med enclosure. look on line you can build a better enclosure cheaper.And if you put anything on it make sure the smell is completely gone.you can get the home depot to cut two sheets of plywood in half long ways and screw them together to make a cheap outdoor starter enclosure.JUST do alot of research before you spend the money on any enclosure and tort.Good luck and be a responsible tort.keeper the more you learn before you get him the better and you can use a large christmas tree tote as a good starter indoor enclosure.

I agree. I have the zoomed enclosure and I am definitely modifying it or building something different this summer. I've already had to coat it with poly and it still molds so the inside is completely covered in a black heavy duty trash bag. The cage is a pain in my ***.

 

[mike taylor]

Yep had one given to me.They are made as cheap as can be.I built my table out of 1/10s from lowes and some plywood .cost less than 100.00 bucks.my outdoor enclosure is one of my old 4h pig pens 20/20 with a pond for my sliders. Working on a heated house so the torts. Can stay out all year I spent alot of money on stuff pet stores told me I would need then I found this forum and and now I am on the right track.

 

[theelectraco]

Yep had one given to me.They are made as cheap as can be.I built my table out of 1/10s from lowes and some plywood .cost less than 100.00 bucks.my outdoor enclosure is one of my old 4h pig pens 20/20 with a pond for my sliders. Working on a heated house so the torts. Can stay out all year I spent alot of money on stuff pet stores told me I would need then I found this forum and and now I am on the right track.

I didn't even want to buy the zoomed, but my dad decided to retract his offer of helping me build a tortoise table last minute and he bought me that instead for Xmas. I could have easily built it myself but he wouldn't allow me to use his tools -___-

 

[mike taylor]

I didn't even want to buy the zoomed, but my dad decided to retract his offer of helping me build a tortoise table last minute and he bought me that instead for Xmas. I could have easily built it myself but he wouldn't allow me to use his tools -___-

Yep shut down by ol pops. I remember them days. But being an ol pops of three boys myself. I can tell if you do the research and print it out .show so dedication he will help you.

 

[lisa127]

So will mine. Then off to the 6 by 2. Since the space could be better, he wll be taken out EVERY day to excercise in a large room, and will. Summer outdoors.

I understand you say you will make it 6 feet long instead of 3 feet long when he is bigger. The problem is, 2 feet deep is not deep enough. Evenutally this tortoise will grow to about 1 foot in shell length. Therefore, no matter how long the enclosure is 2 feet deep will not be deep enough.