Redfoot enclosure

[carrilac]

I wanted to share with everyone our redfoot hatchling enclosure. I got the plans for it off redfoot.com (thanks Terry) and made a few adaptations- we added hinges to the top, molding on the sides to stabilize the top and painted it green. It took us all weekend and cost about $150 to make (the lights alone were over $70).

 

[Yvonne G]

Where did you post the pictures?

Yvonne

 

[Millerlite]

dont tease us, we are all picture hungry! lol.. cant wait to see it

 

[carrilac]

dont tease us, we are all picture hungry! lol.. cant wait to see it

Millerlite your funny! Sorry I thought I attached them. I guess my pictures are too big, so they didn't attach. I can only post on in this post. The knob on the top is the dimmer switch. I have a heat emitting bulb attached (not a ubv).

 

[terryo]

Wow...that looks great. Why were the lights so exppensive?

 

[Yvonne G]

That's great. I love that you can cover it up like that. Then if it gets too hot you can just prop open one side or the other. One suggestion, though...you need to add substrate all over the whole floor of the habitat. The bare plastic might cause leg problems because his legs will slip and slide. In birds this is called splay-leg or spraddle-leg. I like the moss in the hide, but you can add some orchid bark or cypress mulch or even potting soil, (if you can find some without additives) to cover the rest of the floor.

Good job!

Yvonne

 

[Millerlite]

yeah, i would put a few inches of substrate on the bottom, it will help keep humidity up as well, It looks good though,

 

[tortoisenerd]

Great enclosure. Does it need any sort of ventilation besides opening the lid? I agree on adding more substrate.

 

[Jacqui]

Looks nice! Once the suggestions about the substrate are done it looks like it should work well. So far how are you liking it? Finding any problems with it yet? How is the temp variations within?

 

[carrilac]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the feedback! I will certainly add some more substrate. The highest I've been able to get the humidity is 75% and I guess redfoots like 70-90% humidity, so I'm excited to see what more substrate will do.

The break down on the lights were $34 for the heat emitter, $18 for the unit for the aquarium light, and $12 for the aquarium light, then add in all the hardware it was a little over $70 with tax. I guess I should have said the lighting system alone cost $70.

The only thing I would change is I wish I would have put a slide dimmer on instead of a knob, I think it would be easier to keep track of temperature changes. Other than that I’m really happy so far and most importantly I think Sophie is too. Thanks again everyone!!!!

 

[nrfitchett4]

do redfoots need uvb? I'm not sure reg. aquarium lights give off anything but uva.

 

[terryo]

That's all I use...a aquarium tube light on one side and a heat emitter on the other side. "Do Redfoots need UVB...UVA..." That is a WHOLE different topic which is constantly under discussion. lol

 

[Crazy1]

OK nrfitchett4, I'll bite. It is my understanding that, Ultra Violet rays help with the production of Vitamin D3 in some reptiles. However some reptiles that are omnivores get their Vitamin D3 from animal protein. Thus diminishing or stopping the need for Ultra Violet rays. Some forest type Torts live in the leaf litter and darkened area of the forest floor. Though they may come out into the sunlight or walk through dappled light on the forest floor their main way of getting D3 is through eating things like birds, mice, carrion, worms, grubs etc. So Ultra Violet light is not as necessary as say for herbivores like a Sulcata or Greek tortoise, who eat little or no meat and are frequently in the sun.
There have been quite a few discussions within the forum on this matter if you care to do a search for them. As Terryo has said this is one topic that is constantly under discussion.