The Tortoise Tub

[Sirius]

Well, I succeeded in turning an unused bathtub into a redfoot tortoise enclosure. It looks a little silly but it will work until spring. It took two days because the cypress mulch I bought was frozen from being outside. Frozen! It took two days to thaw out, even with a heater on and a spotlight - and since I am not a very patient person, it was pretty annoying. But most of it is cypress mulch, with sphagum moss in the little hide (a plastic planter on its side covered in mulch), and an array of plants that I believe are safe after researching (but out of reach just in case), I have a regular spotlight on the enclosure until my lights come from LLLReptile, and I have a 6500K CFL in the room's fixture for the plants. Anyways, I just finished it this morning and here it is:

Before:

Thawing the mulch:

Done!

The hide with my tortoise (she still doesn't have a name)

 

[jeffbens0n]

pretty neat idea...you could even put a piece of plexiglass over 2/3 of the tub to keep up humidity even more.

 

[Sirius]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking, I put some plastic wrap around the hide area, but plexiglass would probably work better and look better too.

 

[terryo]

Very inventive! Your temperatures should be in the 80's, so just keep checking to make sure they're high enough down in the hide area.

 

[Yvonne G]

I was hoping you'd come back and let us know how it worked. It looks pretty good. How does the tortoise seem to like his new home?

 

[Torty Mom]

That looks really great! A little tortie paradise!! I love all the plants!!

 

[Sirius]

Thanks! She hasn't really explored it yet, I think she's just a little stressed from moving into a new home. She started breathing hard and ran to the hide and has stayed there for the day. I guess she just needs time to get used to everything. I'll tempt her out with some food later and maybe she'll look around.

I've tried to keep it around 80, I have a little heater in there to boost the temps and mist a lot to combat the dry air it produces. Just waiting for the MVB and CHE which should arrive in the next few days.

 

[Tom]

That's pretty cool. Very inventive.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Very unique!

Is there running water still hooked up?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I like it, very creative.

 

[Sirius]

Thanks everyone!

Is there running water still hooked up?

I think so, I've never used it, but it does leak so I had to divert that into a bucket with some tubing. So I'm guessing it still works.

 

[Candy]

I always felt that the best place to keep a Redfoot in the house would be in the bathroom. I just couldn't figure out how I'd do it, I'm glad that you did though. It looks great.

 

[Madkins007]

Very nice!

My thoughts are...

1. The hill behind the hide looks like if it stood there and reached, it might be able to get out. You may want to make sure that cannot happen. (It also may just be an optical illusion from the angle of the photo.)

2. Forced air heating over the top like that probably is not helping enough to justify the heating costs. You'd probably get more bang for your buck with a couple more ceramic heat emitters or undersoil cables (I like the ones from Big Apple Herp)

3. If you laid a couple boards across the top, you could use them to mount your lights and heaters on and spread the heat/light out more, AND they could help support plexiglass or other coverings you add. (With a few cross pieces, you could use a clear shower curtain or other clear vinyl for a top.)

4. Personally, I'd put the rest of those plants in the tub as well! Bunch them up a tortoise-width apart to make a shady, humid, and probably cooler hiding area.

 

[Sirius]

Very nice!

My thoughts are...

1. The hill behind the hide looks like if it stood there and reached, it might be able to get out. You may want to make sure that cannot happen. (It also may just be an optical illusion from the angle of the photo.)

2. Forced air heating over the top like that probably is not helping enough to justify the heating costs. You'd probably get more bang for your buck with a couple more ceramic heat emitters or undersoil cables (I like the ones from Big Apple Herp)

3. If you laid a couple boards across the top, you could use them to mount your lights and heaters on and spread the heat/light out more, AND they could help support plexiglass or other coverings you add. (With a few cross pieces, you could use a clear shower curtain or other clear vinyl for a top.)

4. Personally, I'd put the rest of those plants in the tub as well! Bunch them up a tortoise-width apart to make a shady, humid, and probably cooler hiding area.

Thanks!

1. The walls are too high, climbing that hill was the first thing she did and has continued to use it a lot and she isn't able to get out once there, her feet slip right down the side. But she did fall over once trying to get up the hill, are they able to get back on their feet without help? And does lying on their back effect them in anyway?

2. I used the heater when I was trying to thaw out the mulch. I still use it when the temps get low, but I'm just waiting for my MVP and CHE. I ordered them off LLLReptile a few days ago, so they should be here soon and I can stop using the heater for an extra temp boost. I like the idea of the undersoil cables though. I'll see how everything goes with the lights and if I need some more heat I'll check those out, thanks.

3. The boards do sound like a good idea. I got the Zoo Med light stands for the lights I just bought. But those are $20, so if I need more heat, the boards would probably be more cost effective. But the plexiglass support/curtain mounting is another good idea so thanks again for that.

4. I wasn't sure if they were safe or not. One is some sort of fern I think I remember something about them being toxic. The other thing is that I put them in pots before putting them into the mulch, so space is a bit limited. Maybe some small plants. I ordered a bunch of organic dandelion seeds, so I'm going to grow them in the enclosure and in a big pot in the room so she can eat the sprouts and fully mature ones.

 

[Jacqui]

I like it!! The tub itself, makes it look very clean and neat. Do you use the tiolet in that room? Thinking there won't be any need of reading materials in there any more.

 

[Angi]

I LOVE it!