Tiny Tales

[Magilla504]

Awesome rescue mike. Your a good
Guy! Good luck doctoring tiny back to health!
Jason

 

[Jabuticaba]

This is so awesome!! Great job!


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[Alaskamike]

Got a remote probe. Acurite from Lowes ( on Toms suggestion). Put the sensor down in Tiny's hide this morning. It's 77f and 99% humidity down there.
85f and 67% outside.
I will see how it changes at night when temps drop. I hope it stays fairly constant. If it drops much I'll install a ceramic heat bulb on a timer for night.

 

[Alaskamike]

He goes in and out of there all day. Comes out and basks. Munches a bit. Then back in his hide.

 

[Magilla504]

I'm going to have to use your hide idea for my Russians . It looks very clean especially with grass grown over the tunnel. Any drain issues? Do you have a plan if your run into that issue? I am Trying to brainstorm so that I can make mine error free. I hate having to go back and fix things later
Thanks,
Jason

 

[Alaskamike]

You can't see it , but my entire surround is built on a slope so rain drains down in one direction I place the hide at the top of the slope against the wall. The entrance in that way only gets the water that falls directly into it - no run off.

The entrance to his tunnel and the tunnel itself is wider and taller than him , so getting in and out is easy. I covered the top of tunnel with a piece of plywood then put dirt on top of it and sod. so cave in not likely. Plus since I can just remove the Rubbermaid top I can easily check on him or get him out.

The bottom of the Rubbermaid container is cut out , so it drains into the soil. he can dig and nestle down if he wants. This also allows the deeper soil temps to be in the hide. I also put spagum moss in there.

My soil here is sandy so it drains well. However we do get monsoon rains at times. Then I'll check it. My guess is he will just crawl out if too much water. So far so good

When he gets big I will build one like Toms, and this one willbe for my Leopards. But for now this seems to work well.

 

[Irwin4530]

LUCKY boy!!!!

 

[Magilla504]

Looks great brother , thanks for the ideas . Those bins are 4 bucks at walmart right now due to Halloween and Christmas

 

[Magilla504]

I'm thinking of doing almost the exact same thing except I had an idea. My wife would hate seeing the top of a Rubbermaid box in the ground. To hide the top of the Rubbermaid box. I am thinking of making a removable flower flat/bed that can be picked up with ease. You could plant tortoise friendly plants /weeds in it . It would just look like a small raised garden bed and blend right in. In my head I'm thinking of 8" walls, maybe 2x3'. Then Make a bottom at the height of the top of the Rubbermaid box that is slightly angled for run off . When filled with soil and plants no one would have a clue what's below. I hope you like the idea

 

[Alaskamike]

I'm thinking of doing almost the exact same thing except I had an idea. My wife would hate seeing the top of a Rubbermaid box in the ground. To hide the top of the Rubbermaid box. I am thinking of making a removable flower flat/bed that can be picked up with ease. You could plant tortoise friendly plants /weeds in it . It would just look like a small raised garden bed and blend right in. In my head I'm thinking of 8" walls, maybe 2x3'. Then Make a bottom at the height of the top of the Rubbermaid box that is slightly angled for run off . When filled with soil and plants no one would have a clue what's below. I hope you like the idea

That sound interesting. .
There's no end to how creative you can get. My hope is that he will choose not to dig since he has a good private hide all to himself. I installed boards 12" Deep into the ground all the way around his enclosure. If he does dig might hit that and quit. He's only 2 & 1/2 lbs so will work for now. It's amazing how many Sulcatas are lost by digging out.

 

[Alaskamike]

Update. I got a remote humidity / temp gauge at Lowes. Acurite $20.
I can tell now that temp in hide is same as air temps. It's not deep enough to take on just ground temps.

 

[Alaskamike]

Well. I guess it's official. Tiny is one of the family. His outgoing personality won me over. What a bugger he is !

I'm building a heated box , after looking @Tom designs. I guess once you go that far there's no turning back. It's so funny , when I go out and mess around with the enclosures , he comes up out of his cave and watches me.

I'll upload few photos of progress so far when site will let me. Right now it's not responding well on my I pad. It's 4' x 4'. But he's only 6" so it will last awhile ( I hope!). It will be the Leopards box when tiny outgrows it. It's insulated and will have a " Hound Heater". I'll let you know how well that works.

 

[Alaskamike]

 

[Tom]

There is a problem with the above pic Mike. You forgot to make a door!

Just kiddin'. I'm sure there is one, but its not visible in the pic.


I love how different people build them differently. I'm a self taught builder, and fairly ignorant. I make it work, but I enjoy seeing other builders with more experience and knowledge build their own. I learn from it.

 

[Alaskamike]

Tom. Hahaha.
the door is on the other side. Actually have 2 doors as I'm sharing ing it with Tiny ( silly) and Cupcake ( my yearling Aldabra) with a partition down middle.

I'm going to put it against their separate outside pens. So they each have their own " private" entrance and area. Since they are both about 2lbs and 6" now it will be fine for awhile.

I'll post a pic when done. It will be heavily insulated so I should be cooler for them when it's 95f out and heated to 85f down to our lowest temps we get here which is usually 40f.

In So Florida outside humidities stay high 70-95%, 80% of the year, but when it's not I have a shelf in there for a water pan. ( saw that in yours .

I have the accurite remote temp guage to monitor. Thought I'd use orchard grass bale or Alfalfa for floor.

I'll take pics when done. Make ya proud. Lol.

 

[Alaskamike]

Progress. .

 

[Alaskamike]

 

[Alaskamike]

 

[Magilla504]

Great job mike. I love to see another creative mind at work

 

[Alaskamike]

Great job mike. I love to see another creative mind at work

Thanks