Tortoise table on a budget pic heavy

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Rover15

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I want to clear up some things before I start.

I have little to no building skills. I had no plans just an idea of what I wanted to accomplish in my head. This was my first big project and I had many hick ups

My goal was to try and build a tortoise table using the least amount of money as possible, to help encourage other people who's torts might be in a setup that is too small and the owner keeps saying I don't have the money or I don't know how to build a tortoise table.

Yes it could have been a lot easier to use a bookshelf or case but this way it would give you more flexibility with size, and at the end of the day you get to say "I built that" XD

All the wood used was skid wood that I got for free and stripped down.

To avoid cutting I just used the longest pieces and used them for length and width

Made a frame
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Then I just filled in frame to make a floor
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Stared the wall same borads as the frame and floor
2rp5mrq.jpg


Finshed up the walls added "post" for extra support I left one side open for viewing and for a possible screen/plexiglass drop down door
2jdqc0i.jpg


Bought this tarp at the dollar store for 2 dollars tarp is 6'x8' I used tacks but next time I will use staples the tarp was the worse part for me, doesn't look pretty but it is now water proof, no sealent needed. I also could have cut it but tarp tends to be a mess when cut.
sol1kh.jpg


Added substrate coco fiber, cypress multch mix with exo terra jungle moss at the back 6" wide and everything is roughtly 5"-6" deep
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Added a lip on each side wall, an other board to the front, and put a board in the center back wall for the exo terra lamp bracket. The bracket has adhesive strips I did not pull off the plastice to make it sticky I just screwed it to the board to hang my MVB
2i11203.jpg


That is about 90% done having issues with heat I'll have to add CHE(s) I'm thinking I'll add a top or over just 1/2 - 2/3 I'm also going to order a piece of plexi glass but this just shows you can build a tort table out of free skids I spent maybe a total of 10 dollars

Tarp -2 dollars
Screws - 3 dollars for 100
Tacts - 1 dollar
staple gun - 3 dollars ( thought it came with staples but didn't hence why I used tacks)

I will up load more picture when it is done and I move in my tort and finish adding in all the hides, rocks, plants and seeds. Maybe a second level.

Hope this helped at least one person XD
 

Rover15

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Yeppers I don't like how the tarp looked but other then that I had fun building it, roughly 40"x40" and built the walls 18" high
 

mctlong

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Wow! Nice job! Its looking fantastic. Can't wait to see what it looks like when its done. :)
 

Rover15

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mctlong said:
Wow! Nice job! Its looking fantastic. Can't wait to see what it looks like when its done. :)

Ty I have the one humid hide in there if you follow the one cord for my hygrometer theromometer I have built the substrate up and over for more walking room I want 2 more hides in there one using plants the other with the tube I have should look great ... I hope
 

AesopTortoise

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Well played. I was in the same situation and threw this together for about $150.
 

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AesopTortoise

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Dunno why it's always 2x
 

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