Updated table

[julietteq]

I have made some updates to Taco's and Marshmellow's table based on what I have learned and watching them wobbling around their table. I have added more plants on the table in order to disturb their sight lines and they love sitting underneath the leaves. I change the order of the plants around a couple of times a month, which makes them think they have gone to a completely new planet I believe because they will investigate for hours !

They now have the option to slalom around all their plants and hides. I also had to get rid of the pond area because they insisted on pooping in there and I did not want to take chances of them drinking dirty water. Instead I am now using an automatic flow cat waterer (with a filter). I have covered up the reservoir jar with hydrolic cement and shaped it to look like a large rock (I will add some airplants to the rock as well). The torts are fine with it. They will drink from it, but the bowl is too small for them to sit in. I still give them their daily soaks.

I have also used the hydrolic cement to create several hides for them, each with their own temperature/humidity zone allowing Taco and Marshmellow to choose where they would like to be. I cannot wait for them to go outside and enjoy the sun, but it still is winter here in New York.

Let me know if you have suggestions, updates, tips and tricks

 

[HerpMS]

Your enclosure looks great!!! You've made me want to get up and start building some new things for my torts! I was wondering if you could give any more information on what hydrolic cement is. I love what you did to the cat waterer (and gave me the idea to do the same thing for mine!). I have never heard of hydrolic cememnt before though, so I was wondering where you can get it and how you use it. Wonderful looking enclosure!!!

 

[julietteq]

I have never heard of hydrolic cememnt before though, so I was wondering where you can get it and how you use it. Wonderful looking enclosure!!!

I misspelled it…it is Hydraulic cement and you can get it in every hardware store. You just mix the powder with water and it sets within 3 - 5 min. I made the big dome by pouring it over a balloon and the popped the balloon. The Waterhiding rock I made a frame of chickenwire and poured it over. It is really handy stuff !

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006MXS3S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[HerpMS]

Thanks for the reply! I know what I'll be purchasing this weekend Thanks for the inspiration and info!

I have never heard of hydrolic cememnt before though, so I was wondering where you can get it and how you use it. Wonderful looking enclosure!!!

I misspelled it…it is Hydraulic cement and you can get it in every hardware store. You just mix the powder with water and it sets within 3 - 5 min. I made the big dome by pouring it over a balloon and the popped the balloon. The Waterhiding rock I made a frame of chickenwire and poured it over. It is really handy stuff !

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006MXS3S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[pfara]

Beautiful enclosure. Can you list all the plants you have in there? I see them all the time when I go to the houseplants section but they're never labeled.

 

[julietteq]

The plants I have in there are:
2 kinds of spider plants: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophytum_comosum
Boston ferns: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephrolepis_exaltata
Birds nest fern: http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/birds-nest-fern.html
Maidenhair ferns: http://houseplants.about.com/od/ferns/p/Maidenhair.htm
Aloe Vera: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera
a variety of succulents (they will eat them!) http://www.drought-smart-plants.com/types-of-succulents.html#axzz2t3M9bKBa

 

[bouaboua]

I like it. It looks so delicious........

 

[pfara]

The plants I have in there are:
2 kinds of spider plants: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophytum_comosum
Boston ferns: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephrolepis_exaltata
Birds nest fern: http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/birds-nest-fern.html
Maidenhair ferns: http://houseplants.about.com/od/ferns/p/Maidenhair.htm
Aloe Vera: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera
a variety of succulents (they will eat them!) http://www.drought-smart-plants.com/types-of-succulents.html#axzz2t3M9bKBa

Thank you! Your choice of plants makes the enclosure look so light and airy

 

[TortsNTurtles]

I love the plants! Your snow leopard is beautiful. Thank you for the cement tip you have given me some ideas Thanks!

 

[julietteq]

Thank you for the cement tip you have given me some ideas Thanks!

I look forward to the execution of your ideas ! Please share pictures of what you did with the cement, it is the best way to get ideas how to improve the life of our torts !

 

[gtc]

Wonderful enclosure. Good to see that open tables can work too. Keep us updated on the growth. What happened to the nice green grass? Can you give us a link with a pic of your cat water bowl? How often do you change the water in there?

 

[julietteq]

Wonderful enclosure. Good to see that open tables can work too.

I think it is too early to tell, but the results sure look promising.

Keep us updated on the growth.

Attached you see a picture of the growth they have had. As you can see MM grows slower then Taco, which is because Taco is less picky in his food choices and eats more

What happened to the nice green grass?

It is the same grass, however I have read a lot about their natural diet and looked at a lot of pictures of their natural habitat. I thought there was a lot of dried out grass in those so I decided to leave it in. The tortoises will actually continue to eat the grass that turned into hay. I replace the grass when they are "done" eating the hay.

Can you give us a link with a pic of your cat water bowl?

Attached is a picture of the watererer. I have build a "rock" that slides over it to hide the reservoir

How often do you change the water in there?

The waterer has a reservoir of I believe 1/2 gallon. It also has a carbon filter built in so I do not change it until the reservoir bottle is almost empty which takes about 3 weeks.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057LAHZK/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[colejohnson73]

How big is it and what types of tortoises are they.

 

[julietteq]

How big is it and what types of tortoises are they.

It is app. 6 x 2 ft and it the the winterhome of 2 leopards.

 

[colejohnson73]

Would that work for box or wood turtles.

 

[julietteq]

Would that work for box or wood turtles.

I do not have any experience with Box or wood turtles. From what I do know I would think that you would require a larger water area, maybe close to the "pond" I had in the previous version of the table. I removed it because the tortoises pooped in it and I was afraid they would drink it.

Can you post pics of your torts and their enclosure?

 

[colejohnson73]

I don't have one. I'm researching which one to get.

 

[julietteq]

I don't have one. I'm researching which one to get.

What a lovely dilemma ! I love all tortoises but chose leopards because of their beautiful color scheme. They also have a great personality. They will come up to you expecting to have their necks tickled

 

[colejohnson73]

Leopards get huge though.

 

[julietteq]

Leopards get huge though.

yeah, they do get big. You can house them indoors initially but after a couple of years you will need a big yard for them. How much room do you have? Maybe a nice russian? Or a redfoot?