Which one first??

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laura13617

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First, I know these questions have been asked several times and I've read tons of threads on them. I would like some guidance in my building of two seperate enclosures.

They are going to be wood with plexiglass doors. I would like to waterproof the interior wood but I would also like to paint it a color. So, in which order should I do that..primer.paint.poly??

I also have plans to have soil and coir mix plus cypress mulch. Im going to some a mixture of live/fake plants. There are alot of options I've read about. What about a veneer bottom with sealant? Would that pose any kind of danger as far as mold or harm to the tortoise?


All help is appreciated and will be takin into consideratioin.
Thank you
 

stinax182

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what i did was just bought some outdoor paint. it's waterproof and comes in a couple different colors. if you want to keep the wood look, thompsons water seal will work. as for an actual liner, as long as you have enough substrate to absorb the moisture, it should be fine. mine have never leaked and i dump gallons of water into it.

and you're better off having the plants either in pots or a thin tray for the seeds, both of which you can just bury under the substrate. hope this helps!


and as for the liner being dangerous, if it pokes above the substrate they may try to eat it. i tried putting a thick black rubber liner on the bottom of a plastic water dish, hoping for some traction, but it turned the water black, no matter how many times i washed it. other than that, i don't really see a problem with it, but I'm not an expert. maybe someone has experience with using liners will chime in.
 

Thalatte

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For lining if you do use the thick rubber just use lights nails to secure it firmly to the floors and walls. If you make sure all the edges are glued down then there is nothing for them to bite. Another method you can use is industrial Velcro all the edges in place. I use rubber in several of my lizard cages and a few temporary tort homes. I wouldn't recommend it in water dishes though. Instead I have found these thick plastic trays at target in the dollar section called "boot trays." They have this diamond plate pattern on the bottom for traction and are great for a water dish for smaller torts.
 

laura13617

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yes Charmaine, one is for Ruben and the other is for Lyra (african leopard). They are both going to be 3ft by 6 ft and about 24 in high. I know that sounds too small for Ruben but, he won't be in it 24/7. I try to follow a schedule like yours. breakfast, soak and excercise. I have a sunroom that I'll also be converting to a tort room in the spring for the two of them to wander when it's yucky outside and they can't be in their run outside.

Sorry took so long to get back to you, trouble with our internet:(


thanks for the replies and advice:)
 
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