Pancake Tortoise Caging - Little Mansion!

[GatorsPancake]

So my girlfriend and I have been lucky enough to be part of a research project at our university studying intranuclear coccidiosis in chelonians - we were asked to care for 2.2 pancake tortoises and this is the cage I built for them!

Some info on it:

- It is 42x24x24"
- Made from 3 ply plywood, sealed.
- Opens up front and on top (aluminum screen)
- 150 Watt heat lamp, with a 10.0 Reptisun bulb
- It has 5 inches of substrate (mulch)

I also wanted to immitate the Kopjes where they usually live, so I carved out a rock phase out of expandable foam and covered it with coconut fiber - the tortoises seem to like the hiding place and going on top of it.











And here are some pictures of the tortoises!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

How lucky you are to be taking part in this study. I'd like to offer some helpful criticism, if you don't mind. I know you've put a lot of work into the habitat, and it looks pretty nice, however, it's not very big for that many tortoises. Also, try soaking those pellets in water before mixing them with the greens.

The tortoises look great. Do you think you'll get to keep them when the study is finished?

 

[GatorsPancake]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

How lucky you are to be taking part in this study. I'd like to offer some helpful criticism, if you don't mind. I know you've put a lot of work into the habitat, and it looks pretty nice, however, it's not very big for that many tortoises. Also, try soaking those pellets in water before mixing them with the greens.

The tortoises look great. Do you think you'll get to keep them when the study is finished?

Thank you, I have put lots of work into it. I do realize it is a bit small for the four, which is why they are currently separated ( we were originally going to only have a pair, but then we got a second one because the university received more pancakes). I have the original 2 in the cage from above, and the other two are in a 40gal breeder trying to be acclimated and starting to take some food.

I do soak the pellets and make a mash from it, then sprinkle it on top of the greens. I just wanted to see if they'd take the pellets - curiosity lol.

The tortoises are ours now, we were able to adopt them from the university so long as they remain in our possession for the entirety of their life and that the remain part of the study. I'm pretty excited about these guys, and they are my first tortoises - I usually just keep lizards (mostly different species of chameleons).

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. That's pretty cool you got to keep them. I agree with Yvonne about the cage. However, made out of wood, it would be pretty easy to just add on. This way the work you already did won't go to waist.

 

[GatorsPancake]

I will either expand on their current enclosure, or just build a complete separate one.

This is how the cage looks now, next to one of my chameleon cages.

 

[naturalman91]

I will either expand on their current enclosure, or just build a complete separate one.

This is how the cage looks now, next to one of my chameleon cages.

is that expanded foam?

 

[GatorsPancake]

is that expanded foam?

Yes, covered it in coconut fiber.

 

[Jacqui]

How neat. I want to go to your university.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum to you as well as your cute torts.

I too, think the enclosure is rather small.

 

[naturalman91]

Yes, covered it in coconut fiber.

i just made some stuff out of foam and sealed it for a bearded dragon it's kinda a pain in the butt huh lol