Water bowls for the big kids?

[Katherine]

Hey guys just wondering what you all use as water bowls/ soaking dishes for your big kids. Mostly looking for suggestions on STURDY soaking dishes for heavy torts. I currently use in ground satellite dishes for the big sulcatas; and "flying saucer" sleds and crawfish platters for the leopards and smaller sullys. My leopards are gravid and getting so heavy they break the plastic sleds and crack the sides of babypools easily, anyone have a sturdy solution as a soaking pool? I wish I had 10000 satellite dishes but they're just not easy to come by where I am!

 

[Laura]

plastic garbage can lids. dig a little impression to fit it and place it in.. easy to clean. cheap!

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kiddie pools dont last more then a year.. they get to brittle. you can dig a hole and concrete it. I did that too.

 

[Tony the tank]

Seems like everything I tried was either to flimsy, to small or to deep

I made my own at my buddies auto body shop out of fiberglass cloth and resin... Using a plastic water heater over flow tray as a mold .... (anything will work) lay some cloth brush it with resin lay some more cloth...make it as thick as you need(but bare in mind fiberlass is strong)Make sure you lay it smooth(less work later getting a nice finish).. Then when it dries you can wipe it in with another heavy coat of resin to smooth it out... Then let it gas out in the sun or place in a oven ( if it will fit) ... Then your good to go..

Seems like a lot of work but only took a few hrs from start to finish..take your time laying the cloth smooth.. The one I made is 26"x36" and has a 2" lip..I burried it in my yard..To the lip ...it's big enough for the big guys..yet small enough that I can just pick one end up and dump the water when it gets dirty..

 

[Katherine]

Seems like everything I tried was either to flimsy, to small or to deep

I made my own at my buddies auto body shop out of fiberglass cloth and resin... Using a plastic water heater over flow tray as a mold .... (anything will work) lay some cloth brush it with resin lay some more cloth...make it as thick as you need(but bare in mind fiberlass is strong)Make sure you lay it smooth(less work later getting a nice finish).. Then when it dries you can wipe it in with another heavy coat of resin to smooth it out... Then let it gas out in the sun or place in a oven ( if it will fit) ... Then your good to go..

Seems like a lot of work but only took a few hrs from start to finish..take your time laying the cloth smooth.. The one I made is 26"x36" and has a 2" lip..I burried it in my yard..To the lip ...it's big enough for the big guys..yet small enough that I can just pick one end up and dump the water when it gets dirty..

Sounds perfect! The satellite dishes I use now are heavy fiberglass/resin and I love it because they are sturdy but also they don't get too hot laying in the sun all day. I tried different metals for durability at one pt (the leps break evvvverything plastic) but they easily get hot enough to be harmful. Thanks for this response; now I need to start bribing all the mechanics I know ; )


I also like the idea of cementing a hole but like to rearrange or rotate enclosures occasionally so something movable is optimal for me : ) thank you guys!

 

[Tony the tank]

Seems like everything I tried was either to flimsy, to small or to deep

I made my own at my buddies auto body shop out of fiberglass cloth and resin... Using a plastic water heater over flow tray as a mold .... (anything will work) lay some cloth brush it with resin lay some more cloth...make it as thick as you need(but bare in mind fiberlass is strong)Make sure you lay it smooth(less work later getting a nice finish).. Then when it dries you can wipe it in with another heavy coat of resin to smooth it out... Then let it gas out in the sun or place in a oven ( if it will fit) ... Then your good to go..

Seems like a lot of work but only took a few hrs from start to finish..take your time laying the cloth smooth.. The one I made is 26"x36" and has a 2" lip..I burried it in my yard..To the lip ...it's big enough for the big guys..yet small enough that I can just pick one end up and dump the water when it gets dirty..

Sounds perfect! The satellite dishes I use now are heavy fiberglass/resin and I love it because they are sturdy but also they don't get too hot laying in the sun all day. I tried different metals for durability at one pt (the leps break evvvverything plastic) but they easily get hot enough to be harmful. Thanks for this response; now I need to start bribing all the mechanics I know ; )


I also like the idea of cementing a hole but like to rearrange or rotate enclosures occasionally so something movable is optimal for me : ) thank you guys!

If you like the shape and size of the satellite dish use that as a mold...just spray it with wd-40 and cover it with aluminum foil..then lay up your cloth and brush on the resin... Once it dries release it from the mold... And build it up by applying more cloth and more resin...

 

[Tom]

I use pizza dough trays sunk into the ground. If you go to any pizza restaurant they keep the dough in these big shallow tubs. They are about 3" deep and around 36x24". They hold around five gallons. I sink them into the ground so they are level with the surface. Some of mine just stick their noses in and others put their front feet in to drink.

 

[Len B]

Here is a pic of my simple solution for the big ones, it is framed with 2x4s (any size lumber will work) and roof rubber is tacked on. To clean, just turn it up on one side and rinse out with a garden hose.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

We use the top off of a giant storage bin and bury it a little so the sides are even with the grass. In our indoor enclosure we use a small garbage can lid from home depot.

 

[Katherine]

We use the top off of a giant storage bin and bury it a little so the sides are even with the grass. In our indoor enclosure we use a small garbage can lid from home depot.

I use small storage bin tops for the babies, and the storage bins themselves for tons of tortoise related things! but I needed something a little deeper and sturdier. Might be a silly question but are you in CT? I grew up there and have a bunch of family there : )

 

[SulcataJoe]

Home Depot / Lowes sell big clay flower pot trays (shallow round things that hold water under a pot). They come in large sizes, are heavy enough to stay in one place but can be picked up and cleaned or moved. And they are deep enough to soak, but not too deep. And cheap.
I like these for water and food bowls too.