Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting up with @Markw84 to pick up a 48x30x30 smart enclosure. While I was there he was gracious enough to give me a tour of his tortoise room as well, which was quite the treat! I got to see his Burmese Star babies along with a few of his Galapagos, all of which looked just stunning. Most importantly, I wanted to give a huge public thanks to Mark for all the work he does for this hobby and for the hobbyists with these enclosures.
Now, down to the enclosure! I must say, these things are meticulously planned and crafted by Mark. Every piece fit perfectly, you could tell this was the result of years of hard work and trial & error. To say I'm impressed is an understatement. What I loved the most though was the recommendations on lighting and probe placement within the enclosure (I always second guess myself on that) so to have precise suggestions on where to place everything, from an expert, was wonderful. The instructions were laid out very clearly, and it really was just plug n' play.
After talking with Mark and getting some great ideas I re-worked how the enclosure was previously, more plants! Lots of hiding spaces and overhanging foliage which my little Redfoot is clearly already enjoying. I ended up getting a large Pothos and Boston Fern and put them in some nice pots so my dude cant lumberjack the entire root system, while making sure there was ample room to navigate around each pot on all sides. I also swapped the 50/50 topsoil/cypress mulch to 100% Orchid Bark which I already like a lot better. It looks better and is also less dusty. The last thing I did was include two large pieces of slate, one for basking and one for feeding. I like the natural look, so why not!
I've attached some photos and if anyone has suggestions to improve the enclosure please feel free to let me know. If you look closely in one of the photos you can see a little Redfoot head poking out.
Now, down to the enclosure! I must say, these things are meticulously planned and crafted by Mark. Every piece fit perfectly, you could tell this was the result of years of hard work and trial & error. To say I'm impressed is an understatement. What I loved the most though was the recommendations on lighting and probe placement within the enclosure (I always second guess myself on that) so to have precise suggestions on where to place everything, from an expert, was wonderful. The instructions were laid out very clearly, and it really was just plug n' play.
After talking with Mark and getting some great ideas I re-worked how the enclosure was previously, more plants! Lots of hiding spaces and overhanging foliage which my little Redfoot is clearly already enjoying. I ended up getting a large Pothos and Boston Fern and put them in some nice pots so my dude cant lumberjack the entire root system, while making sure there was ample room to navigate around each pot on all sides. I also swapped the 50/50 topsoil/cypress mulch to 100% Orchid Bark which I already like a lot better. It looks better and is also less dusty. The last thing I did was include two large pieces of slate, one for basking and one for feeding. I like the natural look, so why not!
I've attached some photos and if anyone has suggestions to improve the enclosure please feel free to let me know. If you look closely in one of the photos you can see a little Redfoot head poking out.