C & C cage for tortoise? (pic included)

Hi everyone.

I am thinking about making a new enclosure for my Hermann's tortoise. His right now is made of plywood and it's so big and heavy and hard to work with. I hate it! I'm thinking about a C & C cage and looking for some input. I did a forum search but only found one topic on it...

This is the design I'm looking at BUT I would use the second level to hang his lights from, not as a second level for my tort to live on. If that makes sense. I would suspend the light in there.

If needed, I could suspend another light over the other end of the enclosure to raise the temp.

But would something like this work? I have no carpentry/building skills but I know I can make this. For flooring I would use the corrugated plastic (coroplast) that c & c cages are known for or maybe even tiles of some sort and put the substrate on top of it...

Thoughts??

Note that I would cover up enough of the sides so he couldn't climb up and hurt himself...

There for one is no cage too large. I would not down size from his enclosure. Most need to be enlarged. The cage you are thinking about will not hold heat or humidity and looks small. An adult Hermann should have at a minimum of a 4x8 better if larger space and really should have indoor and outdoor spaces.

I wasn't going to downsize but I do want a different cage. I cannot work with what I have right now - it's too heavy. Right now his cage is 3x6 and about 4 feet high. It's huge and literally takes up my whole bedroom. All I can fit in there is my bed.

Also, I am getting mixed info. On my old account I posted here and was told his enclosure (plywood with glass doors) isn't suitable because it's too closed in and I needed an open table design. Even the care sheet says a tortoise table is good, which is why I was going to go with this... Now I don't know what to do.

The 4 feet high part IS WAY taller than you need for sure. But a cage made of wire is also not going to work very well.
Is having someone make you an enclosure out of treated wood an option?

No, unfortunately not. I posted an add and was quoted $500+ for a simple wood enclosure and it was the only reply that I got.

I've had experience with c and c cages. As long as your coroplast comes up the sides at least 3/4 of the way and you can create waterproof seams with your sealant of choice,it should act no differently than a similar tort table of wood, and be considerably lighter. I do think you will have problems keeping the substrate moist enough without a decent sealant. You might consider an ag tub or trough from your local farm & ranch supply.

I live in a smallish city and we only have one supply store around here. The 3x2x8 trough is $419 and unfortunately out of my budget...

Maybe I can get creative and find a way to make a lid for the c&c cage to keep the humidity in? At least for half the cage and just leave the part with the lamp uncovered...

I've been thinking about a C&C cage too. I have guinea pigs, and I think that there would be a way to make this work, especially taking inspiration from the Closed Chambers thread. You could even add in a waterproof lining, like I've seen some people do.

Just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean that a resourceful and persistent person couldn't accomplish. You like the c&c? Go for it! Think: "seal the heat & moisture inside" your goal is to create a mini sauna. Your wire cage can serve as supportive structure, skeleton to support whatever insulation material you choose to use to enclose it

newgirl53 said:

Hi everyone.I'm thinking about a C & C cage and looking for some input. I did a forum search but only found one topic on it...

Click to expand...

Did you see these threads about C & C cages?


Tortoise Enclosure [In Progress], 6/2010

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tortoise-enclosure-in-progress.15529/


C & C and Cororoplast, 3/2017

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/c-c-and-coroplast.152474/#post-1460833


New Large Indoor Red-foot Habitat, 9/2009 (coroplast)

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-large-indoor-red-foot-habitat.9289/#post-79195


Can elongated tortoise climb?! HELP!, 9/2015

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/can-elongated-tortoise-climb-help.127719/#post-1190608


Lois' New House, 3/2008

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/lois-new-house.1519/#post-14157