Building an indoor, need some guidance

[BlueBaron]

I got materials cut today to make a new rack for my other reptiles that will double as a stand for a much larger tortoise enclosure. I am hoping to get the rack built this weekend then get the materials I need for building my tortoise enclosure in a couple weeks.

I am going with black melamine construction, lined with a shower curtain, with a half mesh and half acrylic lid to keep my cats from deciding to have a snack and keep in humidity. Dimensions will be 48" x 24" x 16 1/4" (LxWxH). My tortoise is a hermann's, a little under 3 months old and sitting at 41g as of yesterday.

My questions are as follows:

- Do you think this is a bit large for my tortoise at this point and if so about where should I section it off until my tortoise is larger? I was thinking roughly half way.

- Is there any particular material that is better than others in terms of shower curtains? PVC vs PVC free, anything I should avoid? I am assuming it doesnt really matter but thought I should double check.

- Is there any material of mesh that I should avoid or look for specifically? I seem to recall reading about someones reptile getting sick as a result of the powder or something that came off of the mesh they purchased but I can not for the life of me recall where I read it...

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Get hardware cloth for the top. It's strong enough to support the weight of the cat. You can staple it to a wooden frame.

 

[BlueBaron]

Hardware mesh is galvanized and thus has a zinc content which can result in zinc poisoning. Apparently there are different grades of galvanizing processes and some are less likely to cause issues than others. I also read that scrubbing down the mesh with a metal brush and vinegar can reduce the chances of zinc flaking off.

That being said cases are far and few between and mostly seen in aviary kept birds that actually chew on the wire. Has anyone that has used galvanized mesh come across issues of zinc toxicity here?

 

[BlueBaron]

"Galvanized Wire - Electroplated galvanized wire is safe but wire that has been hot-dipped is not. Birds can ingest zinc from cages and clips made from galvanized wire. You can reduce the toxicity of the wire by scrubbing it with a brush and a vinegar or mild acidic solution to remove loose pieces and the white zinc rust. The rust will reform, however, so you must clean the cage on a regular basis. Hardware cloth is the worst offender - it's so poorly made that lead and zinc pool in the corners of each square of mesh, an open invitation to a curious bird. If you must use galvanized wire, buy "after weld" wire, which pools and flakes less."

This sums up what I have been reading nicely, its off of the petco site, I have read much the same from multiple sources.

 

[BlueBaron]

Bump!

 

[DawnH]

Hardware mesh is galvanized and thus has a zinc content which can result in zinc poisoning. Apparently there are different grades of galvanizing processes and some are less likely to cause issues than others. I also read that scrubbing down the mesh with a metal brush and vinegar can reduce the chances of zinc flaking off.

That being said cases are far and few between and mostly seen in aviary kept birds that actually chew on the wire. Has anyone that has used galvanized mesh come across issues of zinc toxicity here?

Hardware cloth is just fine. Using it for an aviary CAN result in zinc toxicity as parrots use their beaks to climb and can ingest zinc flakes if certain conditions are favorable. (I use to run a parrot rescue and speak from experience in that department.) Your tort isn't a parrot though and will not come into contact with the wire. Our chicken coop is constructed out of hardware cloth with no ill effects to our hens.

Hope this helps!