Building materials outside enclosure

Jazzbell772

New Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
18
So I've upgraded my hermanns enclosure inside to a Rubbermaid container. This is to buy us some time to build outdoors. The enclosure is going to be 4ft by 10ft so I'm assuming that will be big enough for one tortoise! Anyway my questions are: I'm building this thing out of wood, does the inside have to have some sort of lining? We were going to put holes so it can drain since we get some torrential downpours. Not sure if we should have some sort of lining or just coat it with something. Also what does everyone use for humidity purposes?

I was really just going to build this thing out of wood, put in some coco substrate and dirt. I ordered some seeds so I will be planting those. I figured I was going to out a basking lamp out there as well for cold days or during winter. Anything else? I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana if that will help with what is needed in our area.
 

lynnedit

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You will just be building sides, not a wood bottom, right? You can just use untreated garden dirt, then. Adding coir would be fine.
If you are very concerned about drainage, then you can lay down a couple of inches of gravel for drainage.

As far as the wood, you can use treated wood 2x8, 2x10's, etc., or exterior plywood. Or you can use concrete blocks. You don't need to line these.

If you are concerned at all about escapes below ground, you can build a sort of raised bed, with garden wire (I use plastic to avoid rust) first. Then build your sides on this. Add gravel if desired, then soil on top. Make the sides tall enough to accommodate the substrate depth and enough height to avoid climb outs. You could set a cold frame on one end (if you build the enclosure the right width) and have a basking light inside to keep it dry.

If you have a dry spell, you can set up a drip mister system on a timer to keep humidity up (but your area must be fairly humid most of the summer?)
 

Jazzbell772

New Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
18
Yes it does get pretty humid so I'm hoping that will be easier. I'll have to look into a cold box, perhaps adding that to the one end of the box. Do you think 4ftx 10ft is enough for own hermanns tortoise? Also, we were planning on building this off the ground, like on posts, so I do need to know how to go about making the floor of this. The bed is going to be deep enough for whatever substrate and then another 12 to 16 inches up. It will have a type of wire mesh door or doors on it.
 
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