Getting ready to start my build!!!

chuck21570

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hi everyone, it has been a while since I posted. Hope everyone has been well during these crazy times.

speaking of crazy times, getting ready to start my build for our almost 1 year old Russian.

Building the biggest enclosure I can afford space wise to build. It will be 56 inches by 22 inches. I would like to make it a bit wider, but I think 22 will be ok given it is 56 long. Would you all agree?

I will take some pics along the way!
 

KronksMom

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I ended up giving Kronk a little more than 5 feet by a little less than 3 feet (I could check the exact dimensions when I go home), and I regret not going bigger. Now we're discussing building a second enclosure and adding it along the side. Basically just cutting a door in the wall of his current castle. For a russian, he will use absolutely all the space you can give him. Maybe there's a way you could make it 2 levels? I just know that Kronk wishes he had more space. Even though it's a huge step up from what he was in before.
 

chuck21570

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I have considered possibly trying to do 2 levels. There is room to go up, so I have considered that. I would like to make it super cool and fancy, but I am operating with a basic skill set, as I am not the handiest person in the world.

And while I appreciate it does not have to be “pretty” to be functional, the aesthetics of it are important to me and more importantly, my wife, who I also have to please (not just Twiggles the Tortoise)!

so I have a balancing act here.
 

KronksMom

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I have considered possibly trying to do 2 levels. There is room to go up, so I have considered that. I would like to make it super cool and fancy, but I am operating with a basic skill set, as I am not the handiest person in the world.

And while I appreciate it does not have to be “pretty” to be functional, the aesthetics of it are important to me and more importantly, my wife, who I also have to please (not just Twiggles the Tortoise)!

so I have a balancing act here.
I totally get that. It's going to be a part of your home for the next who knows how many years. You wouldn't buy an ugly piece of furniture, why would you build something you don't think is attractive? I'm not terribly handy either, I'm just lucky enough to have handy men in my life. Do a few searches on here before you start building though. I've seen some things that I really wished I had incorporated into our build, but by the time I saw them it was too late. Try searching "split level" "two level" "two tier" "double level" and other things like that. Maybe something will jump out at you as something you could easily add on to what you were planning. Or maybe you'll come across one of the very detailed builds and end up saving yourself a ton of work by being able to copy a lot of what they have posted.
 

chuck21570

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Ok, let’s start the picture show..... me shopping......
 

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chuck21570

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All the essential supplies:

- some lumber
- safety glasses
- a beer
- music

Don’t know about you, but work never seems as much like work when there is music playing!!!!!
 

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Jnics10

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My tort and I are following your build--we're moving in September to an entirely different climate, so there will be a build in our future as well. Also wanted to add that I've found quite a few "dream enclosures" and inspirations on Pinterest, and some great ideas to keep humidity from escaping just by searching on Google images.

Good luck and I'm sure Twiggles will love whatever you build (can't speak for your wife though, lol)
 

Lokkje

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I wish I were skilled or clever enough to build my own but happily I bought one from Mark Wilson. I posted up the pictures of my plug and play slide together enclosure and I am thrilled with it but there would be a tremendous satisfaction if I would could’ve built my own. Then again, I didn’t spill any beer having to slide mine together so maybe I’m better off. I’m really enjoying watching your build!
 

chuck21570

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ok, so looking for some advice on the next part of my build, want to see what others think. I have read a lot of posts along the way, so I THINK I know what the feedback will be, but want to get the latest and greatest thoughts on it.

1. The long board on the enclosure so far is the front of the enclosure, and that board is 56 inches long and 10 inches high. I would like to cut a big piece out of the center, about 30 x 5 inches), and drop a piece of plexiglass in to make it easier for my kids to see Twiggles, and I think aesthetically, it will look nicer. however, I have seen many comments about how it is better for the enclosures not to have glass (which is in part why people generally tend to not like aquariums from what I have read) because tortoises can't comprehend glass, and they prefer an environment where they can see and understand their boundaries. What are the thoughts of the experts here? Drop a piece of plexiglass in, or leave it 4 solid walls?

2. I have a reptifogger that I use to keep the humidity levels up. I am at this point planning to build a compartment in one of the back corners to put that in to "hide it". and then have the tube coming up though the hide, and then back down through another hole to actually provide the fogging for the humidity. My russian is almost a year now. I have seen on here that after a year, you really don't need to worry about humidity as much. Do you think it is worth going through the effort to build this hide and keep the repti-fogger, or is he getting old enough now where he doesn;t really need it, and I can get away with just keeping the substrate moist / damp manually?
 

KronksMom

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1. Tortoises understand boundaries much better than previously believed. The whole thing about not giving them windows was because they would constantly scratch at the glass, and that was more an issue of not understanding how much space they really need. If there is enough space inside the enclosure, he won't mind having a window out, and in fact will probably enjoy being able to see you. Worst case scenario, you can always cover the bottom couple inches of the Plexiglas with something if it does seem to bother him. I love being able to see my little guy doing his thing while we sit on the couch.
2. I don't think you need the fogger. Now that he's getting older, humidity is less of a concern. Obviously you don't want to just let the enclosure dry out completely. But as long as you pour water into his substrate to keep it good and moist, not just spraying the top of it a little bit, he should be ok. Also, make sure that he has a legitimate humid hide. And that he's still getting regular bath time.
 

chuck21570

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Ok, day 2 of the build......

more beer, more music..... I don’t know which I love more, beer or music. Probably music. Yesterday’s build music was Pkew Pkew Pkew from Canada. Today’s build music was Bolt Thrower from Brit

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so today I focused in part on framing. I have a couple of ideas, not sure if they are good ones, but they are ideas nonetheless. I am putting “shelves” for lack of a better term under the walls, and I am going to lay the floor on top of it, as opposed to attaching the floor directly to the walls. That way, if the floor gets ruined for some reason, I can just replace the floor. So that is the framing work you see here

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you can also see in the picture the lights sitting across the top board. That board is 3/4” thick. My intention is to router out 1/2” where those lights are at,so that the lights sit in the wood, making them less likely to get knocked off. Then I will cut out a hole in the center of where I routed to have the lights shine through into the enclosure. I did all the measuring and marking for those cuts tonight.

also worked on the hide A bit tonight. Here I have another idea. I don’t intend to permenantly attach it to the walls or the floor, so that if I want, I can remove it to either move it, or just take it out. Instead of permanently attaching it, I am going to put L brackets in 6 spots to hold it in place. Then,I am having the top of the hide just lay on top of L brackets, so I can easily slide the top off, for ease of cleaning out the hide area. You can see that in the pic below.

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Right now, I am planning on having the entrance to the hide at the back of the enclosure. Any reason I don’t want to do that?

that was about it for today. About 3 hours into the build now.
 

chuck21570

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Ok, after a little forced break, I got back into action for day 3 the other day! As you know, I like to start with the beer and music update for the time I worked. No beer day 3 as I had some technical cuts I was doing, so wanted no impairments! The music selection was a variety of things, including the New York Hardcore: Where the Wild Things Are compilation, Gorilla Biscuits Start today album, and some pavement and stellastarr on shuffle.

ok, so I made a hole in my top board for the lights with this:

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then I finished that hole with this:

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then I used the router to make the shelf the lights will sit on in the hole I cut:

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leading to a final product looking like this, one spot for the CHE, one spot for the T8, and one spot for the basking light. Looks a little like a car grille I guess!

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Here is what it looks like lit up on top of the partially completed enclosure:



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that was it for day 3. About 4 - 4.5 hours into the project now.
 

chuck21570

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Ok for those of you following along, done with day 4 and 5. Both were short days, had other crap going on. :(

The beer and music are back!!!!

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music choices for the last 2 days were a little Beach Slang, from my hometown of Philly, and a little bit of old school Metallica, and Pink Floyd’s the Wall album. Been on a major Pink Floy kick lately.

Day 4 was a short one, but a productive one. Built his hide, which is on the left hand side of the enclosure. It is about 9 inches wide, and about 7 inches long. Figured that would be good enough size. The CHE is going to be above and behind it, so I think it will make for a nice warm, humid spot, as the opening is in the back of the enclosure, instead of the front.


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I put the hide on a hinge, so it will be easy to open for cleaning or whatever.

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that was it for day 4, other than securing the floor and back wall as well.

day 5 was dedicated to cutting out the front wall a bit to have an opening for plexiglass, so we can better see little Twiggles, so so he will be able to see us. Also did all my sanding tonight to prepare to put the pond shield on tomorrow. I originally was going to just use plastic shower curtain, but decided to go the epoxy route. Here is how it looks at the end of day 5. About 6 hours into the project now.

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chuck21570

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Ok, for those of you still following along, winding down the build finally! Beers were a flowin and the music was a goin! We had some Ryan Adams, some Led Zeppelin, and who even remembers what else! It is all a blur in this god forsaken heat.

Ok, over the last couple of days I put the plexiglass on the front of the enclosure. I planned to take one approach, but my wife suggested another which worked out great.

I cut the plexiglass to size, then cut a piece of plywood to almost the same size as the plexiglass, and screwed the plexiglass between the front wall, and the plywood I cut. Here is what I cut, and here is how it looks on. I think it turned out pretty damn good!!

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then I built the lid and attached it with hinges. I did not want to do a lid really, But my wife wanted one. Happy wife, happy life. The lid got a little out of alignment trying to attach the wiring, so I need to redo it a bit.

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over the weekend I applied the pond armor and silicone, so tomorrow is move in day!!!! I have a couple of minor finishing things to do to pretty it up, and before we go to the beach for a weeI I am going to stain the outside, but it is functional, so he is moving in tomorrow.

here is a pic with the lights on and in place.

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will take some final pictures tomorrow after I put the substrate and decorate, and show you Twiggles in his new home.
 

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