Great Stuff Expanding Foam

[Moozillion]

This may not be the right place for this post, but it's a question about safe turtle enclosure materials, and I wasn't sure where else to post it.

I am in the planning stages of making a paludarium for my mud turtle. I see a lot of really great paludarium scapes made using Great Stuff Expanding Foam to make both land and submerged features. But I have never seen it done in a turtle tank, and I know turtles are hard on their environments.

(To clarify: a paludarium is partly aquarium and partly terrarium; it has enough land mass to provide habitable living space for semi-aquatic animals.)


Here's an example of a paludarium (i am NOT nearly this ambitious!!!! )

 

[mark1]

great stuff makes one called "pond and stone" , they claim it's fish safe when cured ……. if I remember correctly it's similar priced as the rest of their stuff …...

 

[Moozillion]

great stuff makes one called "pond and stone" , they claim it's fish safe when cured ……. if I remember correctly it's similar priced as the rest of their stuff …...

THANK you!

 

[Alex Z]

Look forward to the final design. Best of luck.

 

[wellington]

I love these kinds of enclosures. Can't wait to see yours.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

How the heck do you clean something like that??? lol

 

[Moozillion]

How the heck do you clean something like that??? lol

I guess that's something I'll be learning!

 

[Moozillion]

Look forward to the final design. Best of luck.

As usual, my plans have changed numerous times.
The current issue is to just get a bigger tank up and running for Millie. She was bigger than I expected when I got her, and has grown really well: In August she was 2.5 inches long and weighed 65 grams; earlier this month she was 3.5 inches long and weighed 139 grams!
About 2 weeks ago she almost got STUCK trying to get into the hollow ceramic log that she's had ever since she was a tiny hatchling: she was having to tip herself totally sideways (by that I mean right side was UP and left side was DOWN) fighting to wedge herself into her log. As soon as I saw that, i pulled it out and replaced it with a flower pot. She was NOT happy and is STILL cross with me 2 weeks later! (Photo to follow!!! ) So her new 40 gallon breeder will have mostly the usual turtle hides in it and I'll start aquascaping with the 20 gallon long that she'll be moving out of.

If this isn't an accusing look, I don't know what is!!!


Millie: "You...TOOK...my...log..."

 

[Alex Z]

Glad you made it just in time. She does look a bit angry lol. Have you thought of a stock tank and create a pond for her?

 

[Moozillion]

Glad you made it just in time. She does look a bit angry lol. Have you thought of a stock tank and create a pond for her?

No, for 2 reasons. One is that she’s a Mississippi Mud Turtle, and mud turtles are poor swimmers. The other reason is that she only has 3 feet: when she was a tiny, wild hatchling about a year and a half ago, she was apparently attacked by an unknown predator that bit off her Right front foot. I was told a piece of white bone was sticking out; but the skin grew over it and it healed very cleanly. Even though she TRIES really hard to swim, the lack of her right front foot basically makes her a NON-swimmer. She appears most comfortable in water depths of 3- 3.5 inches. Any deeper than that and she’s constantly trying to climb to the surface. She’s MUCH calmer, curious and interactive in water shallow enough for her to stand on the sand and still be able to just stretch her neck up to reach the surface.

 

[Alex Z]

No, for 2 reasons. One is that she’s a Mississippi Mud Turtle, and mud turtles are poor swimmers. The other reason is that she only has 3 feet: when she was a tiny, wild hatchling about a year and a half ago, she was apparently attacked by an unknown predator that bit off her Right front foot. I was told a piece of white bone was sticking out; but the skin grew over it and it healed very cleanly. Even though she TRIES really hard to swim, the lack of her right front foot basically makes her a NON-swimmer. She appears most comfortable in water depths of 3- 3.5 inches. Any deeper than that and she’s constantly trying to climb to the surface. She’s MUCH calmer, curious and interactive in water shallow enough for her to stand on the sand and still be able to just stretch her neck up to reach the surface.

Well now she has a forever home with lots of love. This new home for her, will be just perfect.

 

[mark1]

I guess that's something I'll be learning!

my opinion is you don't …… the filtration , you maintain it , the rest you shoot for biologically self sustaining ………

 

[Toddrickfl1]

my opinion is you don't …… the filtration , you maintain it , the rest you shoot for biologically self sustaining ………

This was my thought too.