Indoor enclosure, all input welcome

Odin's Gma

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Being Minnesotans, an indoor enclosure is obviously a must for several months of the year. Right now Odin is just a little fellow (roughly palm sized) and this is his first permanent indoor winter home so it would be great to get tips from more seasoned owners who have built indoor enclosures.
It is 4'x2' with a hanging UVA/UVB & nighttime heat emitter over the loft area. 3 of the substrate inserts are filled with a mix of slightly damp coconut coir/ desert sand mix/a bit of calci sand, and the 4th is two interchangeable gardens. One almost solely grass and the second a little garden of eden with grass, aloe, spider plants, carrot (for the greens) and seeded with marigold, clover and a few others that are escaping me at the moment. (We also have many houseplants, such as hibiscus, geraniums. christmas cactus etc that he adores decimating.)
The ramp is @9" wide x 2' long leading up the the basking area with is only about 6 inches above the substrate so its a nice low grade (with speeds bumps!) With a concrete igloo that we mist to maintain some humidity up there.
Any questions or input would be appreciated. I want this funny little guy to be happy and healthy for a very long time!004.JPG 007.JPG 008.JPG 009.JPG 010.JPG
 

Jodie

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I like the setup. The removable plant areas are great. I can't see him really good. He is a Sulcata right? What is your humidity? You may need to figure out a way to cover this. Building a frame and covering with plastic is easy, affordable and very effective. The sand is also an issue. It will not hold moisture for humidity and can cause impactation. The ramp and loft area is a great idea. I love the extra floor space for exploring. You might need to put up a railing though to prevent accidents. I think you have a really nice start for him.
 

Odin's Gma

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Thanks, I hope so!
I should have specified, the "sand" is actually a ground walnut shell mix for reptiles and it is only about 30-40% of the substrate mix and the calci sand is maybe 5-10% so it is predominantly coconut coir.
As far as humidity, it varies in different parts of the enclosure. Underneath the basking area (which is is favorite hiding spot) it runs about 70-80%, the rest stays lower, closer to 40-50%. I have been thinking about ways to cover it that don't change the light dispersion but haven't come up with anything yet, and we have also discussed a railing, but he is such a funny little guy, he is very cautious around edges and is very careful so we are watching and waiting to see if it will be necessary. I know this will likely only be a good enclosure for a couple of years tops because of the size.
 

Jodie

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Yes he will grow ridiculously quick. I would not use sand at all, but hopefully it will be okay. I am not at all sure about the walnut. I have a table that we built and later had to cover. This is how we raised our humidity. I easily maintain 80% humidity and over 80 F at all times. My Leopards are growing smooth and healthy. Sulcatas need the same conditions.
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Maro2Bear

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Nice set up. I really like the idea of insertable/removable grass pads. Good way to have a few sprouting while one or two are in the container. You might want to consider a roof to maintain both heat and humidity levels.

Two observations:
  • 1. you might want to make the hide more inviting by adding in some nice sphagnum moss, or spanish moss, etc. looks a bit barren now.
  • 2. You might want to have a barrier of some sort on level number two so that he doesnt tumble off.
 
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Odin's Gma

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Since taking the pics my son did put some hay in the cave, but I like the idea of moss better, thanks! And the fence has been a topic of discussion since we built the enclosure last weekend. (his prior enclosure was much smaller, plastic, and only intended as a nursery/night box as we brought him outside as much as possible when the weather permitted). My son and I are still arguing the construction and aesthetics of it. :D
 

leigti

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Until you can figure out a way to cover it, mist the entire enclosure often including the plants. Also add moist moss in the igloo and around the enclosure. is there a cuttlebone in there? If not I would put one in, he may not touch it for a long time and then One day eat it all up. I like the exchangeable trays idea. I also would not use any sand, you can add more coir to the mixture.
 

Odin's Gma

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The big greenish thing that looks like a bar of soap is a cuttlebone/calcium block and there is another, smaller one up on the 2nd level, and yes, we mist it several times a day and water each of the trays daily also.
Thank you all for all the input so far! This is incredibly helpful!

edit to add*
We also soak him daily (he loves it!) and there is a clay water dish sunk in the substrate where he can soak himself (or just poop :D)
 

Yvonne G

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If you want your plants to grow, you'll have to get some light down at that end too. Plants require a very bright light to grow well indoors. Do you have a UVB light for the tortoise? And is your temperature warm enough down at the bottom end?
 

Odin's Gma

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Right now we are switching the planting boxes out every few days, either leaving them on the side by the light, or setting them in front of our south facing deck door. The "cold side" maintains about 75 degrees, and yes, the light is UVA/UVB.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Right now we are switching the planting boxes out every few days, either leaving them on the side by the light, or setting them in front of our south facing deck door. The "cold side" maintains about 75 degrees, and yes, the light is UVA/UVB.
Even for a cooler side, 75 is bit chilly. How hot is the basking spot?
Nice enclosure! I like the grassy spot. I do agree about the walnut, though :(
 

leigti

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That's very cute. But I guess I'm a little paranoid but I would be worried about how he gets down from there. i'm afraid he might roll down and then off the cliff. you also don't want him climbing over the wall. You can pile up substrate on both sides to make that mountain more into a hill. That will be safer. they are pretty tough but you don't want to risk injury from falling on hard objects or from a high distance.
 

Odin's Gma

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My computer crapped out on me but I am finally back online! YAY!
Yes, he uses the wall to get up there. We have tried substrate to to soften any falls but he yanks it out and drags it all over the enclosure, we have also tried various configurations of rocks to block off access, it only slows him down. He is such a stubborn little bugger!
It's still a work in progress. :/
 

Odin's Gma

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Enclosure update. We have added a plexi cover over 2/3rds of his home (you can see the edge just on the inside of the 2nd planting insert) and it is definitely keeping the humidity up and cutting down on the watering frequency of the removable planting and wandering areas. Being the grass destroyer that he is we have started more planting beds. We started with 2, one grass, one grass and plants. Now we have 2 grass and greens, one grass and plants, one without plants and I have ordered a new mix of clover and chicory along with some dandelion seeds and picked up some additional vegetable seeds locally for more variety (spinach, radish, carrot) to start another one (or two, or 10???)
I am also working on rooting cuttings of my big indoor hibiscus (currently nearly 5 feet tall, but with this guy around that won't last long!) and am starting new spider plants and aloe nearly weekly off of my my big (and very fertile) parent plants. We have tucked wads of sphagnum moss under the raised area and ramp and inside and around the igloo (which he promptly drags wherever he pleases, he is quite the little redecorator!) and soak or spray it daily along with watering the beds.
He may not quite be ready to take over the world, but he is certainly poised to take over the house!
This is his happy face. :D
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001.JPG 002.JPG 003.JPG 004.JPG 005.JPG 006.JPG 007.JPG 008.JPG :D
 

Odin's Gma

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After this mornings photos I cleaned up his house and put all new, moist sphagnum moss inside of his igloo all around the inner perimeter. As soon as he went in he promptly started redecorating and pushed all the moss in front of the opening and took a nap. He is such a funny little dude.016.JPG
 

pfara

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Woohoo! Glad to see another person going nuts with indoor growing. I, too, am guilty of having backups of backup plants stockpiled all over the house :D

Just remember: it's not an unhealthy obsession.. it's the brimful of love for one's tortoise.
 

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