Library cum Reptile Room!! (Insert smiley face here!)

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
It has taken me a long time, almost a year because it's boring, to clear out enough space in my "library" to set up the racks for my Vision cages. One wall of books in four book cases looks like this boxed up:

reptile room c.jpg

The last day of boxing went by real fast because it was the first time the kittens were allowed in that room. They had a BALL jumping all over the place and exploring. It made the boring job of boxing up the book, quite entertaining.

So here's what the room looks like today from the doorway:

reptile room a.jpg

And moving over to the other side of the room here's what that cleared out wall looks like today:

reptile room b.jpg

Years ago, when I first set up that bedroom as a library, I went on craigslist and bought that couch for $20 because I thought it would be a good place to sit and read. The couch is in pretty good shape and it's a hide-a-bed, which I occasionally used for company. But I never ever sat in there to read, much preferring my recliner in my bedroom. So after the reptile room is set up I may advertise the couch on craigslist. I don't think a reptile room needs a couch. More pictures to follow as the project proceeds (but don't hold your breath, because it takes an awful long time to get those books boxed up!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
This thread was started Feb. 3 and I've finally finished the project!!! Three cheers for Y!!!

I haven't been able to take the boxes of books to the library for their book sale because of the 'shelter in place' thing, so I still have a wall of boxes in my office. But, the reptile room is finished! And the enclosures are gone from my kitchen. The last thing to set up in the new room was the box turtle enclosure. I have three sets of box turtles: one two year old three toe, two one year old luteola and four hatchling gulf coast. I've put them all into a Christmas tree storage bin by Iris:

First off I put up a back board and the power strips, then I put down a sheet of plastic.

box turtle set up a.jpg

Then I set the light stand on the plastic.

box turtle set up b.jpg

Next I placed the Christmas tree bin on the light stand.

box turtle set up c.jpg

Because three sets of babies are going to inhabit the space, I placed dividers inside the bin.

box turtle set up d.jpg

Next came the substrate, plants and lights.

box turtle set up e.jpg

And lastly, the inhabitants.

box turtle set up f.jpgbox turtle set up g.jpgbox turtle set up h.jpg

Night, night little guys!

box turtle set up j.jpg

I still have to find three feeders and three waterers, and, of course, clean up the room and vacuum the carpet. I'll take a final 'room' picture after tomorrow's cleaning.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Well, all finished. Tools are put away (well, at least they're out of this room), floor is vacuumed. I still have an empty wall where I can put up another metal shelving unit if the need arises. There are no more enclosures or incubators anywhere else in my house. It is once again a house, and not a reptile house. Once again, I can eat at the kitchen table if I so desire!

I'm going to ask William if it's possible to move that top shelf on the black unit down to the bottom and raise the two shelves holding the Vision cages up far as they would fit. It may not be possible, because of where the two pieces, top and bottom, join. The shelf the top Vision cage is sitting on might be the shelf that holds the top to the bottom. We'll see. It's a bit hard for me to tend to that bottom enclosure on the black shelving unit.

It's quite a relief to have this job completed.

Reptile room d.jpgReptile Room e.jpg
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

Guest
It's scary how quickly a home can become a reptile sanctuary! When I was a teen and operating my reptile rescue, my poor parents had to deal with bins, tanks, and crates throughout the house. Monitor lizards in the kitchen. Ball python in the hallway. Geckos in every room. Average house temp in the 80's, with humidity like it was Florida in August.... in AZ! My parents were very accommodating for years before it became too much for them, and they made me give them all to another larger reptile rescue network. In the summer, I'd bring in and re-home a dozen or more animals... My own personal collection was only 10 animals when I wasn't breeding geckos.
 

KronksMom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
347
Location (City and/or State)
Illinois
I love that trunk! And that looks just like my old cat Leo! He was a great cat, only with us for a couple of years before he got sick, but we made those years count. He played fetch whether you wanted to play or not. He just kept bringing his toy over and rubbing against you like "But I'm not tired yet! Come on, one more!"
Your projects always make me think, Maybe we could have more animals....
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'd keep the couch. I have to bring in a chair to sit in my reptile room because there isn't enough room to have a couch or anything permanent. It would be nice to have a comfortable place to sit and look at my animals.

Well done. Now what will you do with all the space you freed up in the rest of the house? :)
 

Relic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
538
Location (City and/or State)
Here
Nice job, indeed. I so wish I had that much space for cages. I'm afraid I don't even have enough space for a larger enclosure this next winter for my yellowfoot who has outgrown her Christmas tree box. I may have to part with her...
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
William was here this past week-end and we went to Home Depot and bought another metal shelving unit to serve as a hospital area. He set it up and today I washed some aquariums to put in there. I will put up plastic sheeting over the top and sides of the shelf, hang some 25 watt CHE over the aquariums. I have an ornate and a gulf coast box turtle in need of being in a hospital area, so it will be put to use right away:

reptile room f.jpg

I wish I had a place to put away my vacuum cleaners and carpet cleaner. The closet in this room is plumb full of books, the closet in the doll room is full of green ware and molds, and the closet that was actually made to serve the storage purpose is being used as a pantry.
 

Relic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
538
Location (City and/or State)
Here
William was here this past week-end and we went to Home Depot and bought another metal shelving unit to serve as a hospital area. He set it up and today I washed some aquariums to put in there. I will put up plastic sheeting over the top and sides of the shelf, hang some 25 watt CHE over the aquariums. I have an ornate and a gulf coast box turtle in need of being in a hospital area, so it will be put to use right away:

View attachment 296962

I wish I had a place to put away my vacuum cleaners and carpet cleaner. The closet in this room is plumb full of books, the closet in the doll room is full of green ware and molds, and the closet that was actually made to serve the storage purpose is being used as a pantry.
I was right there with you, applauding your new hospital zone, until I got down to the part about a doll room and then I threw up just a little bit in my mouth. My wife is suffering from the same disease (apparently untreatable) but has her collection stashed in various closets, display cabinets, book shelves, and it wouldn't surprise me to find one in my tool box someday...you women.
 
Last edited:

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I was right there with you, applauding your new hospital zone, until I got down to the part about a doll room and then I threw up just a little bit in my mouth. My wife is suffering from the same disease (apparently untreatable) but has her collection stashed in various closets, display cabinets, book shelves, and it wouldn't surprise me to find one in my tool box someday...you women.
Actually, I'd kinda' like to get rid of all the dolls and have a regular bedroom in there. I haven't been interested in the doll hobby for about 15 years:

doll room 2.jpgdoll room-1.jpg
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
You mean I have spent years visiting and sleeping on that narrow $20 couch with a cat, and all this time I coulda opened it up???? HA! I will miss the library, but to me the doll room was creepy, especially all those bodyless heads with eyes lookin at ya...
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I've got the hospital all set up. Each 20 gallon aquarium has a 25 watt CHE over it, and there's a T-5 UVB fixture over the center, benefiting all the aquariums under it. One of my 'patients' is eating and will be ready for a soft release probably starting next week:

Reptile Room g.jpg

The other patient is still being soaked in carrot/Terramycin solution. She has p u s s y eyes and is not eating yet.

Reptile room h.jpg

reptile room i.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ink

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I've got the hospital all set up. Each 20 gallon aquarium has a 25 watt CHE over it, and there's a T-5 UVB fixture over the center, benefiting all the aquariums under it. One of my 'patients' is eating and will be ready for a soft release probably starting next week:

View attachment 298322

The other patient is still being soaked in carrot/Terramycin solution. She has p u s s y eyes and is not eating yet.

View attachment 298323

View attachment 298324
The Ornata who isn't eating yet, I have discovered over time, that my Ornata would rather be cooler. So I have turned off the heat for mine and they are more active during the day and happier it seems...
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
The Ornata who isn't eating yet, I have discovered over time, that my Ornata would rather be cooler. So I have turned off the heat for mine and they are more active during the day and happier it seems...
Thank you!
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
Thank you!
I know that you know. I have always mixed my box turtles, but it seems that the ornates are a little more difficult to keep than the others. So I separated them and my ornates are doing much better...just sayin
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ink

Ink

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
Messages
2,455
Location (City and/or State)
Virginia
Love the carrot soaks! Saved mine, thank you for that....the new space looks great
 

New Posts

Top