My latest indoor enclosure...

[Mark L]

This is my 40 gal tank for two 5 month old leopards. Indoor home for now. As they are outside now. I'll post pics of them outdoor enclosure at a later time. It's 15ft long and 3.5 ft wide. It's awesome
Anyway this rubber made tote lid holds the humidity really well. With the 100w CHE on and a lil spritz of water and the humidity is in the 90's for a couple hours. The cool end is a bout 72-75, basking spot around 100 degrees
The rectangle cut out is for a 24" UV/UVB tube bulb......,

 

[Prairie Mom]

I used to have my young sulcata in huge rubbermade storage totes. You're right, they can hold humidity just fine. Your set up looks really nice. I bet they enjoy those hides you made for them. Please allow me to give you a warning...Once my CHE got too close to the lid and melted the lid---AAAAA! Torty burn hazard! This problem is easily solved using aluminum foil.

If I had your pretty setup in my own home, I would make the hole for the light larger, put aluminum around the edges of the cut out plastic circling the light, and then cover the lamp fixture and the hole beneath it in an aluminum tent to keep in the heat and humidity. --Just a thought.

I hope your babies stay healthy and grow well for you! I'm eager to see the outside enclosure!

 

[wellington]

Those totes do make for great enclosures and cheap. I used two of them for my leopard when he was little. I made a tunnel to connect the two together.

 

[wellington]

Btw, get the temps upto 80 and no lower day and night, cold and humid makes a sick tortoises. Your basking is good.

 

[Mark L]

Here is their outdoor sun bathing area. They love it. It's 17ft long 3 ft wide. Gets direct sunshine from about 9 am to 4ish pm.....

 

[Levi the Leopard]

The outdoor space is great! Since it's in direct sun from 9 to 4, can I suggest you add a lot more "big" plants to make more shade?
Sunlight is a great thing but sometimes we underestimate the importance of shade too. Ample shade in a sunny area like that will give you a perfect balance for the torts to self regulate. As it is now, I worry that overheating is too great a possibility.

 

[Anyfoot]

Here is their outdoor sun bathing area. They love it. It's 17ft long 3 ft wide. Gets directView attachment 118448 sunshine from about 9 am to 4ish pm.....

Hi Mark

Is that a public walkway on the other side of the fence.

 

[Mark L]

Nope that my walkway and then a public sidewalk.....

 

[Mark L]

Team Gomberg...
Can u suggest some leopard tortoise safe brush or outdoor plants that provide lots of shade. Two of those spider plants don't like all that sun. So I'm gonna have to transplant some of the other spider or go buy something you suggest
Thanx Team G......

 

[Anyfoot]

Nope that my walkway and then a public sidewalk.....View attachment 118493

Wow, I can now see the sidewalk, if that was in the UK my torts would get taken, I can remember the days when we could leave our doors wide open and it be safe, no more. Looks like you live in a nice neighbourhood.

 

[Mark L]

Yes thank you. Very safe. Kids all over playing, we have a park 2 houses over....

 

[leigti]

Great enclosures. I would be so paranoid that somebody would steal my tortoise. I would be putting privacy slats in the fence at the very least. Herb plants make a nice shade and the tortoise won't eat them.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Ice plant is a great ground cover that does well in full sun. Letting it grow nice and thick provides some dense cover.

Hibiscus is another sun loving plant.

Ornamental grasses are good too. You can let those grow tall and thick along the house wall and it won't affect the manicured lawn look in the front.

Spider plants are funny. The only ones I've ever been able to keep in full sun, are the ones started in the sun.

I can't remember the names of my bushes...But there are some good shrubs you can plant too.

Google "African tortoise edible landscaping" and you'll get a list that categorizes and alphabetizes good stuff to use. It's my fav list to use.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Looking back at your photos....I think the spider plants aren't doing well because they are in the black pots above ground. The roots aren't insulated enough and are probably very dry.
Plant those same spiders IN that ground and see if you have better luck.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Also, covering those black tubes as hides will help. Right now they are probably mini ovens. Black plastic heating up in full sun....whoa that's gotta be hot.
You can mound dirt over them. A lot of dirt and that will insulated it some.. or find some way to make a hide that goes into the ground. It doesn't have to be a huge, long, deep burrow. Just something cool to retreat too. @kameya has a great little hide that would work for you. It's with a cinder block and some caps.... oh what's it called.... I can't remember.

 

[Mark L]

Every couple hours I spray that area down with a hose. Just to cool it down and allow for some natural humidity to occur. Kinda like a random monsoon rain I was beginning to think the pots were getting too much water. Also the tubes are perforated with lil slits all over them. I will definitely get some ice plant and grasses maybe even a hibiscus too.
Thanks for all your input. You are all awesome....

 

[Prairie Mom]

Team Gomberg...
Can u suggest some leopard tortoise safe brush or outdoor plants that provide lots of shade. Two of those spider plants don't like all that sun. So I'm gonna have to transplant some of the other spider or go buy something you suggest
Thanx Team G......

Hi Mark
I really enjoy gardening and recently made a thread about tortoise safe plants (I have a sulcata which uses the same diet). Here it is if you're interested... http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...pics-of-annuals-cold-hardy-perennials.110773/

I think your outdoor enclosure looks great. You have a beautiful yard and that looks like a perfect spot

 

[Carol S]

Plantain makes nice shade and also is good food for tortoises. It is easy to grow and does great in full sun. (I ordered my seeds from Carolinapetsupply.com). Is the border high enough to keep your babies from escaping? I would be afraid that someone walking down the street would see my tortoises and steal them. I also would put privacy slats so people (adults and kids) cannot easily see the tortoises and be tempted to steal them.

 

[Mark L]

I totally see what your saying. my lil leopards, Julius and Peppa, are only outside When myself and my 2 kids are. I work 2 days a week and I'm with my kids playing out front all day and that is the only time Julius and Peppa are out sun bathing. I really appreciate your concern. If I leave to run errands, they go in their indoor enclosure. If I need to be inside, to feed the kids or whatever, my front door is always open, 1 ft from Julius and Peppa. We are friends with all my neighbors and know everyone that walks the quiet street we live on.

 

[kameya]

Just something cool to retreat too. @kameya has a great little hide that would work for you. It's with a cinder block and some caps.... oh what's it called.... I can't remember.

Hi Mark,
This is what Heather was referring to, the cinder block outdoor shelter I built for my little tortoises.


http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...ter-designs-for-little-young-tortoises.70362/