Need advice for indoor tortoise enclosure for Morla

[FLZooMom]

I've looked around on the boards but I haven't really found anything.

Anyway, we found out that we'll be moving back to MI in the next year, which obviously has a much different climate than here in SW Florida. This means she'll spend several months of the year inside where right now she spends 99.9% of her time outside. I'm already thinking about how we're going to keep her healthy and happy and though maybe some people here that keep red foots in colder climates could give me some ideas. She's 4.5 years old so she's small anymore.

Her current outdoor enclosure is 6' x 10' and she's pretty much outgrown that (in my opinion) so I'd want it to be at least that big.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've looked around on the boards but I haven't really found anything.

Anyway, we found out that we'll be moving back to MI in the next year, which obviously has a much different climate than here in SW Florida. This means she'll spend several months of the year inside where right now she spends 99.9% of her time outside. I'm already thinking about how we're going to keep her healthy and happy and though maybe some people here that keep red foots in colder climates could give me some ideas. She's 4.5 years old so she's small anymore.

Her current outdoor enclosure is 6' x 10' and she's pretty much outgrown that (in my opinion) so I'd want it to be at least that big.

It CAN be done. Lots of folks do it.
I think the most popular idea has been using a mini greenhouse type structure indoors with the lights and che mounted inside

 

[FLZooMom]

It CAN be done. Lots of folks do it.
I think the most popular idea has been using a mini greenhouse type structure indoors with the lights and che mounted inside

I figure we're not the only ones that have a red foot in a cold climate which is why I was hoping to see what other people do.

And it HAS to be done because we'll do what it takes to make sure she's healthy and happy even if she can't live outside year round.

 

[Lyn W]

I don't suppose you know yet what sort of a home you'll have when you move, but if there's a large spare room you could adapt that could work too.

 

[FLZooMom]

I don't suppose you know yet what sort of a home you'll have when you move, but if there's a large spare room you could adapt that could work too.

Whatever house we get will have a basement which is where we'll put her. Michigan folks use our basements as our main living room, too, so she'll be part of the house and not somewhere out of the way.

We plan on building a raised tortoise table about 8' wide by 12' long with a pond liner and about six inches of dirt in it so we can plant some things she likes to eat and give her places to hide. She doesn't dig but she does like to nestle down into the dirt in her favorite places. The plants are going to need some kind of light and I'm not sure if a T5 UV light will be enough or if I'll need to get something else; I have two four foot ones from before that just need new bulbs so I'm hoping I can reuse them. I'm going to have a misting system set up and some heat lights to keep it warm enough and between the two the humidity should stay up where it needs to be.

The hard part is going to be engineering the table so that it's strong enough. Right now it's all just a huge jumble in my head so I'm looking for advice and hopefully to see what others have done.

The long term goal is to get a greenhouse that can be heated so it can serve double duty as her home and we can grow things year round for her and us.

 

[Bridgebob]

I've looked around on the boards but I haven't really found anything.

Anyway, we found out that we'll be moving back to MI in the next year, which obviously has a much different climate than here in SW Florida. This means she'll spend several months of the year inside where right now she spends 99.9% of her time outside. I'm already thinking about how we're going to keep her healthy and happy and though maybe some people here that keep red foots in colder climates could give me some ideas. She's 4.5 years old so she's small anymore.

Her current outdoor enclosure is 6' x 10' and she's pretty much outgrown that (in my opinion) so I'd want it to be at least that big.

My Eastern Box is living indoors and completely happy. She is small though. AND this is her native environment.

They can live indoors. But the climate is your challenge. My EBT can brumate. I don't know about your tortoise though. I think you can compromise. Get a good heat lamp. And UV (B,a) is a must. I know they don't need anything most of the time during the winter. Every other day is OK.

DO NOT LET THEM WANDER INDOORS. They will become confused and afraid and will hide.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

For the plants, you could suspend some strip florescent plant lights in the 5K to 6500 range. And you can actually use a single T5 HO fixture that can house both a single plant light and a UVB tube like these that I reviewed a few months back.
I bought these in Amazon for about $25 if I recall correctly. They came with two HO plant tubes. I simply removed one and added a 10.0 UVB.
I use these for my Chameleons that are living indoors.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The biggest issue might be the humidity part. But certainly a planted enclosure will help.
Most of us don't recommend using a humidifier. But with such a large "table" design I honestly can't think of another option except maybe for using a MISTKING set to spray for maybe 30 seconds every 2 or 3 hours. With at least 2 nozzles pointed towards the center of the table.
(Also like I use fir for my Chameleons)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The biggest issue might be the humidity part. But certainly a planted enclosure will help.
Most of us don't recommend using a humidifier. But with such a large "table" design I honestly can't think of another option except maybe for using a MISTKING set to spray for maybe 30 seconds every 2 or 3 hours.
(Also like I use for for my Chameleons)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I actually have a pretty large pond liner still new in the package that I was going to use for a bog filter for one of my ponds. But never did.
How far away from south Broward are you? I'd be happy to gift it to you.

 

[FLZooMom]

My Eastern Box is living indoors and completely happy. She is small though. AND this is her native environment.

They can live indoors. But the climate is your challenge. My EBT can brumate. I don't know about your tortoise though. I think you can compromise. Get a good heat lamp. And UV (B,a) is a must. I know they don't need anything most of the time during the winter. Every other day is OK.

DO NOT LET THEM WANDER INDOORS. They will become confused and afraid and will hide.

Red foots are tropical tortoises from South America so Michigan is most definitely NOT her natural environment, although where we live now in SW Florida is pretty close. She doesn't brumate. I would never let her wander; the main reason being I have cats and dogs.

 

[FLZooMom]

For the plants, you could suspend some strip florescent plant lights in the 5K to 6500 range. And you can actually use a single T5 HO fixture that can house both a single plant light and a UVB tube like these that I reviewed a few months back.
I bought these in Amazon for about $25 if I recall correctly. They came with two HO plant tubes. I simply removed one and added a 10.0 UVB.
I use these for my Chameleons that are living indoors.

These would be perfect! I'll have to look for your review so I can put them on my Morla wish list.

 

[FLZooMom]

The biggest issue might be the humidity part. But certainly a planted enclosure will help.
Most of us don't recommend using a humidifier. But with such a large "table" design I honestly can't think of another option except maybe for using a MISTKING set to spray for maybe 30 seconds every 2 or 3 hours. With at least 2 nozzles pointed towards the center of the table.
(Also like I use fir for my Chameleons)

A MISTKING setup, or something similar, is exactly what I'm thinking. With some plastic around the enclosure and the plants I'm hoping it'll work.

 

[FLZooMom]

I actually have a pretty large pond liner still new in the package that I was going to use for a bog filter for one of my ponds. But never did.
How far away from south Broward are you? I'd be happy to gift it to you.

That would be awesome! I'm in Lee County, just across the state from you.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Whatever house we get will have a basement which is where we'll put her. Michigan folks use our basements as our main living room, too, so she'll be part of the house and not somewhere out of the way.

We plan on building a raised tortoise table about 8' wide by 12' long with a pond liner and about six inches of dirt in it so we can plant some things she likes to eat and give her places to hide. She doesn't dig but she does like to nestle down into the dirt in her favorite places. The plants are going to need some kind of light and I'm not sure if a T5 UV light will be enough or if I'll need to get something else; I have two four foot ones from before that just need new bulbs so I'm hoping I can reuse them. I'm going to have a misting system set up and some heat lights to keep it warm enough and between the two the humidity should stay up where it needs to be.

The hard part is going to be engineering the table so that it's strong enough. Right now it's all just a huge jumble in my head so I'm looking for advice and hopefully to see what others have done.

The long term goal is to get a greenhouse that can be heated so it can serve double duty as her home and we can grow things year round for her and us.

This is where I keep my Redfoots in the winter. Maybe it will give you some ideas. An unfinished basement will be more humid usually than the upper levels of the house but I've also got a pond in mine too which helps me out with the humidity.

New indoor/winter enclosure build. Looking for suggestions.

I'm about to start building a new indoor/winter enclosure for my Redfoot Murphy. This thread will be a work in progress and I'm open to any and all suggestions. The enclosure will be in my basement/pond room. The area I've got cleared out to work with is about 14' x 10'. This is going to be a...

tortoiseforum.org

4x8 Enclosure build

Built a 4x8 table for for one of my Redfoots today. The Night Box is heated to 84F and the basking spot is about 93F. I know Redfoots don't necessarily need a basking spot but I like to provide one. The Strip light is a 6500k LED. The substrate is Cypress mulch and I lined the wood with a Tarp...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Canadian Mojo]

Instead of a table I would build at ground level and a make an insulated floor. Structurally, it's much easier -- 2x4's and foam insulation with some decking sitting on the concrete can bear pretty much any weight you might throw on it. You DO want the insulation though or you will pretty much be heating your whole slab up to 80.

 

[Bridgebob]

My EBT by instinct poops in her pond. A pond set up would save a lot of work.

I have a pond set up but haven't tried to set it up yet.