New tort table

[tortoisetime565]

Hey experts and newbies alike! I want to make the perfect tort table. It will be L shaped and 6' on one side and 4' on the other. It will be 2' deep and the inside will be lined with plexiglass to make it water proof. It will also be raised 3' off the ground so they get natural sunlight and heat from the 1980's windows I have in my house. I'm going to use a mix of coco coir (Eco earth) and coco husk. (Repti bark). Probably a 1:2 ratio as I have a love hate relationship with Eco earth. There will be dividers to divide my Sulcata from my redfoots and my russian/testudo from my redfoots/sulcatas. The enclosure will only be for cold days, nights, or days that do not permit the torts outside. I have a thread going on about the outside enclosure as well! Please, I want to hear everyone's ideas and tips! Thanks in advanced!!!the picture is a diagram as looking from the top. The picture with the seemingly half circles is where the "windows" will be. The light lines are the dividers. It will be divided into 3 sections. Two 3x2 and one 2x2 section. Also I might incorporate another balcony system.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not quite sure about the size and the amount of tortoises. I can't picture it being big enough for that many tortoises.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I know. This is only for nights and cold days. After winter oklahoma normally stay 70-100's. I am going to try and push for 2.5' maybe 3'deep. Plus it will have a second floor balcony/basking spot that covers half of the cage to help with humidity. So I'm hoping it will work out. If everything else fails they will wander the kitchen with basking lights hanging from the ceiling!! But I've got to get them out of their little rubber maids.

 

[Eloise's mommy]

That would be a lovely paradise for a little Russian. How many torts are going in there?

 

[tortoisetime565]

5 in all. Russian, Testudo, two red foots, and a Sulcata. It is going to be slightly cramped but it will have to do. And it will only be for nights and cold days.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I'm not quite sure about the size and the amount of tortoises. I can't picture it being big enough for that many tortoises.

Okay, so I looked at the tort table idea again. I was able to move some stuff and make a space that was 6' on each side. This will let me have two 3' by 2' and one 4' by 2' enclosure places, not including the balcony. Or I can make two 2x2 spots if I ever needed to deprecate my russian or testudo. Or a redfoot for fighting. But it might be better if they went back to rubber maids for fighting instead of limiting. So does that sound better? My sulcata will be in the 4' x 2' and the testudo and russian together in one of the 3'x2' as well as the redfoots. I can't make the table 2.5' wide because it will interfere with my bed set and I won't be able to get out of bed w/o smacking my head on it.

 

[bouaboua]

5 in all. Russian, Testudo, two red foots, and a Sulcata. It is going to be slightly cramped but it will have to do. And it will only be for nights and cold days.

5 tortoise for the night maybe OK. you do have enough corners and hide for them but for the cold days........This table may only be enough for one Sulcata or two red foots. If you can build two of them and stacking them up, that will not occupied too much of your floor space and you will have enough space for your winter time.

 

[tortoisetime565]

5 in all. Russian, Testudo, two red foots, and a Sulcata. It is going to be slightly cramped but it will have to do. And it will only be for nights and cold days.

5 tortoise for the night maybe OK. you do have enough corners and hide for them but for the cold days........This table may only be enough for one Sulcata or two red foots. If you can build two of them and stacking them up, that will not occupied too much of your floor space and you will have enough space for your winter time.

I re measured it and I can do 6' on both sides. My sulcata is 8 inches so she will be roaming the floor if she keeps growing! (Joke) so then the three sections would be 2 until the redfoots out grew it. Until spring-summer here in Oklahoma it's frozen. Then they will have outdoor enclosures.

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There will also be a balcony that is 1 ft wide that will serve as a hide and a warmer basking spot as well as the feeding zone.

 

[bouaboua]

5 in all. Russian, Testudo, two red foots, and a Sulcata. It is going to be slightly cramped but it will have to do. And it will only be for nights and cold days.

5 tortoise for the night maybe OK. you do have enough corners and hide for them but for the cold days........This table may only be enough for one Sulcata or two red foots. If you can build two of them and stacking them up, that will not occupied too much of your floor space and you will have enough space for your winter time.

I re measured it and I can do 6' on both sides. My sulcata is 8 inches so she will be roaming the floor if she keeps growing! (Joke) so then the three sections would be 2 until the redfoots out grew it. Until spring-summer here in Oklahoma it's frozen. Then they will have outdoor enclosures.

---

There will also be a balcony that is 1 ft wide that will serve as a hide and a warmer basking spot as well as the feeding zone.

---

WOW!!!

You must have a big house, I wish I have a room to build a 6' x 6' table.

I'm so envy of you.

 

[Tom]

The area you are describing is simply too small for the type and number of tortoises you have. Its great that this is for nights and cold days, but as you said, its frozen there for months on end. That's a lot of cold days to be stuffed into and enclosure that is too small. The area you describe would be adequate for one 8" sulcata, OR your RFs, OR your russian and "Testudo" which should also be living separately, but not all three groups, or even two groups. All three of those groups also have very different temperature, lighting and humidity needs, so how can they share one enclosure with dividers?

Your tortoises deserve better. You can do better.

 

[tortoisetime565]

The area you are describing is simply too small for the type and number of tortoises you have. Its great that this is for nights and cold days, but as you said, its frozen there for months on end. That's a lot of cold days to be stuffed into and enclosure that is too small. The area you describe would be adequate for one 8" sulcata, OR your RFs, OR your russian and "Testudo" which should also be living separately, but not all three groups, or even two groups. All three of those groups also have very different temperature, lighting and humidity needs, so how can they share one enclosure with dividers?

Your tortoises deserve better. You can do better.

I understand that. That's why I came here. I need suggestions. Whatif I build two? One that was raised and one that was on the floor? The bottom one would have the ressian/testudo and the redfoots and the top one had the sulcata? Would that allow enough space? I am trying to figure it out! This is all the space I have. The new house has littler rooms.

 

[Tom]

If you built a stack of three closed chambers, I think you'd be much better off.

If you built them along the six foot wall, and just did rectangle instead of an "L", could you do 4x6'? Then if you made each one 24" tall and stacked them, you'd still only have 6' tall total. I'd put the Testudo on the bottom where it will be cooler, and the sulcata in the middle since he's heavier that the RFs. I think this might last for your sulcata until this coming fall, but he will likely be too big to spend next winter in it. Using the closed chamber idea will also allow you to use much lower wattage bulbs and easily maintain perfect conditions for all three species.

These chambers can be bought in some areas and others will have to build them.

 

[tortoisetime565]

If I do a rectangle then the table will be the entire left floor space of my bedroom. Mu have two 6' walls that I can use that's why I was going to use the L shape. I know that my sulcata won't be able to use a cage next winter I just need it to last her until mid march. March-November is usually pretty warm. It's the middle of winter and it was 24 degrees yesterday and it's almost 70 degrees today. I really only need her to be able to use it for a month or two. When it warms up I am going to make outdoor enclosures for all of them.

 

[bouaboua]

If I do a rectangle then the table will be the entire left floor space of my bedroom. Mu have two 6' walls that I can use that's why I was going to use the L shape. I know that my sulcata won't be able to use a cage next winter I just need it to last her until mid march. March-November is usually pretty warm. It's the middle of winter and it was 24 degrees yesterday and it's almost 70 degrees today. I really only need her to be able to use it for a month or two. When it warms up I am going to make outdoor enclosures for all of them.

You may build a "night Box" for your Sulcata out in the yard next year. Tom have a good thread talk about that.

 

[Tom]

My idea gives each tortoise or group 24 square feet of floor space, for a total of 72 square feet.

The L shape will give 8 sq ft. to your RFs, 4 sq ft. to your two Testudo sp., and 12 sq. ft. to your sulcata, for a total of 24 square feet.

See the difference? If you have 6' of wall space for the long end of the L, and 4' for the short end, these enclosures should tuck quite nicely into that same corner.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I will have two 6'wall space. But I will not be able to go any deeper than 2 ft. Because it will interfere with my bed space.

 

[tortoisetime565]

My idea gives each tortoise or group 24 square feet of floor space, for a total of 72 square feet.

The L shape will give 8 sq ft. to your RFs, 4 sq ft. to your two Testudo sp., and 12 sq. ft. to your sulcata, for a total of 24 square feet.

See the difference? If you have 6' of wall space for the long end of the L, and 4' for the short end, these enclosures should tuck quite nicely into that same corner.

I'm dwelling on your idea. I'm a very visual person. I am having trouble visualizing. Are you saying a rectangle in the corner? I'm really confused.

 

[tortoisetime565]

My idea gives each tortoise or group 24 square feet of floor space, for a total of 72 square feet.

The L shape will give 8 sq ft. to your RFs, 4 sq ft. to your two Testudo sp., and 12 sq. ft. to your sulcata, for a total of 24 square feet.

See the difference? If you have 6' of wall space for the long end of the L, and 4' for the short end, these enclosures should tuck quite nicely into that same corner.

So I have decided to divide the cage into two equal parts. So each tortoise will get a 2' by 6' place. One sulcata on one side and two redfoots on the other. My russian tortoises will have a new enclosure until the sully outgrows the table. So probably next winter. I will also build a outside box for my sulcata to have when it's cold that has heat lamps and pads and everything. thanks again for your input. You really helped me see I needed something bigger.