Our first tortoise table-pic heavy

[hammons]

Here's some pics of our first tortoise table. We house 2 5 yr old red foots in it. We don't have the lights permanently fixed yet, but I'll update with more photos when we do. We also want to add more plants. Let me know what you think.

 

[wellington]

Looks nice. However also looks small for two 5 year olds. Is this just their winter home and they have an outside summer home? How's the humidity? Looks a little dry, but then it's hard to tell in some pics.

 

[lynnedit]

Yes, perhaps add some water to the substrate, but as Barb says, sometimes it is hard to tell in pics.
Size is also hard to judge w/o seeing the whole enclosure with a tort in it.

You could add a brick or two of Coir and mix with the cypress mulch. Also, you could add a bunch of Sphagnum moss in to the hide area: wet it and squeeze it out.
As you mention, more plants will help with humidity too.
A sturdy paint tray might work as a bigger water dish, if they can't quite sit in the one you have.

Beautiful job! These suggestions are all tweaks and this will make a nice set up. I love the heat cables, and the lid to hold in humidity! Very nicely done.

 

[kathyth]

You did a fantastic job. I agree with the above, but pictures can be hard to judge.
Very nice and gorgeous torts!

 

[hammons]

Looks nice. However also looks small for two 5 year olds. Is this just their winter home and they have an outside summer home? How's the humidity? Looks a little dry, but then it's hard to tell in some pics.

Well the enclosure is 7ft x 3ft 3in. We are approximating their age, but we've only had them a month. One is 8in long, and the other is 7in long. How big do you think it should be? We do plan on keeping them in a garden in the spring and summer months once it's set up. We spray the tank 2-3 times daily and the plexiglass does hold it in. Humidity stays at about 78%.

---

Yes, perhaps add some water to the substrate, but as Barb says, sometimes it is hard to tell in pics.
Size is also hard to judge w/o seeing the whole enclosure with a tort in it.

You could add a brick or two of Coir and mix with the cypress mulch. Also, you could add a bunch of Sphagnum moss in to the hide area: wet it and squeeze it out.
As you mention, more plants will help with humidity too.
A sturdy paint tray might work as a bigger water dish, if they can't quite sit in the one you have.

Beautiful job! These suggestions are all tweaks and this will make a nice set up. I love the heat cables, and the lid to hold in humidity! Very nicely done.

We tried the coir, and it was pretty messy, it really dirties their water. Sphagnum moss is a good idea, we are planning to use it in their hide for them to bury themselves in. We will upgrade the water dish as they grow. For now they fit and we also give them soaks. As far as plants, we really want to add some but we are having a hard time finding non-toxic ones. We do want it to have more for them to hide in and munch on. They do like the heat cables, especially in their hide.

---

You did a fantastic job. I agree with the above, but pictures can be hard to judge.
Very nice and gorgeous torts!

Thanks we appreciate it. My husband worked hard to build it.

 

[MasterOogway]

Very nice. That is so sweet your hubby made that for your torts!

 

[lynnedit]

7x3' seems very adequate! Lots of RF keepers use cypress mulch; it does hold moisture.

I really like it.

Have you seen the tortoise table web site? Spider plant, prayer plant, jade plant are some house plants that are safe.

 

[Tortoise]

Looks nice. However also looks small for two 5 year olds. Is this just their winter home and they have an outside summer home? How's the humidity? Looks a little dry, but then it's hard to tell in some pics.

Well the enclosure is 7ft x 3ft 3in. We are approximating their age, but we've only had them a month. One is 8in long, and the other is 7in long. How big do you think it should be? We do plan on keeping them in a garden in the spring and summer months once it's set up. We spray the tank 2-3 times daily and the plexiglass does hold it in. Humidity stays at about 78%.

---

Yes, perhaps add some water to the substrate, but as Barb says, sometimes it is hard to tell in pics.
Size is also hard to judge w/o seeing the whole enclosure with a tort in it.

You could add a brick or two of Coir and mix with the cypress mulch. Also, you could add a bunch of Sphagnum moss in to the hide area: wet it and squeeze it out.
As you mention, more plants will help with humidity too.
A sturdy paint tray might work as a bigger water dish, if they can't quite sit in the one you have.

Beautiful job! These suggestions are all tweaks and this will make a nice set up. I love the heat cables, and the lid to hold in humidity! Very nicely done.

We tried the coir, and it was pretty messy, it really dirties their water. Sphagnum moss is a good idea, we are planning to use it in their hide for them to bury themselves in. We will upgrade the water dish as they grow. For now they fit and we also give them soaks. As far as plants, we really want to add some but we are having a hard time finding non-toxic ones. We do want it to have more for them to hide in and munch on. They do like the heat cables, especially in their hide.

---

You did a fantastic job. I agree with the above, but pictures can be hard to judge.
Very nice and gorgeous torts!

Thanks we appreciate it. My husband worked hard to build it.

---

---

I just started putting mulch on a section of my red foot enclosure where their water pan is and the water is much cleaner now without such muddy feet from the wet peat moss - its helped a lot.

 

[mainey34]

I agree, cypress mulch works well for redfoots. Its what i use. Sounds like your humidity is ok. Whay about rose of sharon, or habiscus? You can get small enough ones to put in there. I would also put more substrate in there. Everything else looks great. One question..sorry if this sounds mean, not trying to be...why does everyone feed those fruity pebbles????...they are not good...
Lots of good info on redfoots .......... tortoiselibrary.com

 

[hammons]

I agree, cypress mulch works well for redfoots. Its what i use. Sounds like your humidity is ok. Whay about rose of sharon, or habiscus? You can get small enough ones to put in there. I would also put more substrate in there. Everything else looks great. One question..sorry if this sounds mean, not trying to be...why does everyone feed those fruity pebbles????...they are not good...
Lots of good info on redfoots .......... tortoiselibrary.com

Thanks for the plant suggestions. How do you know the rep cal is bad? Where have you heard/read that? I'd like to look into it as well. What should we feed them instead? They do eat their greens, too though.

---

7x3' seems very adequate! Lots of RF keepers use cypress mulch; it does hold moisture.

I really like it.

Have you seen the tortoise table web site? Spider plant, prayer plant, jade plant are some house plants that are safe.

Thanks, I will check it out.

 

[theelectraco]

Thanks for the plant suggestions. How do you know the rep cal is bad? Where have you heard/read that? I'd like to look into it as well. What should we feed them instead? They do eat their greens, too though.

---

Thanks, I will check it out.

---

The ingredients arent of the best quality and mainly corn. A little here and there for a treat would be okay, but there are many other healthier options. My favorite, zoo med tortoise pellets, or forum favorite Mazuri are both healthier alternatives and similarly priced.

 

[mhbgirl]

Really nicely done. It looks like a nice one that you would by online.

 

[Rover15]

Looks great bigger is always better what type of lighting are you using? More hides is always a good thing many different ways to make hides my own general rule of thumb is for one tort 2 hides and everytime you add a new tort add an other hide so there is always one empty.

How deep is your substrate currently?