Pics of my new but temporary enclosure

[lisser]

Hi all,

I spoke to the student's mother today that left me with the tortoises. I wanted to know where she got them and how long they had had them. They were all purchased at a local pet shop. The largest one they've had for four years, the medium one for two years, and the smallest one for 4 months.

Here are some pictures of their new, but temporary enclosure. This is a sterilite plastic bin I had in my office. I am on the search for a wooden bookshelf that I can knock the shelves out of or at least buy a bigger plastic bin. They seem to love it already though, they are exploring every inch of it and I can see their every move now!! It's so cool! The only thing I'm getting nervous about is the medium one keeps tasting the Aspen. He spits it out but I'm not sure why he's tasting it. I've fed them once already today, fresh dandelions and fresh grass. I'm going to get some more cactus today also and maybe some spring mix. I'm also going to get a piece of ceramic tile to put in there under the basking lamp. Enjoy the pics....

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More pics....couldn't fit in first thread...

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More pics...

 

[Mao Senpai]

If thats.... a heat or mercury lamp... make sure to get a lamp fixture with a ceramic base. So it doesn't overheat and melt and possibly burn something :s. The tortoise however are adorable!

 

[Yvonne G]

Very cute!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You can also use a cardboard box or a plant pot as a hide. I personally would make a hide for each tort. Also create an ambient humidity of about 80% as you'll want to stop the pyramiding that I see is already happening. I'd switch to a fine grade orchid bark or cypress mulch so you can keep it moist as I am not sure if you can keep Aspen moist.[/i]

 

[Floof]

Great advice from Maggie. Plant pots cut/broken in half are especially nice because they're easy to bury into the substrate, so the torts can still utilize the area right above the hide.

To clarify on the bedding, aspen can't be kept moist. It molds relatively easily. The most you can do on aspen is mist every now and again... Fine for lower humidity animals, but it won't cut it for the kind of humidity a young, growing Sulcata needs. Much better to find a mold-resistant substrate that holds moisture, like the orchid bark and cypress mulch Maggie suggested.

 

[lisser]

Good news!! I just went down to our school district's warehouse where we house all sorts of furniture that some teachers have decided to move out of their classroom but it's open for others to look at and take if they want to. I found a nice 3 feet by 5 feet plastic tub that was used as a water table for preschoolers. The warehouse guys are cleaning it up for me and installing a plug to plug up the hole where the drain is/was. I'm soooooooo excited!!! It's some sort of plastic/acrylic so very easy to clean! The tub is a navy blue so no worries about having to block off the sides. It's about 6 inches deep. I think it will hold them all comfortably for the next year or so? It should be ready for me by tomorrow so I'll do some more pics. Right now with what I've got them in, there is just no room for hideys.

I am headed to the store tonight to get some top soil and cypress mulch...maybe I can mix the two? I'm having a heck of a time keeping their water dish clean. They like to sit in it. Should I do warm soaks again today? I also need a UVB bulb, getting that tonight as well.

I'm not seeing any poop at all from them. How often do they poop? You'd think with 3 of them I'd at least see a few turds in there! I'm on poop patrol!!

Thanks guys for all suggestions!

 

[Angi]

I prefer straight cypress mulch. It keeps things very clean.

 

[lisser]

ok will go with that then. thanks!

 

[Tom]

I'd soak them everyday. They usually poop in the water which keeps their enclosure clean so your cypress mulch will last a long time. Yes, get a bigger water bowl. I like the terra cotta plant saucers for this. They have them at Lowes really cheap. Bury it so that its flush with the substrate. You can use a smaller one for food. These are very cheap. Also, I just picked up some "dish washing tubs" at Walmart for $2.25 each. These work great for soaking them.

Glad to hear about the larger tub, but be careful. If its really only 6" the big one will easily be able to climb out once you pet 2" of substrate in there.

I'm really glad they found their way to someone who cares so much. You are a fantastic person.

 

[Kristina]

Is there anyway you can make the sides taller? Even securely taping some strong cardboard on there may work.

It is an awesome find, though, and I am sure you can make it work really well!

 

[Fernando]

I know it sounds like a LOT to take in from these great forum contributors, but it's all for your new torts best interest. I went thru a couple different enclosures and I only have 1 baby sulcata =)

Continue to think positive!! =D

 

[lisser]

Have any of you ever used coroplast as an enclosure for the littler tortoises? I have a rabbit and I built a cage out of cubes and coroplast. These cages are referred to as C&C cages. Check out this link....http://www.guineapigcages.com/cubes.htm and see if you guys think making one of these for the smaller guys would be acceptable. I'm an expert in making these!

I can definitely put coroplast around the tub I got to keep the bigger guy inside or even cubes as a matter of fact. You can make an enclosure as big as you want with coroplast and it's very easy to clean. I just use a solution of vinegar and water bc it is not harmful to my bunny. You just get a sheet of coroplast, the biggest they come in is 4x8 sheets, you score the sides of it and tape them to form a tray. Obviously this won't work for the big guys bc they would just plow them down.

On the water dish, I'm definitely getting a bigger one, the one you see in the picture is actually a clay dish I made while in Mexico in a little village called Capula. It's the pottery mecca of Mexico. Poorest little village but they have the right dirt and clay to make pottery so I made that with my own two hands Mixed the dirt and clay from the ground, shaped it and fired it with the help of an 80 year old woman who's been making pottery on her family farm since she was 8. They had no running water!! Amazing.

Enough about my pottery making experience, I will get a bigger water dish, some pots also for hideys...please do keep the suggestions and tips coming. I can't say enough how much I truly appreciate the time you are all taking to help me with my guys. I'm smitten with them after only having them a week tomorrow!! I didn't want to tell you all this at first bc I thought you would think I'm crazy but I take the guys to work and take them home with me each night They are with me all day. I know it's crazy but I feel like I need to watch them carefully until I'm comfortable leaving them. I have a little carrier to transport them in and they have been hanging in a cube enclosure in my basement while I'm at home. No substrate in it yet, just some towels. They like to burrow under the towels. I hope it's nice and comfy for them. Ok so now you all know I'm the crazy tortoise lady that takes her babies to work with her.

Beat that! ha!!!

 

[lynnedit]

Your efforts are wonderful. Wish I could take mine to work. It is so nice that you are open to the suggestions from more experienced keepers on this web site, keep up the good work! (from another newbie)

Have any of you ever used coroplast as an enclosure for the littler tortoises? I have a rabbit and I built a cage out of cubes and coroplast. These cages are referred to as C&C cages. Check out this link....http://www.guineapigcages.com/cubes.htm and see if you guys think making one of these for the smaller guys would be acceptable. I'm an expert in making these!

I can definitely put coroplast around the tub I got to keep the bigger guy inside or even cubes as a matter of fact. You can make an enclosure as big as you want with coroplast and it's very easy to clean. I just use a solution of vinegar and water bc it is not harmful to my bunny. You just get a sheet of coroplast, the biggest they come in is 4x8 sheets, you score the sides of it and tape them to form a tray. Obviously this won't work for the big guys bc they would just plow them down.

On the water dish, I'm definitely getting a bigger one, the one you see in the picture is actually a clay dish I made while in Mexico in a little village called Capula. It's the pottery mecca of Mexico. Poorest little village but they have the right dirt and clay to make pottery so I made that with my own two hands Mixed the dirt and clay from the ground, shaped it and fired it with the help of an 80 year old woman who's been making pottery on her family farm since she was 8. They had no running water!! Amazing.

Enough about my pottery making experience, I will get a bigger water dish, some pots also for hideys...please do keep the suggestions and tips coming. I can't say enough how much I truly appreciate the time you are all taking to help me with my guys. I'm smitten with them after only having them a week tomorrow!! I didn't want to tell you all this at first bc I thought you would think I'm crazy but I take the guys to work and take them home with me each night They are with me all day. I know it's crazy but I feel like I need to watch them carefully until I'm comfortable leaving them. I have a little carrier to transport them in and they have been hanging in a cube enclosure in my basement while I'm at home. No substrate in it yet, just some towels. They like to burrow under the towels. I hope it's nice and comfy for them. Ok so now you all know I'm the crazy tortoise lady that takes her babies to work with her.

Beat that! ha!!!

 

[Floof]

I bet C&C would work like a charm for smaller torts! And using the cages to build higher walls around the table is a fantastic idea... Just maybe cap the corners in case they figure out how to climb it, lol!

 

[lisser]

I think I'll do a C&C then definitely for home. I can score the coroplast to go as high as I want, if I need to use two sheets of 4x8 and tape them together, then I can do that. There are no boundaries with coroplast. You can expand as much as you need. You can do a closed cage as well if need be.

I can't believe I forgot to tell you all this, too much good news in one day I guess..a Cabinet social worker came to my office today to interview one of my students and she, just like everyone else that has come in my office have been amazed by the guys. I told her they will get very large and I won't be able to keep them forever. She told me about another Cabinet social worker that lives on a farm about 10 minutes from me, she has tortoises!!! They come and go as they please from her basement through some type of doggie door in the summer time. She has tons of land, her husband is a professor at a local university here, he's some sort of biologist and loves reptiles/amphibians, especially tortoises!! Once I get a chance to talk to her, maybe I can arrange for her to take the guys once they outgrow the conditions I can provide for them PLUS I can go visit them anytime I want!!! I'm not getting too excited yet bc I haven't even talked to her but it sounds promising! I don't know yet what type of tortoises she has but I intend to find out.

I'm absolutely open to all suggestions, you guys are the experts, certainly not me. I want the best for the babies.