Properly sized tortoise hides

[Danielle148]

I have two sulcata one 2 years and one just a year I can't find reptile hides that accommodate their size and are study. I have a box not too close to the hear lamp but it scares me because they move them so much. I'm not sure what to use. Any suggestions?

 

[mike taylor]

Pvc pipe cut in half . That's what I use . When they get big and move outside big drain pipe is used and a tortoise box is built.

 

[mike taylor]

You can use buckets cut in half. Clay posts turned on there sides.

 

[wellington]

Or build on out of wood and some even use bricks or cement blocks

 

[Pearly]

I have two sulcata one 2 years and one just a year I can't find reptile hides that accommodate their size and are study. I have a box not too close to the hear lamp but it scares me because they move them so much. I'm not sure what to use. Any suggestions?

I know your "pain" very well! Have had this same issue for the indoor enclosure which I wanted to fit into the 40 gal tank and make it look decent since it was a planted terrarium. Those prefabricated hides that you can buy in petstores were nice only in I'd have to buy new-bigger ones all the time and it was getting expensive. I'd use the old ones for the landscape, cover them with substrate and moss, make little hill and places they could climb which mine love to do. When I started running out of options for pre-made, I tried the larger pieces of tree bark, or those nice cork-barks supported on driftwood or rocks, but for me any type of wood sooner or later started growing mold... then came the point where they are too big to spend their awake time in there, so the once pretty terrarium turned into steamy warm bed for my torts to sleep in only at night. Yes, they grow very fast! If I had to do it again, I wouldn't be spending money on the pre-made hides, rather looking up dyi clay or resin hides, maybe going to pottery place and see if they'd help me make one, then put it in a kiln to solidify.... something like that

 

[Len B]

A few years ago I started using old crocks, they come in many different sizes, are nonporous and if you bury into the substrate almost non movable. All of mine are heated and insulated with a weather resistant insulation, That makes it simple for me to keep the interior at a constant temp, but that's not necessary for them to work as a hide.This is a 7 inch one but I have them up to 15 inches.

 

[Len B]

Also to give them more security when at rest you can block off the opening some if you want.

 

[Pearly]

Also to give them more security when at rest you can block off the opening some if you want.View attachment 212199

What a wonderful idea!!! Would love to see pics of this project start to finish! Absolutely brilliant!