Red Foot Enclosure questions?

[DaisyDuke]

Hi,
So I know the size of the enclosure I have to build but I had a few other questions.
1)Can we use plexiglass for the whole thing?
2)Can we use a rubber pond sheet to line the bottom?

Also, I've seen people mention needing ventilation toward the bottom. What does that mean exactly? How would I go about doing that?

Just a few notes: I use peat moss as a thick bottom layer and cypress mulch over the peat moss. I have Sheldon in a large tank right now and live in the north east. I've had a hard time with keeping his humidity up. So I need the best type of enclosure to help humidity. We want to make this as soon as possible as Sheldon is 8 1/2 inches long and it seems like he's growing like a weed. He recently had his yearly checkup and is doing great

 

[Nay]

HI,
there are plenty of folks who will probably help. but did you go to enclosures? Lots of pics there!!
Plexi is see through and most don't recommend that. Something solid seems to be less stressful. A pond liner is fine, that's what we did. Careful not to staple bottom. we just made hospital corners and stapled up top. Ideas floating by also, were a bookcase laid down and the shelves removed, then line with the liner. We made a tort table with two levels, for my 2 different typs of torts.
I, also used a piece of stiff insulation and placed it on top to try and keep some heat and humidity inside.
Misting all the time helps. If you can, plant some plants, look up Terryo's enclosures, you'll be inspired. I have had no luck keeping any plants in mine. I have 2 large Redfoots and they trash what ever I put inside in a matter of minutes..
Another thing is to stir things up as much as you can. I seem to get dirt to be like cement in a very short time. I usually take a hard flat plastic spatula and try to loosen things up.Careful not to rip the pond liner!!
Good Luck
Nay

 

[DaisyDuke]

I tried looking for pictures but I came across so many threads in the search without pictures. I might have done it wrong Sheldon has always been in see through even before me. And he doesn't ever try to get out like others say some tortoises do. I did read in this forum that glass was best for red foots because it's the best for humidity which was why I thought maybe plexiglass would be good.

Sheldon has tons of plants and I can relate, he plows through all of them. I have spent more money keeping up with plants then anything else, lol. Misting hasn't helped either. It dries up as fast as I spray. For humidity I have tried everything suggested to me in a thread I posted a while ago in the red foot section. I just mentioned having trouble so people would know what I'm looking for in an enclosure.

I never thought of stirring things up. I think that might help a lot, thank you so much for your reply I truly appreciate it. What do you use for substrate? Is peat moss and cypress mulch the best option?

 

[Redstrike]

You could use plexiglass for the whole enclosure, yes. The trade-off: less air circulation - this isn't necessarily a bad thing when trying to keep your tortoises warm.

I built a table and topped it with plexiglass. I also used a pond liner on the inside to keep the moisture away from the wood - keeps the wood from rotting - and haven't had any problems yet.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Final-Enclosure-for-2-CH-Redfoots#axzz1cbi7c6FO

Fake plants are an alternative to having your RF demolish live ones. You can also place them in a pot raised off the ground to protect them from hungry torts. I use a mix, real plants are excellent stimulants, just be sure there are no systemic pesticides (i.e. any plant from a chain corporation will need some time before feeding).

Humidity can be accomplished via these heat ropes buried under the moist substrate:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes
I'd recommend visiting the Tortoise Library if you haven't already and possibly picking up Mike Pingleton's book:
http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/index.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1441494030/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[DaisyDuke]

Your table looks awesome
I had read that ventilation is needed toward the bottom. Does anybody know what that means?
I haven't tried fake plants. I will look for some.
I have no heat problems. When I first put the peat moss in it's wet but then it eventually dries. In the north east we have a lot of dry air. The house is very dry. Unless it's Summer then it's pretty humid but still that's only a few months out of the year. I am still going to look into those heat ropes for the night time though. Those look very useful.
I read the tortoise library site all the time and always recommend it to others when I post too. I came to this forum over a year ago and someone suggested it to me and I have to say it's been a lifesaver

 

[tyler0912]

Dont forget ,the humidity will go to the bottom off the substrate, so stirring will probably help!

 

[Redstrike]

Ventilation is great, but it can be tricky with torts as drafts and cold air can be deleterious to their general health and well being. Most concentrate their vents on the bottom of their enclosures so that they lose less heat. I have two vents toward the top of my enclosure (2 inch holes) and it doesn't seem to siphon too much heat out, but there's no question I do lose some.

If you can include some sort of ventilation without sacrificing heat in your enclosure, great! Get creative and try some things out, we'd love to hear them (at least I would!)!!!

 

[DaisyDuke]

Thanks Tyler I'm going to get a spatular like Nay had suggested I've never heard of stirring before so it's something I am definitely going to do.

Chris, That's what I was wondering about. What do people mean when they talk about ventilation toward the bottom? How do you go about doing this without water and substrate falling out, lol. I am lost when people talk about that.

Are the holes you have on the sides? I plan on keeping one half covered with plexi but the other half open. I have it that way now and I have no problem with keeping the enclosure heated.

 

[Redstrike]

Thanks Tyler I'm going to get a spatular like Nay had suggested I've never heard of stirring before so it's something I am definitely going to do.

Chris, That's what I was wondering about. What do people mean when they talk about ventilation toward the bottom? How do you go about doing this without water and substrate falling out, lol. I am lost when people talk about that.

Are the holes you have on the sides? I plan on keeping one half covered with plexi but the other half open. I have it that way now and I have no problem with keeping the enclosure heated.

You could use vent covers for the holes you make, similar to these ones, I'm sure they're available at most home improvement/hardware stores.
https://ventmastersstore.com/shop/index.php?cPath=23&gclid=CPW_nrPPnawCFcV_5QoddigTDQ

My vents are on the plexiglass in the center of my enclosure, I'm not sure how much "venting" they do, I think they mostly act as a heat sink. They may be plugged soon and I'll likely put some vents in lower to the ground.

If you have one half of your enclosure open, ventilation shouldn't be much of an issue for you.