RT Indoor Enclosure

Vladsfriend

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Howdy All,
I finally was able to move Vladimir into his new enclosure. I'd love to know your observations and suggestions to improve.

It's constructed of 3/4" ply, all exteriors being red oak and finished with polyurethane. With the support ribs underneath, it's easily carries my weight (~200lbs). Interior corners were siliconed and sprayed with rubber paint. Then, FRP was installed on the bottom surfaces and 8" up along all walls, corners siliconed to seal. Foot print of the enclosure is nominally 6.5'x3.5'. Adding the upper level, it totals just over 33 square feet. Light and basking heat is provided by 2 MVB bulbs. Basking locations are at 95°F. Substrate is coco coir.

Additional plans: I'd like to add some more rocks, slate etc. Also, I'd like to add some plants, but all the local nurseries are in the off season. It also seems like finding organic spider plants and Boston fern is gonna be tough. My parents have a lot of hostas at their home. Will they survive for any length of time potted in this style enclosure? Any other plant recommendations?

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Yvonne G

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Looks like you've done a very nice job, but I don't understand where access to the ramp is. Have you checked the temperature all over inside?
 

leigti

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I got some Spider plants from some friends. They didn't use any fertilizers etc. I don't know how hostas would do. I've also gotten herb plants from Walmart. I figure since they were in the grocery section for human consumption they would be OK. I still rinse everything off really well and put it in my own dirt.
I would definitely recommend putting them in pots, although today for some reason my Russian went on a rampage and tried to knock over or climb through every single one of them. So just be ready to rearrange them once in a while.
 

Vladsfriend

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Looks like you've done a very nice job, but I don't understand where access to the ramp is. Have you checked the temperature all over inside?
Thanks. Here are some pics that hopefully show it a little more clearly. It's right at the base of the ramp. Ramp has slate siliconed down on the FRP to give him a little more traction.

Lowest temp I get is 68°. His normal sleeping location, under ramp as expected, is 74°.
 

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Vladsfriend

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I got some Spider plants from some friends. They didn't use any fertilizers etc. I don't know how hostas would do. I've also gotten herb plants from Walmart. I figure since they were in the grocery section for human consumption they would be OK. I still rinse everything off really well and put it in my own dirt.
I would definitely recommend putting them in pots, although today for some reason my Russian went on a rampage and tried to knock over or climb through every single one of them. So just be ready to rearrange them once in a while.

Good idea. I'll ask around and see if anyone I know has some. That's a great idea regarding the herbs, too.

Pots it is! I can imagine the same scenario happening here. I'll try to find some stable pots, I guess;)
 

Tom

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Love the light towers and FRP. What do you use to cut the FRP, and what do you stick it to the walls with?

I've never worked with it, but I'd like to.
 

Vladsfriend

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Love the light towers and FRP. What do you use to cut the FRP, and what do you stick it to the walls with?

I've never worked with it, but I'd like to.
Thanks! I install it at work occasionally. There is FRP glue that is spread with the appropriate notched trowel. But it is sold only in gallon or 5 gallon pails, not real convenient for small jobs. Silicone caulk works. Home Depot had PolySeamSeal silicone caulk/sealant for bathrooms on clearance for around $1/tube. I used 10 tubes including final caulking. I'd guess any PL glue would work too.

There are lots of ways to cut FRP. At work, we tend to use electric shears. But angle grinders and circular saws work too, though they are dusty. For this, I actually just used tin snips. It was a little tedious, but I was in my living room. The dust wouldn't have left me in the wife's good graces, despite her affection for Vladi.

It's a nice product, but expensive. We always have leftovers on jobs and I was able to salvage it from there.
 

Tom

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Thanks! I install it at work occasionally. There is FRP glue that is spread with the appropriate notched trowel. But it is sold only in gallon or 5 gallon pails, not real convenient for small jobs. Silicone caulk works. Home Depot had PolySeamSeal silicone caulk/sealant for bathrooms on clearance for around $1/tube. I used 10 tubes including final caulking. I'd guess any PL glue would work too.

There are lots of ways to cut FRP. At work, we tend to use electric shears. But angle grinders and circular saws work too, though they are dusty. For this, I actually just used tin snips. It was a little tedious, but I was in my living room. The dust wouldn't have left me in the wife's good graces, despite her affection for Vladi.

It's a nice product, but expensive. We always have leftovers on jobs and I was able to salvage it from there.

Just want to confirm: A circular saw with a combo blade for wood will work? Forgive me. I've just never worked with the material and this ignorance of mine is one reason why.

I'd be cutting outside, so the dust should not be an issue.
 

Tom

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What is FRP?

It is a wall lining material that is often used in kitchens or bathrooms. I think it is made of some sort of plastic or resin and it has some texture to it. Its really tough stuff and impervious to water. I don't know why it is not used more for tortoise enclosures as it seems to fill the role perfectly. I have been intending to use it to line the inside of a closed chamber for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Since I've never worked with the material, I figured I'd get some tips from someone who has.
 

Vladsfriend

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Just want to confirm: A circular saw with a combo blade for wood will work? Forgive me. I've just never worked with the material and this ignorance of mine is one reason why.

I'd be cutting outside, so the dust should not be an issue.

Yep. That's correct. Pretty much any old blade will work. The blade will last as long as you are using it for FRP. But it won't be very sharp afterward. So don't use a nice blade on it.

It probably goes without saying to wear safety glasses and a respirator too. The fiberglass in the panels can be irritating when using electric methods to cut it.
 

Vladsfriend

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What is FRP?

It stands for Fiber Reinforced Panel, basically a plastic sheet about 1/8" thick studded with fiberglass to give it strength. You've most likely seen it before in commercial bathrooms before, like in gas station bathrooms. It is very tough and impervious to moisture when properly installed. You can find it at most home improvement stores.
 
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