This is Scooter, I need advice on an enclosure top...

Mikki

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Joined
Jun 28, 2020
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127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
This is Scooter, she is 4 months old and weighs 140 grams. I have had her for 3 months now. I live in Sunny Humid Florida and I have an above ground enclosure that is predator proof that she usually is in during day unless it is raining out. I was told yesterday having her outside all day is not good for her even if she's in the shade and only has the morning sun coming into her enclosure. She has two water dishes & a hide in the enclosure. The inside enclosure is an aquarium, and YES i covered the bottom. The main issue I have is the humidity staying at 80%. The heat is at 95 on one end, and 80-85 on other end. At night time, all lights go off and she stays at room temp but never under 75 inside the enclosure. I do have a CHE however never used it, and it's almost impossible with the enclosure I have. I do mist down the enclosure as much as it's needed.. I have hay on one side and organic dirt on the other side. I change out the hay so it does not mold, and I have used the cypress mulch with the dirt also.. I am wanting to know if I get plexiglass and cut out the holes for the lights would that be better than the screen on top and it would probably hold the humidity better inside. Right now there is a screen that i have covered with a few towels but I am wanting to make a plexiglass top.. Scooter is eating a lot of dandelion greens, romaine or green leaf lettuce, Cucumber, Zucchini, Cactus, Boston Fern, Mexican Petunia, Evening Primrose, Wandering Jew, Bok Hoy, Mazuri LS and Mazuri large pellets, sometimes grassland pellets, and teff hay pellets, and Grass when I chop it up into a mince and mix it in with the greens. I am TRYING hard to get Scooter to like hibiscus flower & leaves. She HATES them.. You can literally see her facial expression change as to say YUCK. I try to mix things up for her when it comes to her food, and I do like making a nice salad for her with the greens. I would like an opinion on her shell please.I do soak her every day. I am trying to do it right, I will be getting another inside enclosure however until I do, will the a plexiglass top be better? Thank you in advance for any responses..
 

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Mikki

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
Welcome and I suggest you review this thread and then worry about the top. https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...d-or-star-tortoise.181497/page-4#post-1863775 BTW YOU MUST BE STRONGER THAN HER or she will have you trained lickity split and by the times she gets bigger your wallet will shrink from buying her food!
Blackdog1714, I have talked to you back n forth already on a thread I did but could NOT figure out how to put my photo's of Scooter on it.. I did another post because I was able to show the photo's because you asked to see photo's of her twice and asked about her shell. I have talked to Tom on my other thread that I could not get the photo's on it. I do believe I started my thread in the wrong area, that is why I am doing it here, and LOOK I have the attach file button. I am asking about the lid because right now I have the aquarium, I needed to figure out something in the NOW moment. You and I have talked about using hay, feeding her, etc..
 

Blackdog1714

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Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
Blackdog1714, I have talked to you back n forth already on a thread I did but could NOT figure out how to put my photo's of Scooter on it.. I did another post because I was able to show the photo's because you asked to see photo's of her twice and asked about her shell. I have talked to Tom on my other thread that I could not get the photo's on it. I do believe I started my thread in the wrong area, that is why I am doing it here, and LOOK I have the attach file button. I am asking about the lid because right now I have the aquarium, I needed to figure out something in the NOW moment. You and I have talked about using hay, feeding her, etc..
Oh I am tracking now. Plexglass is out of site now for price and glass is too scary. I would get a precut piece of treated plywood (2'x2') and if you measure your aquarium they can cut it. THe issue is the holes for your heat you would need a jigsaw to do it. Okay now I got it Home Depot and both carry insulation in sheets, you want the the 1 1/2 thick pink sheet it is 4x8 but breaks into skinnier pieces. Now go get a roll of HVAC duct tape that is made of foil with a backer that peels away. I would get a small roll of gorilla tape (to make a hinge to light the lid. Lastly you will need a razor knife to trim and shape the pieces. You size the sheet to fit your aqarium, cut holes for your light and heat so the dome is able to rest on top of the foam but just on about 1" of the dome ege. Tape the hole up to insulate the foam then place the dome on the area and tape it down so it doesn't move. for the hinges take a piece of the Gorilla tape and cut 2 pieces 10" long, 2 pieces 4' long and 4 pieces 6" long. Lay the 10" piece down so the adhesive is facing up and apply the 4" piece in the midlle adhesive to adhesive. SO now you have 3" of adhesive showing on both ends with a double tape middle. add 2 of the 6" pieces on each end to make a T then after setting the foam lid in place attach one piece to foam and one to your tank (clean the are first) and now you can lift the lid. Cut a stick of the foam to prop the lid up while you have the lid open. Sorry no pictures I can draw it up later if that would help. Hope it helps
1600207687206.png1600207865799.png
 

Mikki

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
Oh I am tracking now. Plexglass is out of site now for price and glass is too scary. I would get a precut piece of treated plywood (2'x2') and if you measure your aquarium they can cut it. THe issue is the holes for your heat you would need a jigsaw to do it. Okay now I got it Home Depot and both carry insulation in sheets, you want the the 1 1/2 thick pink sheet it is 4x8 but breaks into skinnier pieces. Now go get a roll of HVAC duct tape that is made of foil with a backer that peels away. I would get a small roll of gorilla tape (to make a hinge to light the lid. Lastly you will need a razor knife to trim and shape the pieces. You size the sheet to fit your aqarium, cut holes for your light and heat so the dome is able to rest on top of the foam but just on about 1" of the dome ege. Tape the hole up to insulate the foam then place the dome on the area and tape it down so it doesn't move. for the hinges take a piece of the Gorilla tape and cut 2 pieces 10" long, 2 pieces 4' long and 4 pieces 6" long. Lay the 10" piece down so the adhesive is facing up and apply the 4" piece in the midlle adhesive to adhesive. SO now you have 3" of adhesive showing on both ends with a double tape middle. add 2 of the 6" pieces on each end to make a T then after setting the foam lid in place attach one piece to foam and one to your tank (clean the are first) and now you can lift the lid. Cut a stick of the foam to prop the lid up while you have the lid open. Sorry no pictures I can draw it up later if that would help. Hope it helps
View attachment 306388View attachment 306389
Thank you soooo much! Ya know I am kind of shocked they don't need any air vents, but I guess with opening the lid to feed a few times, a day, soak, change water, etc, enough air keeps getting inside for them.. Thank you again, because I was seriously thinking about just putting Tin Foil on the screen, but I want to make it right until I can get another enclosure where all lights, heats, thermostat, etc can be inside.. I don't want to fail my little one.. I truly just love her! Ohhh, I read the care sheet, and went and got Escarole for a staple instead of using the dandelions.. I was using dandelion greens as a staple and adding to that.. I don't know if Dandelions was OK to use as a staple or not, but I want to fix whatever I can NOW because as of now I think Scooters shell looks OK. I appreciate it..
 

Mikki

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
Ohhhh SORRY, I have one more question.. I am going to get the fine grade cedar chips that Tom mentions in his care sheet.. I am seeing shavings for cedar, but that would not be good to use? I need to get the long thin chips I am assuming.
 

Blackdog1714

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
4,666
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
No fine grade fir bark. East Coast it is Reptibark bags at pet stores. West coast you can go to garden centers and get it in big much bags. I use a cypress base ($5 at Lowe’s) with a topping of the reptibark!
 

Mikki

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
No fine grade fir bark. East Coast it is Reptibark bags at pet stores. West coast you can go to garden centers and get it in big much bags. I use a cypress base ($5 at Lowe’s) with a topping of the reptibark!
Thank you.. I have used Cypress before.. SORRY.. I didn't mean cedar, it said orchard chips in fine grade..
 

Mikki

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
127
Location (City and/or State)
Spring Hill, Fl
Welcome and I suggest you review this thread and then worry about the top. https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...d-or-star-tortoise.181497/page-4#post-1863775 BTW YOU MUST BE STRONGER THAN HER or she will have you trained lickity split and by the times she gets bigger your wallet will shrink from buying her food!
Ohhhh YES, I never knew that a tortoise can train you like a dog can.. I was told during obedience training for a dog that they will train you instead of you training them, well, hell, YEP, I hear ya, Scooter knows EXACTLY what she is doing!! I honestly was shocked she woke up at 10:00Pm when I got home from my vacation & she heard my voice, but again, I had her on a strict schedule, and she was all screwed up when I was gone.. Once I put her outside in her enclosure, which is an enclosed area so she can eat grass, has a little pool area, two hides, plants she hides under, I check on her, and will go in her area only a few times a day now to squirt her down or to take her cactus to eat that I put in the freezer for a few minutes, or just to visit with her, but she comes running to me like I have something for her. She is out about 4 1/2 hours a day.
 

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