updated leopard indoor enclosure

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Levi the Leopard

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critters88 said:
does the glass seem to bother him at all.

nope. it never has.

BUT i have always had it very decorated and i think that make a huge difference compared to a tank with just substrate, a water dish and a hide.

my tortoise is always going up and down on rocks, around plants, around some more plants, etc. its not very boring in there.

AND this is only his night time/cold day housing. if the weather is good he is outside in a huge pen.


Stars said:
I am not a big fan of tortoises inside aquariums but you did an amazing job! It really looks like the jungle in there and you also have a very nice looking leopard tortoise. Good job! :D

Thank you!

I used to have him in a storage tub but was given this tank for free!! Finally I was able to make a "pretty" enclosure I could actually SEE :)
 

critters88

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Im thinking I found a use for the tank that my husband kept wanting to throw away! This would be so much nicer then a plastic tub. And if the glass bothers mine I can just put something so far up on the glass so he cant see out but I can see him. Humidty I think would be easier in this set up, Im in SD so in the winter is dry in the house with the furnace on all the time. Even when they get bigger I want a nice table with one pexi-glass side so I can enjoy watching them more. In the summer I plan on making a pen out doors but here he will still need to come in at night time, Plus we get (except for last years drought) a lot of rain, I mean enough that he would have to learn how to swim. So would hate to take the chance of a storm during the nightnad walking out side to find a tort in 4 inches of cold water. Do they bother the fake plants, I will put in some live plants to, but they dont try and eat the fake ones. what are the lights on top, I know why they are there but talking brand watts that type of thing. Trying to get thing set up and temps and humidity under control before I go and get them. ty


oh and what type of heat probe do you have on his rock, I think thats what it is anyway does he bother that at all try to bite on it or anything. Was also wondering do you have a heat pad or heat tape under the tank at all. I was thinking of using under the tank heat for night time then I can shut all the lights off if that keeps the temp high enough during the night.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Glad you can use this idea to salvage your tank :)

Humidity is very easy to keep up in an aquarium and it does look sooo much nicer than my tub!

My tortoise has had fake plants (and real ones) in the enclosure since day one. Not a single time has he ever tried to eat it or attempt to bite it. I once stumbled upon a site that explained the way UV reflects off of live plants and how reptiles see it..Fake plants "look" real to us but dont "look" real to them.
I dont have the reference on hand but after reading it I was confident with my decision. I'm sure if I look around I could find it again.

I have a basking bulb over the rock. In winter I use a 100watt bulb and in summer I use a 65watt. Regular flood lamps or fluorescent bulbs are fine. Just find the right wattage that will give you the correct temperatures. It may be a guessing game for you at first but these bulbs are only a couple of bucks. I got one from the dollar store!
In the middle I have my CHE. This heats up my enclosure at night. Heat with no light is perfect. I do not use under tank pads or cables. They just aren't for me.
The third light is a simple 25watt bulb because I wanted extra lighting.
I do not use UV bulbs because my tort gets enough natural sunlight.

The heat probe is Corallife Digital Thermometer. I have used these for years for aquariums and now the tortoise. I like them. He has also never bothered this. I have the basking one and one in the cool end and used to have one in the humid hide.
 

Paulo

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This is really amazing! I love the ideas :D Im going to implement some of this in my enclosure :D
 
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