Ok this is my first DIY project so bear with me please. I just recently got a sulcata tortoise and a local herp store and I'm eventually gonna get another one. See both me and my roommate want one to keep by the time we each move away at the end of school. Right now he's just in a ten gal fish tank with sand as the only substrate. A small cardboard box as a den, an eatting area, and a small water dish for soaking/drinking. Sooo I realized that's not gonna cut it especially because they grow so quickly for a tortoise.
So far ive got a 3ft by 3ft box that was once a bookcase. Were gonna put a 3/4 inch board of treated wood under the bottom and on small legs to help against any moisture buildup. Were also gonna line the bottom in either a tarp or plastic sheets to again protect agaist moisture. Were making a raised area with the previous shelf that is currently being held up with old coke boxes filled with the old cans. Theyre not gonna stay there permently i just put them there to get a visual. Two ramps are gonna flank the raised area on each side. Were just gonna make it out of thick cardboard for now and if it gets to the point where the turtle is too heavy for the cardboard only we will re-make it with wood. To the right were gonna have a small "sandbox" with a heating pad underneath it. On the left side were gonna have a small dish with water for soaking/drinking. The main substrate is gonna be a topsoil/hay mixture. The area on top will be for basking. Were gonna make a cover for the pen cause of some cats that love the tortoise wayyy too much. First were gonna make a frame out of 1 in by 1in wood with another 1in beam going across it for stability. The cover it with chicken wire and staple it into place. Our UVB light will be held up on supports from the support beam and frame to raise it up to produce the most light across the pen. The heat light will just be rested on the cover. We will then put the cover on hinges and attach to the pen. The area between the boxes under the raised area will be used as the borrow. We'll probably throw some extra hay under there for them to burrow in. Right now were looking at a month or two before the project is complete cause of some unforseen cash loss and were trying to do everything will as little money as possible so if anyone knows of some cheaper alternatives or cheap products for us to get that would be awesome. I feel wicked bad for the little guy cause his living space is so boring but once this place is done he'll be a happy little sucker.
So far ive got a 3ft by 3ft box that was once a bookcase. Were gonna put a 3/4 inch board of treated wood under the bottom and on small legs to help against any moisture buildup. Were also gonna line the bottom in either a tarp or plastic sheets to again protect agaist moisture. Were making a raised area with the previous shelf that is currently being held up with old coke boxes filled with the old cans. Theyre not gonna stay there permently i just put them there to get a visual. Two ramps are gonna flank the raised area on each side. Were just gonna make it out of thick cardboard for now and if it gets to the point where the turtle is too heavy for the cardboard only we will re-make it with wood. To the right were gonna have a small "sandbox" with a heating pad underneath it. On the left side were gonna have a small dish with water for soaking/drinking. The main substrate is gonna be a topsoil/hay mixture. The area on top will be for basking. Were gonna make a cover for the pen cause of some cats that love the tortoise wayyy too much. First were gonna make a frame out of 1 in by 1in wood with another 1in beam going across it for stability. The cover it with chicken wire and staple it into place. Our UVB light will be held up on supports from the support beam and frame to raise it up to produce the most light across the pen. The heat light will just be rested on the cover. We will then put the cover on hinges and attach to the pen. The area between the boxes under the raised area will be used as the borrow. We'll probably throw some extra hay under there for them to burrow in. Right now were looking at a month or two before the project is complete cause of some unforseen cash loss and were trying to do everything will as little money as possible so if anyone knows of some cheaper alternatives or cheap products for us to get that would be awesome. I feel wicked bad for the little guy cause his living space is so boring but once this place is done he'll be a happy little sucker.
