Our Tortoise Table

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CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Our Tortoise Table

Post by CritterMama » 29 Sep 2021, 21:39

Hello everyone,
I promised to post pictures of the table that my DH designed and the 2 of us built together. I just love it! I'll include some pictures of the progress and the finished product. I only seem to be able to conceptualize in US measurements but I'll convert with the help of my handy-dandy conversion routine! Scoot is our 3-month old Western Hermann's. He's big on personality - his motto is "Diminutive is Superlative!"

The box is 2 x 4 feet (61cm x 122cm) which will be big enough for a few years (until we get that reptile wing added onto our house 🤣) We used pine plywood and dimension lumber. All surfaces are waterproofed - coated with either polyurethane or Flex-Seal (the grey bottom). The blue paint is supposed to simulate the sky. I don't think he even notices! The rim around the top is flush on the inside (so he can't get out). The sides are 18" (46cm) high - yeah - he's not gettin' out!)

The lights are attached to a 1x6" board (measures 2cm x 14cm) which is mounted onto "towers" at either end of the box. The towers have slits routed into them so I can raise or lower the lights as needed (to get, for example more or less UVB, or to make more room for me to work on the plants within). This feature is extremely cool! I have a halogen basking light, a T5 5.0 UVB, and 2 SANSI plant lights (24W and 60W) - all mounted on the bar that goes the length of the box.

Substrate is a mixture of equal parts topsoil and coconut coir, with 1/4 part playsand (sand goes a long way!) I dug the topsoil up over the summer, dried it on tarps in the sun, sifted it (twice!) and then baked it in my oven. I figure I processed about 200 pounds of dirt! 😱😇 - at least I know there's no fertilizers or insecticides in it. I dried and baked the sand too. I have enough to completely replace the substrate if needed this winter. The coir I can get in bricks anytime. I call it "just in time substrate"!

For plants, I currently have an African Violet (Saintpaulia), a Prayer Plant (Marantha leuconeura), a Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and an Inch Plant (Tradescantia fluminensis). I've never seen them happier! In one corner of the cool end we put a "playground" of rocks which he likes to climb on. His basking area doubles as a feeding station - a large stone tile at the other end.
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Last edited by CritterMama on 01 Oct 2021, 14:53, edited 1 time in total.
Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by Nina » 29 Sep 2021, 22:54

Here are two extra photos of this lovely table that CritterMama has asked me to post in her thread as she was having a technical problem in uploading them.
And I'd like to be the first one to say how great her table looks! Lots of areas of interest for Scoot to explore, and walk around, over and through, and such a great looking set-up for lighting! I don't know what SANSI lights are (are those the ones on that cross-shaped holder?) -- they look amazing, and I think that the tower arrangement for being able to raise and lower the lights is great, and it's so important to be able to do that, in order to adjust the temperature, depending on whether the room the tortoise is in is hotter or cooler.

Really welll done to you and your hubby, and I think Scoot should thank his lucky stars that he ended up with a family that is so committed to giving him a long and happy life! I can't believe all of the work you put in on producing that substrate -- if there were Oscars for tortoise table production you would certainly win one!

Nina
[attachment=0]new table 2.JPG[/attachment][attachment=1]New table.JPG[/attachment]
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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by lin » 30 Sep 2021, 22:06

Wow, CritterMama.
That is one awesome enclosure. It will sure give scoot many hours of good exploring time.
Well done.

Lin

CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by CritterMama » 01 Oct 2021, 15:24

Thank you for your kind words of support lin and nina. For some reason here in the states, I get a lot of grief from the "no open-top, only closed-top boxes", "no sand, only orchid bark substrate", "must be 4'x8' minimum or your shouldn't even own a tortoise" crowd. 😵 I'm able to regulate the temperature and humidity just fine day and night; these little guys do very well in the wild with sand (they know what they're doing!); and, since he's not even 5cm long yet, he says he's willing to wait for a bigger box! 🤣

He's been a real joy to have around - he just struts about doing his tortoise thing. Every day the dog and I go out to pick fresh greens from our "lawn" - who needs grass anyway? I'm starting seeds inside soon so he will always have a ready supply of good eats. This forum and the TT Plant Database have been invaluable resources for me as I learn about what he can eat and not, what I can grow (and not!), and what is already growing near the house. Every day is a new adventure!
Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by Nina » 02 Oct 2021, 13:17

Oh dear -- and just where in the wild do these people think there are fields of orchid bark that tortoises live on, and who puts the lid on their habitat? :roll: Actually, a lid can be really dangerous, because the enclosed nature of a lidded table makes it much more difficult to get a good temperature range from one end to the other, so that the tortoise can thermoregulate. Enclosed vivariums are great for snakes and lizards, but not for tortoises.

The most common tree used to make orchid bark is Fir, and that is fine (but I don't know of many species of tortoise that live in Fir forests). Orchid bark is also sometimes made from pine, and when pine is heated (like from the lamp in the tortoise table), it can sometimes give off noxious fumes. My other objection to a bark substrate, aside from the fact that it doesn't replicate their natural substrate in the wild, is that it is a bit of a fire hazard. If a heat bulb blows and hot shards of glass land on the floor of the table, there is a slight chance that it could catch fire. We certainly know that hay/straw/aspen catches fire easily and are aware of tragic cases where this has happened). and bark would be less so, but still a possibility. Also, I would worry a bit that if it is continuously damp (like next to the water bowl, or constantly urinated on), then it could become a bit mouldy.

You are so lucky that he is still energetic and eating! Here the weather has gone cold and rainy, and even tortoises indoors are sensing that and going into hibernation mode (not waking up in the morning and not eating), but it's a bit early for that, so everyone is using their best efforts to keep them awake and stimulate an appetite. I can't remember now which State you live in, but i'll bet your weather is better than ours!

Best,
Nina

terrarium
Posts: 3
Joined: 17 Feb 2022, 17:40

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by terrarium » 02 May 2022, 08:52

Great design, I so much liked it!

CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by CritterMama » 02 May 2022, 14:41

Thank you terrarium! The more I work with it, the more I like it! :!: I especially like the "towers" that hold the board to which the lights are attached. It makes it an easy, one-person job to raise and lower the lights to get in the box for maintenance. We just installed a misting system which is The Nuts (or The Cat's Meow, or The Bee's Knees - pick your metaphor!) I'll take some pics and post them shortly.

Scoot seems to like his table very much too. He often scales "Mt. Tortoise Bane" (the stones piled up in one corner (pic above). We make it a little higher when he stops falling over backward at its current height. :lol: He likes to sit under the leaves of the Prayer Plant (Marantha leuconeura). I had to switch out the African Violet (Saintpaulia) - it was too humid in there and it started to develop some powdery mildew (link below) - put another Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) in its stead.

The other day, I switched out the sphagnum moss in all of his hides. He *hates* that! I snapped this pic of him guarding the doorway of his main hide as if to say "NOBODY is gettin' in here! Leave my moss alone!"
[attachment=0]DSCN4323.JPG[/attachment]

Powdery Mildew: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/housep ... iolets.htm
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Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

boeinglight
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Dec 2023, 07:05

Re: Our Tortoise Table

Post by boeinglight » 13 Dec 2023, 07:09

Its a great enclosure. Your Toroise will enjoy it. :P

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