Our Tortoise Table
Posted: 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.
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.