cage decorating...

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Posted by Niki on October 03, 2001 at 21:55:41:

In Reply to: Redfoot keeps tipping himself over because climbs everything posted by Stoli on October 03, 2001 at 15:14:59:

Here's an old pic when my sulcata was small. I used
a variety of substrates (rabbit pellets, kenaf plant
lizard litter, aspen, hay piles, even a bit of sand).

I put flat shale stones on the "walk path" of
the long sides and glass to break up the straight
lines.

Place the interesting stuff in the center areas
of the cage, not along the walls or in corners to
reduce climbing. Don't put anything tricky under
a lamp directly just in case. That should be a
flat area, check your substrate - it should allow
him to right himself if he flips.

I used real hollowed out logs like this one, not
the half-logs from the pet shops cause they were
wider at the bottom and offered a nice bridge
to climb and fall off of, but real logs which are
narrower at the bottom so as to be impossible to
climb. Same idea for the partly buried flower
pots, not as wide at the bottom. A straight box
is also not tempting to climb if it is not along
a wall or edge.
We use 2 "privacy walls" for Teddy now, to rest
behind while sleeping (buried in aspen completely!)
and one to rest behind while basking out of sight of
us, unless he's peeking at us around one of them,
which he often does.

At one point I used a huge pile of hay for him to
sleep in, you could experiment with natural cover
like that.

Make sure at least 3 sides of you enclosure are solid
and not see-thru glass. Break up the line of the
front glass with some flat stones or small wood
pieces (I keep a tiny half-log in there for sentimental
purposes!) Put the water bowl in the cool side
away from the wall.

My enclosure is 90" by 30" and it's looking small
for a 2 year old sulcata already, fortunantly we
can make him something else if we need to, and I
have a work schedule that allows me work half days
till lunch time, so he doesn't have long to "wait"
for me to come home if he had to stay inside due
to weather conditions. We have addded electricity
to his outdoor house now, so it's heated and allows
for more extended outside time.

If you have a chance you can see on my site the
different set-ups that we have used over the past
2 years as Teddy grows and his needs change.

take care, niki & theodore (aka Teddy)

Teddy My Tortoise and his ever changing enviro...

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: Here's an old pic when my sulcata was small. I used : a variety of substrates (rabbit pellets, kenaf plant : lizard litter, aspen, hay piles, even a bit of sand). : I put flat shale stones on the "walk path" of : the long sides and glass to break up the straight : lines. : Place the interesting stuff in the center areas : of the cage, not along the walls or in corners to : reduce climbing. Don't put anything tricky under : a lamp directly just in case. That should be a : flat area, check your substrate - it should allow : him to right himself if he flips. : I used real hollowed out logs like this one, not : the half-logs from the pet shops cause they were : wider at the bottom and offered a nice bridge : to climb and fall off of, but real logs which are : narrower at the bottom so as to be impossible to : climb. Same idea for the partly buried flower : pots, not as wide at the bottom. A straight box : is also not tempting to climb if it is not along : a wall or edge. : We use 2 "privacy walls" for Teddy now, to rest : behind while sleeping (buried in aspen completely!) : and one to rest behind while basking out of sight of : us, unless he's peeking at us around one of them, : which he often does. : At one point I used a huge pile of hay for him to : sleep in, you could experiment with natural cover : like that. : Make sure at least 3 sides of you enclosure are solid : and not see-thru glass. Break up the line of the : front glass with some flat stones or small wood : pieces (I keep a tiny half-log in there for sentimental : purposes!) Put the water bowl in the cool side : away from the wall. : My enclosure is 90" by 30" and it's looking small : for a 2 year old sulcata already, fortunantly we : can make him something else if we need to, and I : have a work schedule that allows me work half days : till lunch time, so he doesn't have long to "wait" : for me to come home if he had to stay inside due : to weather conditions. We have addded electricity : to his outdoor house now, so it's heated and allows : for more extended outside time. : If you have a chance you can see on my site the : different set-ups that we have used over the past : 2 years as Teddy grows and his needs change. : take care, niki & theodore (aka Teddy)

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