GodZilla's Custom Enclosure

[Tortdad]

I'm a experienced tortoise keeper but this is my first cham. I decided to take a China hutch and convert it into an enclosure. Here's my step by step. Let me know what you think... be brutally honest, I'm a big boy and will take constructive criticism all day long. I've built enough tortoise enclosures to know that they're almost neve correct right offf the bath.

First thing I did was ditch the curtain and build a bottom shelf. I also had to recess the top down. You would think by looking at this that the roof on this thing was recessed to hide lights and stuff but it wasn't, the top was flush with that trim so I recessed it like 6" to hide my gear. I also took the back off so I could use silicone to get a good water tight seal between the back and frame.

I put the top back on and drilled holes for my lights and some vents

Then I added some wood blocking to the sides so I would have something to attach branches and flower pots too. Then I started water prodding it. 2 coats of a product called Red Guard, its for water proofing showers.

I used kitchen sink parts to make the drainage system.

Then I used a anti microbioial paint to go over the red guard and mounted all my lights and my Mistking system. I didn't realize the Mistking only came with 1 nosel so I have another one on order.

 

[Tortdad]

Then came the screen and mounting my 3 digital temp/humidity gauges. I put 1 up by the basking area, 1 by at the mid height and another on the floor

Then I started with all the plants.

I have 2 different ficus plants and 1 large pothos that I split into 2 plants

 

[Tortdad]

 

[Tortdad]

Eventually my coworker is going to chop down some bamboo for me so I can seal off the bottom half of those doors with 3/8" diameter bamboo. Then you won't be able to see the buckets and plant pots.

 

[Tortdad]

Now it's off to the store for some distilled water and I get to spend the rest of the weekend and 4th of July holiday tweeting temps and spray times to make sure it's just right for my new Panther Godzilla. It will be shipped out to me on the 5th for a July 6th delivery.

 

[Tortdad]

Questions...comments... suggestions???

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Questions...comments... suggestions???

You got that done so fast !!. Looks great . How's your basking temps ?

 

[b.savvy]

Looks awesome!

 

[jamest0o0]

I really like it. Are the light bulbs in a spot where he can't get right under? They're dumb and can accidently burn themselves. I'd add some more branches. Some thicker foliage, plants attached on the back white wall, and hanging vines might be nice/helpful too. Just nitpicking though!

 

[Tortdad]

You got that done so fast !!. Looks great . How's your basking temps ?

Too low...78 but that was literally the only bulb in the house that wasn't LED so I tossed in there to see what the temps would be. I'll be buy several different bulbs tomorrow to experiment with to find my 82 degrees

 

[Tortdad]

I really like it. Are the light bulbs in a spot where he can't get right under? They're dumb and can accidently burn themselves. I'd add some more branches. Some thicker foliage, plants attached on the back white wall, and hanging vines might be nice/helpful too. Just nitpicking though!

The bulbs are located outside, on top of the enclosure where Godzilla will not be able to get to. The foliage is pretty dense right now and I've got some of hem fake vines going between the plants

 

[Tortdad]

I want to see where he spends the majority of his time and add more plants to that area

 

[Andee]

Do you have a drainage tub? I don't know how drainage will work with it, or do you have the flooring above the drainage buckets angled so the run off is encouraged to go there?

 

[Tortdad]

Yes it drains into the bucket on the right hand side

 

[Andee]

Alright good, other than that I don't see any possible issues... I mean obviously there will likely be needed tweaking as there always is when we put them in and then they hate us for even longer but what can we do XD

 

[Andee]

I mean I assume you will be adding more horizontal branches later down the road before you get the guy?

 

[bluesox68]

When I see projects like this I always wonder if they are cricket proof lol any gaps and can they drop down the drainage and be around the buckets and pump? Otherwise it looks solid

 

[Nibbz]

That looks awesome!!

 

[RedMountainHome]

Great work! And so quickly!
Hopefully the drainage bits are removable, and the plants may want more light, but beyond that I've got no suggestions to make