Advice on tortoise table
 

i have owned a horsfield tortoise now for 8 months we were wrongly advised by a pet store to get a vivarium. After learning that they are not good for tortoises we are looking at getting a tortoise table. Would this be suitable http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271918123516 ? We have dogs so must have one with a mesh lid.

I have read on a few websites that yacht varnish is a suitable thing to use to protect the wood from water. As our tortoise is a horsfield there isn't much moisture but i would like to make the table last for as long as possible. I just wanted someone to confirm for me that it is safe to use and that it works well.
If not do you have any other recommendations.
Thank you.

Hi and welcome. Yes that looks good, you will need to line it with a thick liner, like pond liner, and also varnish it. Horsfields like to dig , so make the substrate deep, sterilised top soil is the best substrate, don't add anything to it, just top soil, and keep it moist, not wet, so if you squeeze it in your hand, it sticks together. This is to create some humidity, when he digs down and under his hide, humidity under the hide only needs to be 65/70 %.

Hi, Thank you for your advice is any varnish ok or is there a particular type i should use?

Table looks good, the only thing I would say is, you might need an extra light (just an ordinary bulb or lamp) as it could get a little on the dark side if you are keeping up your tortoise this Winter:0)
Tortoises react to light as much as heat, and they can easily sense darker days.
Boat varnish is the best use on an enclosure:0)

Ok thank you. Do you know if horsfield tortoises need much humidity or not as i have read a lot of conflicting information. :)

Thanks for the advice :) The lamp holder is movable so i plan on putting it in the middle of the table instead of at the end. Would that be ok?

nothing wrong with the middle but end is better as they are closer to the sides for burrowing. cooler down the other end then - they will go to the edges all day long. The TT is fine but good grief its expensive - seriously if you can get B&Q to cut some wood and screw it together and put it onto a grow bay tray its so much cheaper, by about £40.

and spray each day with warm mist but not high humidity just a daily spray on tortoises and substrate ! keep usposted with progress , CB