Happytortoisehabitat.co.uk
 

Not being amazing at DIY (probably ending up in A&E if I go near any power tools) I was looking at one of the ‘bunk bed’ double tortoise tables on happytortoisehabitat.co.uk as my two iberas are now getting a bit too violent to leave together.

Anyone bought anything of this site? Is the build quality any good?

No idea I’m afraid. My husband has built all our double and triple tables.
I’ve not heard of this website before but I had a quick look at the table and noted it doesn’t state the depth of the tables nor the space between the bottom and top table. You need enough space to be able to alter your basking lamp for the bottom table. I also find these bedding area a complete waste of time and space and torts are better off not having that lid for the bedding area but have more space and light. My lot like to bed down under habba huts, wooden bridges or just together in corners when in their tables.

If you do go for it, I should contact the seller and ask further question and always go for the anti climbing lip. My climbers would definitely get themselves out via a corner with their spidertort-style climbing, so you most definitely want to ensure no falls!

just grow bag trays and 4 pieces of wood - so much cheaper and more hygienic. CB

Not sure I understand what you mean with the trays - use them as a base and then walls made out of wood panels?

I've not bought anything from there but they do look like they are well made from good quality wood. It says they are made from 1 inch thick wood which they may well be and if so would be quite heavy. The double bunk one would be around 1220mm long x 604mm wide x 202mm high (each table). £180 is not cheap but for that quality it isn't over priced when compared with furniture of a similar grade, for example a TV unit or a small table etc. The only thing I'd wonder about is the heat rising up from the bottom one and affecting temperatures on the top one.
Those ones with the steps and banisters in them are good looking but torts would just throw themselves over the banisters in the same way they just charge through everything in front of them

I'm not familiar with this vendor, however, quite a few of the enclosures manufactured for tortoises aren't big enough. Just make sure you get something big enough for your tortoise.

I could not agree more:0)
They are usually ok for small tortoises for the first year, then you find you need more room for them to roam around in:0)

Yes ! exactly - grow bag trays are very cheap and come in all sorts of sizes. I bought a huge one £9.99 - 4 pieces of reclaimed wood £5 , screws couple of quid and the wood can double as a run on the grass sometimes, and the tray for plants or bathing torts - ok its a bit heath Robison but you could do ornate if wish to or like me draw all over it.

so tortoise table for £14.00 hygienic. B&Q will cut to shape or size also , (other stores wearing orange are available)
Example below :-D I have set mine up that two huge trays join up - bridge them and one TT over laps at both the ends (with wood going across to sit on) and can do it to suit area then easily get 3 big cross overs and if split the big one or have an opening for access that could be your 4


https://i.imgur.com/OqxnSD8l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/iprtyiHl.jpg

another smaller one , CB

https://i.imgur.com/U5YLFhOl.jpg

And you can clamp the lamp on one end to shine on the one underneath very easily which means no pieces of wood sticking up on the ones underneath....

Thanks CB, certainly some food for thought there. Maybe I will get the drill out...

I still would ideally double stack them to save space so the lads could have the maximum sized indoor space I can provide, and I don't know if I trust my DIY skills enough that one table wouldn't collapse onto the one beneath!

ok , keep us posted, always good to learn on here with different approaches.....good luck CB

I once used mixing troughs for mixing plaster or cement in but my torts were very small then

Isn't there a risk of the tortoise eating the small stones?

So I went ahead and ordered the double level table. I have now painted and varnished it (it came in raw wood) in "Rectory Red" and "Strong White"!

So they can now go from my slightly useless separation...

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9115cbcf_b.jpg

To 2 level luxury living

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...75b21f52_b.jpg

I'll upload a picture when they have moved in!

Split level indoor tortoise living. Just in time to put them outdoors as the weather is so nice!


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...774a0b1a_c.jpg

This is very very nice. they are quite small do find them using the corners rather than the hidey holes? if they do may be an idea to place the hidey holes there...careful on those corners for climbing up getting out ! and you may find they sleep in the water dish as it is in the corner, but as we know all torts are different - looks really good.


Tank re your post - thank you for raising , it is a good point - there is a risk of them eating stones, quite right and some of mine usually do but I suppose you can not account for that in the wild. Some eat stones for the calcium also so good idea to see if they do eat stones ....and then put in place a cuttlefish or lime flour etc. Saying that Lettuce my spur has always eaten stones and lime flour. You just can not please all of the tortoises all of the time ! CB

It looks great but I'd be surprised if you don't need to add a lip around the tops eventually when they decide it's really easy to climb up the corners like spidertort!!

With the stones, I find there's so many in the topsoil anyway. I'm always finding small stones passed in their baths. I used to sieve it once upon a time, but unless there's obvious pieces of plastic or so on, I don't now. I'm pretty sure teeny stones get eaten and passed all the time in the wild. As long as they don't eat too many and get impacted. I'm sure someone here had that problem a few years ago and posted an X-ray photo of all the stones.

That's nice, I really like it. Keep careful track of the temperatures in the bottom enclosure. Being close to the floor, it may get too cold.

I tried putting the hide in there corner but ended up with two upturned torts right under the lamp!

https://i.imgur.com/vE5DWKK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yzSmfC5.jpg

I’d keep any hides away from the corners as they’re like a ladder to help them up. They might look tiny now but in no time at all they could be up climbing the little bit of corner that’s left and they are persistent.

I keep my hides in the centre area of tables. Believe me, you don’t want to give them a leg up.