Cheap outside enclosure on a budget of under £100

[Daryn]

Friday I got a start on a friends daughters enclosure, its made from decking boards, the lid will be made from a frame with a poly tunnel type material stretched over it (sunmaster polythene) which allows UV through, I was hoping to complete this in one afternoon.

Ive got the lid and the warming area/den to finish off today, unfortunately I was supposed to take photos of the whole process but because my cutter decided to pack in before I even started I had to cut the lot with a hand saw and got to involved in finishing the project in one afternoon so I forgot lol but I will get some photos done today.

The project was to be done on a budget of around a £100 so I wanted to show you what you could get for that sort of money. Thats just the enclosure, gravel stones etc the electrical side is a separate budget.

We are going to try to use a tube heater, thermostat and have the den area insulated , we will have lights on stand by should we think we need them but this is the start of the no heat lamps experiments, taking temperature readings of the inside of the den and on the torte itself. I will be doing this with my own torte as well.

I have another enclosure to build in the next couple of weeks for someone else, not sure if that one is going to be a bit more of a big project or not.

Photos to follow.........

[emma_mcraf]

Sounds great, Daryn. I have the feeling you like a bit of a project to get stuck into.

[Daryn]

Sometimes lol, I think others like me doing these projects for them more though hehehe

I dont mind helping anyone out TBH, I would rather put a day in for someone to make sure their tortes get a good home if they cant do it themselves.

I still didnt get the lid done, we have had rain on and off all day but I did get the den insulated and we have just placed the sunmaster sheeting over the top for protection but it looks solid and dry and they are well pleased, Ill get it finished off soon (lid and cosmetic) but have lots of things on for this week but the torte is in now and he was crawling all over and eating like a horse.

Ive got some photos Ill upload them later on tonight.

[Daryn]

Enclosure made with thick decking boards, the inside walls are covered with polythene to help keep any wind/draft out, the inside of the den is lined with insulation boards and and another layer of decking boards then we trimmed 3 of the walls and the floor with weed suppressing membrane before tipping soil and gravel in, we have a tube heater and soon a thermostat to go inside this den, it will be super cosy.

















And here is my mates 10 year old daughter, I give her lots of links to read and she has been studying for a whole year before she got the tortoise, she knows as much as I do.



We also have a fenced off area to make and connect to the enclosure so the whole thing will be altered and changed as they want over time

[emma_mcraf]

Look great, well done. Nice to see your friend's daughter has done her research. Good on her!

[Daryn]

Thank you, cannot wait to get it finished for them, got another to do for someone else, Im soft as clarts lol.

My mates daughter is really intelligent, she actually passed her amateur radio licence when he was 7 years old, passed with flying colours as well, she has spoken on the radio all over the world, unbelievable at that age so I think tortoise in good hands there.

[Wyannis]

Sounds like she will be a good tortoise owner. Well done on the enclosure, it is looking great. You could start up your own business doing outdoor enclosures!

[CherryBrandy]

looks brilliant, always a good project to be had with enclosures! You will have a following at this rate ! great to see children getting involved with tortoise keeping too.
I got interested at early age before internet, mobiles etc and only me - people thought I was weird and it was so hard to get any knowledge.

I only have dogs and can't leave mine to them !

[Daryn]

I would love to do it for a living. Thats why Im looking into making a secure den in fibreglass soon.

Got this photo this morning, looks like torte is loving it.

[Suze65]

Really great idea, it's good to see simple and interesting ways of making a small enclosure .