Brackish water turtle tank design

I love designing with this program, it doesn't include everything, but it makes me think and create differently.

Designed with a softshell and cohabitating fish inside. 

Bench on the side hides equipment!

Features:

• basking ledge, free for swimming underneath
• open top, pendant lighting/ heat
• planters on ledges
• false strangler fig as 3D effect, backdrop could be added as sun shield
• some elements can go beyond glass for an added effect
• equipment hidden in bench
• low front panel is turtle safe and invites the viewer to enjoy a closer feel

A Redesigned Newt Habitat!

 Newt and Improved

The one I was handed had many problems, including allowing the animals to hide under the fiberglass and not come out. so I redesigned. This one was made by Cemrock (at the cost of around $2,500 in 2015), using my design below.  

Much improved, n'est-ce pas?

Out with the old...

Paludarium Design: Turtles

 A Deamy Indoor Turtle Habitat

This paludarium draft design has not come to fruition..yet! 

At the time of design in 2022 it was estimated at around 36K.

Playing with divider designs- two species needing to inhabit together

The design for the two corner inserts

This is how the build turned out instead  

https://digsforanimals.blogspot.com/2023/08/re-building-turtle-tank.html

Turtles R Us

Rebuilding a turtle tank

Watch as I (together with so many others) rebuild an entire tank that sprung a leak.

Sweet Dudley Basking right on the little tree conk I made for him. 

It's like he read my instruction manual!

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Demolition and Build: 

https://youtu.be/9Zn6BA88QJ4

The "Insert" (The climbey part) Sculpt:

https://youtu.be/ndKm1fqaAIg

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Sweet Beullah, zonked out and probably snoring at the same spot 

Sweet Dudley's Swim

The two large inserts are designed to allow both turtles to be on display while being divided. Water passes through, and the divider can be removed. The top area is for easy sliding into the water, and soil for laying eggs and humidity.

The floor plates (pebbles) are designed to have less rocks to clean and haul during major cleanouts, and make it easier to siphon out detritus for more regular cleanings. 

Watch as I make it!

Demolition and Build: 
https://youtu.be/9Zn6BA88QJ4

The Insert Sculpt:
https://youtu.be/ndKm1fqaAIg

The "look" of the inserts came from another build that did not come to fruition when funding fell through

Rat Palace (and its rebuild)

I often have to come up with designs that have not been done before, or are very specific to a location. This was one that I have learned so much from! It was designed to be a crossover habitat for Norway rats (Rattus Norvegicus). The original concept came from a friend and myself brainstorming, and Tenji, Inc did the actual structural design. The aesthetic? Whatever is in your garage or attic!  

These rats are on display in a public institution, and are not super-acclimated to people. These features help manage their care needs:

• 1/2" Acrylic enclosure for clear views and soundproofing, vented on the ceiling and floor, and a super-quiet fan below pulls air through a carbon pad to prevent the whole place smalling like rats! (They communicate with pee, after all)
• Flexible shelving to create infinite possibilities for enrichment
• Rope ladders bring rats to top crossover tubing, and the gate valves can isolate an area from the outside (if you're fast enough!)
• This original shelf design used puppy pee pads and a velcro/felt coverup. This proved difficult to maintain. 

The "ratty" aesthetic

Ventilation chamber

A New Do!

Over a few years time, my colleague and I decided we wanted each shelf to be more adjustable and to hold softer, diggable bedding. She recorded the below videos of the redo. I think we designed something more clean-able, and much more cute-able!

Gratuitous cuteness

Rebuilding an Indoor Bullfrog Habitat

This habitat didn't quite turn out right for me when I had someone else do it- so I taught myself how to fix it! 

Original insert (artificial habitat) was ok but it had flaws

My rebuild had more moss area, a tunnel underneath, easier access

Lookin pretty!

 

Rat-atats

 This was designed for rats to live, laugh, love 😅

There are a couple things I'd do differently in hindsight, but it does the trick quite beautifully, I think. 

Features: 

• Rats can be shifted from top to bottom without opening the door to the side they are on. (I'd do the shift differently next time- it's too complex). 
• It's super easy to clean, you can add tons of towels, blankets and soft digging materials on these simple shelves. Keeps things changed up and cleaner smelling.
• Fans with carbon pads keep the room from smelling like...well...rats.

Super cute when it's filled with toys, recyclables, blankets and ...rats!  💗🐭