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

Outdoor/Indoor Rabbit Inspo!

The ultimate BUNNY HUTCH is one that takes your care needs, your bun's care needs and your aesthetic, and shuffles them into a Perfect Paradise for both of you.

Rob and I sketched up a version of the bunny hutch I spotted on this site

https://pethelpful.com/rabbits/How-To-Build-The-Perfect-Bunny-Hutch

My simplest take (quite variable in size and features): 

Key features of any design should be:

• Dr. Holly wants you to be able to play with, sit with, and easily clean up after your rabbits. 
• An entire fence run around a hutch makes it into a "Bunny Yard"! (Look at our Catio Inspo page for more ideas!) 
• Lots of tall, front opening doors on the hutch to make it easy to rake out the hay.
• Ability to close off areas to clean, sterilize or even catch a wascally wabbit on the wun
• HARE conditioning. Aka Cooling ability. In So. Cal, this is very important. 
• This design for a homemade cooler allows it to run continuously for when you are not home. 
• Shade sails or shade canopies help prevent predatory birds and add a very effective layer of heat protection. 
• Insulated roofing on the hutch, and ceramic tiles in the houses.
• Underground burrows are a great idea for buns in this Mediterranean climate! This simple bucket design makes it easy to check on them still (I can hide those ugly lids).
• Many more mini houses in the hutch depending on need. These can be insulated. Top shelves can have a lip added to keep hay in place. 
• All this is made from rabbit-safe wood that can be replaced as needed (typically dried but untreated pine or maple)
• Bottom of the hutch-designed with your needs in mind!
• Bottom can be 1" wire so long as there is adequate hay and the rabbits aren't walking on it. 
• Dirt floor can be managed with burrow-control
• There are also other cleanable, solid options that can be hosed off. 
• Chicken wire should be buried around the perimeter at least, ideally through the whole area with deep, dig-zones.
• Of course, rabbit-friendly plantings are everywhere! Ideally in planters so they can re-grow without being gnawed down to stumps!

Check out this Sweet lil Bun Playland!

What I love: secure walls, dig pit, climbers, chewables. What I'd do: make sure there's no digging out, add some cooling and an insulated hide or deep burrow that can be accessed from the top. 

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And of course, an air conditioned room dedicated to bun so they can access it any time is certainly a dream! 

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Ear-resistable resources for your rabbit run:

They thought of everything:

https://www.omlet.us/shop/rabbit_products/outdoor_rabbit_run/

Fresh green hay delivered!

https://www.kwcages.com/feed-hay/hay.html

House Rabbit Society:

https://houserabbit.org/

Building an outdoor Screech Owl Barn (Mew)

Odin the Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii) had his indoor habitat, but he needed a place to watch the birds and get some sun. We had a tight fit on this one, and wanted to maximize every inch. We put the vestibule in the narrowest spot, and left space to fly at the opposite end.

Features:

• Screen to prevent mosquitoes as well as dowels for bars to protect his talons if he decided to fly against the window (and to protect him form local cats)
• Clear roof to allow natural light (ideally should be replaced every few years as the material can get brittle)
• Windows with doors that can be left open or closed as weather allows
• Cleanable interior walls and removeable perches with variable sized and materials to prevent bumblefoot
• Mesh covering the underside to prevent rodents from damaging wood with nests
• Safety vestibule also has shelves and hooks for cleaning supplies
• Enrichment, of course!

Building the Mew

Cleanable walls

Owl bet you didn't expect an Iguana cage!

We're all for conversions and recycled materials. Any chance I get to use good wood more than once makes me feel like I'm a superhuman!💪

This was a lovely iguana cage in it's first phase of life. But a Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii) owl was moving in next, so we got creative. 

The first phase allowed the bird to move into the interior of cage and get used to it/ feel secure inside (see bottom of post for pics). 

Eventually we designed a  "front porch", and the choice remains to secure the bird in the back area, or to allow it free flight onto the porch as needed.  Check out his pretty, green outdoor mew too!

The branches are all designed to be removeable easily for cleaning, whether they be set in posts or on cleats.  If you know, you know.

 

Front porch complete with feeding portals in case of emergencies

Were you wondering why it needed to have removeable
perches for "easy cleaning"?

20 seconds of a happy lil owl on his new porch

Flying from his interior habitat to his porch

Previous Stages

A simple PVC vestibule served as escape prevention, and 1 way vinyl made it so we could see the bird, but he could not see us 

Once an Iguana cage (for the best boy ever)

Indoor Tortoise Digs Inspo!

 As soon as I remember who I swiped this awesome pic from, I'll give credit! 😂  

Don't you want this for your lil Russian Tortoise? You bet your turtle toes, you do.

Tortoise Digs: Condo

 You don't have to have a big budget to make a big impact! This space has lots of vertical, but not a lot of horizontal space. I had to get creative! 

These California Desert Tortoise habitats were made with primarily recycled materials. These indoor digs provide plenty of space, easy cleaning and appropriate heating and ultraviolet light for the species.  This is a great addition to a tortoise's outside pen for direct sun and digging time. The top one is over 20 years old and still in decent shape, too!

Ramp down to the lower level

Lil secret access door to the lower level of the condo

Everyone loves dinosaurs!

Pulled together from materials on hand, but still meeting animal needs

This tortoise does not mind plexiglass and does not climb it or stress about it.

Have cat, will customize!

I'd like direct access from the bathroom, please. Thx

This was a catio job with a very small budget, and a veeeery awkward fit. The space was narrow, house was curved, and the catio that was already there needed to be joined to ours. But it was so fun!

We also needed to make a slider door that operated from inside the house in case the cats needed to be split up in the middle of the night. 😅

With some prefab and some clever cutting and planning, we made some cats and owners pretty happy! 

Sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much