Habitat - Indoor :: My Award Winning Red Ear Mulit Habitat Set-up Under 100$

[MrScratchTheRES]

This Set-up has won three creativity awards from a local pet trade show I entered and an online originality contest I also won a under 100$ best habitat from a local pet store. I have recieved free food and supplys from tetra and other companies for e-mailing them my set-up instructions. It consistis of a 30 gallon dry area with reptile chips which is illuminated by a repi sun uvb bulb and a repti sun basking lamp. The dry area is decorated with several mirrors and aquarium backing to provide a backdrop. This dry area is then conected to his tank via a ramp system. The water area consists of a 40 gallon clear tub with underwarter heating, filteration and dual airstones. He has several plants and mirrors and a riverrock bottom. He also has a basking platform that I summeraged and turned into a unter water cave or tunnel. The tank is also occupied by several fish and an alge sucker. The tank is illuminated by a repti sun uva day lamp and a repti sun uvb lamp. His temp is monitered by a temp sensor and he is fed by an auto feeding device. All devices that are not ket on consistantly"filter, airstones ect." are controlled by a timer. The tank and dry area are brought to the proper hight by milkcrates and a bar stool and everything is on a dry workspace mat. I only ask that if you took the time to read this or watch the videos please leave a comment.. I'm usuing the responce from this turtle talk form to try and win another contest that would feed Scratch for over a year!! I appriciate all your input and please be honest. The upkeep on him is over my budget so in order to insure he is properly cared for I enter these contests.. Please dont think I am turning him into some kind of show.
THANK YOU AGAIN!!
Click here to watch Scratch-the-turtles-home And You can also
Click here to watch Scratch-the-turtle-Going-Down-the-ramp
And If your interested in who I am you can check me out here... http://www.myspace.com/themstrmndundrgrndliveson

[BullDog]

That's quite the setup! Definitly unique That's cool that you've one some awards, and it's helping you take care of Scratch!

Do the chips get knocked into the water a lot? And how many fish have become lunch?

[grey goose]

Pretty nice for $100 bucks. I'm upgrading to a 90 gal. and I'm already in the hole for over $300., not counting filters (free) and exsisting lights.

[scripta_elegans]

I love the idea, and it has given me some ideas for my own tank. I have been trying to figure out an above tank basking area, and this helped!

[MrScratchTheRES]

The repti chips seem to stay in the dry area due to the lip I left leading up to the ramp. I also used contact self paper which adds a rubber like surface to the ramp and that helps knock off any thing that he might drag along. Also, for some reason Scratch is not a live fish kinda turtle he will only eat a fish if it is already dead.

[snowblind199]

Wow, that's really cool.

I remember, my tank ended up costing a little more than $100.

damn.

[MrScratchTheRES]

thanks!, Tell your freinds to check it out and comment it!!! lol

[Turtlehead]

I like the idea...it's really unique and the ramp is awesome.

Your inspiration has got be considering trying that in the future.

[Ferd]

that sounds erfect or someone who is short on money! ingenious!

[MrScratchTheRES]

and if any one is interested this is me. http://www.myspace.com/themstrmndundrgrndliveson

[akaghettoraver]

nice job with the setup. I like the Idea of turtle having more room to get out of the water and walk around. It also helps in Thermoregulating(how they control body temps), your turtle gets to choose how far or how close he wants to be to the heat source. very effective setup. What is the stuff you use on the ramp I'm going to have to get some of that for my setup.

[MrScratchTheRES]

it's a surface treatment for your kitchen cabinits and the such..... sold in rolls at home goods type place's. In various colors and designs- water proof and stay in place with water proof double sided mounting tape. Sold in rolls in an automotive supply store. Good surface for water setups and can be cut into any shape with ease. Also vary cost effective at 6$ roll!!! Often refferd to as "Contact Paper" this type of treatment is also sold in paper adhesive type. Do not get this is doesnt provide any traction for the turtle.

[akaghettoraver]

Thanks I'll be looking into that when I get my new tank

[n2vdubz]

Hey MrScratchThe RES! That is a great looking setup you've got there for your turtle. I would have never thought of having a ramp that leads to a totally seperate dry spot. Great idea!!

Have you had any problems at all with the way you have this setup, and have you got any tips for someone who may want to do a similar setup or idea?

Good luck with the turtle "scholarships", and I hope you can win again so you can feed Scratch for another year!!!

[MrScratchTheRES]

So far I haven't encountered any major problems... The biggest part was getting him used to the idea of a ramp.. I had to lower the water temp to make it cold enough for him to need to bask and then I would pull him from the water and put him on the ramp with the basking lamp at the top. after a couple of day's he seemed to get it!! now It is completely self sufficiant. All the lights come on via a timer. and he is fed twice a day. I still take him out daily and let him run around the apartment! It is amazing how much stronger he has gotton since the ramp install... The biggest issue I had building this thing was how to keep him from falling off the ramp... If you look closley in the video you can see a clear tunnel I used around the ramp to keep him where he sould be. The ramp itself is just a section of the lid that came with the tub I used for the water area... covered with contact foam and the tunnel is just a water pitcher with the bottom removed. everything is put in place with double sided waterproof mountiang tape from an automotive store.