Habitat - Indoor :: New basking dock and additions!

[kimberly183]

Here is the updated tank setup! Note the plants at the far end . . . or am I the only one who has turtles that hit the far wall when they dive off the dock? This helps them see the end, and it's just fake plants secured to plastic needlepoint canvas with aquarium sealant. (Place aluminum foil under your project and it will peel right off when dry. Let dry 3 - 5 days, btw!) Put it on the bottom under rocks and voila! Turtle-proof so far! And they love to play in them (and the airstone we put in).




And speaking of docks, I created a different type. Using 7 layers of that plastic needlepoint canvas at 30 cents per sheet, some plastic "lanyard" material - as seen on the side of the dock, and a few food-safe plant stakes, I made a square base and rectangular ramp. Then, I covered them with green cupboard liner and a dollar store bath mat made of the same spongy material (I sewed it on by hand using needle and heavy twill thread). The end of the dock has a little bit of fake plant material sewn to a piece of plastic canvas (so they can bask in peace and we can't see them, but Baruch peeks out as you can see from the disheveled bits). The dock is sitting on two suctioned cupped soap dishes and the plants are attached by a large suction cup with plastic hook (this keeps the dock from tipping up on the back when they are coming on, too). It weighs only a few ounces, scrubs clean, drains completely dry, and they can both bask easily at once! Best part? Total investment: only $6 and 2.5 hours of work (including engineering)! And it scrubs clean (can't say that enough)!


We also added a Fluval on its side under the dock. They can move underneath, sit on top, or just hide in the "cave". Please let me know if you would like more details on how I built it. I am more than willing to share!

[TheComputerGremlin]

Let me know how the plastic canvas and plants works out, that's a great idea! Maybe that'll keep the decorations in place for a few days ...

[kimberly183]

So far it's been almost three weeks - with (fingers crossed!)

[BullDog]

Neat idea! The needlepoint stuff doesn't bend to much? I was actually thinking about using a piece of that for grip on Frankie's ramp, but then I found some non-slip cupboard stuff.

[kimberly183]

Thanks!

I wanted something that had holes so it would drain easily, which is why I chose the plastic canvas, but I was indeed concerned about it bowing and bending. So, using plastic lacing (lanyard stuff?), I attached the edges and the center of the canvas to food-safe plant stakes (the small round green ones). That is what the white Xs are along the edge in the picture.

I used the food-safe stakes, like for tomato plants, so they would be non-toxic.

I also used that cupboard stuff (shelf liner) to cover - it's the green covering in the photo. It covers the entire dock and ramp. The white stuff is a ribbed bath mat of the same material - that spongy stuff bound to thread.

I would NEVER suggest just using the needlepoint canvas uncovered. The first time I put the dock in, I hadn't put on the shelf liner/cupboard stuff yet. Baruch, our male, got his front toenails caught in the holes in the plastic canvas and nearly broke his leg jumping off the ramp. That is when I put multiple layers of the shelf liner, criss-crossing and alternating direction, so his nails couldn't go through again to the canvas.

[faithin_felix]

got any pictures of them basking in there?

[kimberly183]

Not yet - I've been too busy to take pix!

I often catch them on it, though, and yesterday they were stacked, even though there is plenty of room for them to both bask next to one another (there was always the issue of sharing the dock before). They seem to love it, and the plant wall at the end gives them privacy so they don't jump down when we come in the room. Our female was a very shy basker and Ru was more aggressive about the dock, but now Sara loves her new dock. I see her up there a lot more than ever!

I will try to catch them one of these days. I took over two other classes mid-way through the quarter due to another instructor's illness. It's been hectic!

[vivian89]

what did you use to attach the basking are to the tank also what did you use as the ramp and the dock(like what kinda material)?