Hi Suzanne,
Let's see what others say, but I think your design looks really good, and a good size for him too. Your upper level at 30cm deep looks fine. Mine is 45cm and it is way more than they need, and I would reduce the size if I could. And of course the area underneath mine is much too big for them (they actually prefer to wedge themselves into a small space when they sleep), so I think that if you wanted to, you could reduce the depth of your sleeping area by a couple more centimetres and he would still have plenty of space to eat on top and enough space to sleep underneath -- but it is also fine as it is.
At 210cm you might have to have another lamp a bit further down the table (but see how it goes). To hang the lamp you can always just make and upside down 'L' -shaped arm that is screwed onto the outside (or inside) of the table, and hang the chain from that. Just make sure that the arm is tall enough to enable you to raise the lamp higher to reduce the temperature in the table if it gets too hot. In this article from our website, if you scroll down you can see photos of the table with arms for the heat/light bulb and also for the UVB strip. In this table the UVB strip goes across the table, but I prefer mine to go the length to get a bit more coverage (but it really doesn't matter which way it goes -- just do what is easiest for you.
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tor ... 51HQFCnyNI.
Re the UVB strip. It can be fixed to the side of the table if the sides are high enough (but I think that means they might need to be higher than you've planned (I think the minimum height is about 12" and when they are new the height is something like 15" or 20", but it will be specified in the manufacturer's instructions). Also as the tube gets older you can lower it a bit. I think they usually have a wire coming from each end of the tube (haven't looked at newest ones lately), but I have two arms on my table so I just wrap the cords around the top of the arms and then the light hangs down between them. I also have all my lights on timers so that they come on and go off automatically in the morning and night.
I don't think I would ever bother to boil my soil! What sort of flies are you talking about? Occasionally if you have plants planted in the substrate you will get these irritating teeny tiny flies called fungus gnats. They live in damp soil, but if I ever get them I just hang one of those sticky fly strips above the table and they go in no time. Other than those you shouldn't really have any flies.
Re outdoor enclosures. I feel the same as you. I have an outdoor enclosure with a hutch that has a doorway that comes down as a ramp, or that goes up to close if you want to lock them in at night. But we get foxes and rats too, and I'm not happy with leaving mine out all night, so I bring them in every night. It's probably not ideal for the tortoise, as by the end of the day they have happily snuggled into wherever they plan on sleeping, but I think it's safer and it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.
Do send photos of the work in progress, and I think Turbo will thrive in this new palace you are making him!
Nina
> Thank you!
> Suzanne
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