Leafy greens
Original-size portions in broad trays. A slide-and-tip motion gives leafy food room to leave the pan and enter the common chute.
DIY HARDWARE · DIGITAL PROTOTYPE R4
Good food.
On tortoise
time.
A feeder built around real food, a wide open plate, and a little more freedom in your day. Standard parts. An ESP32 brain. A build you can make your own.
DESIGNED FOR A LARGE SULCATA.
MADE FOR KEEPERS WHO LIKE KNOWING HOW THINGS WORK.
THE ACTUAL DESIGN MODEL
DRAG TO ROTATE · OPEN THE EXPLORER TO INSPECT40 MM FRAME
FOUR FOOD PATHS
DRAG TO ROTATE · OPEN THE EXPLORER TO INSPECT40 MM FRAME
FOUR FOOD PATHS
4 food pathsINDEPENDENT DELIVERY
7 + 7 portionsTWO FRESH-FOOD BANKS
40 mm frameSTANDARD T-SLOT HARDWARE
One open plateNOTHING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD
01 / A PLACE FOR EVERY INGREDIENT
Real food.
Thoughtful delivery.
Different foods need different mechanisms. Tortfeeder gives each its own path, then brings the meal together on one removable serving plate.
Separate produce
A second fresh-food bank keeps diet-appropriate sliced produce separate, with its own portions and release sequence.
Prepared pellets
Dry storage, a measured dose, water, and time to soften. A dedicated soaking pan prepares the pellets before delivery.
Water, on cue
An opaque reservoir and peristaltic pump supply the soaking pan through a visible air gap. The dosing path stays accessible for inspection.
02 / ROOM TO EAT
An open plate.
A gentler approach.
The eating surface sits forward of the machinery, open above and approachable from the front and both sides. A broad, rounded surround captures the plate rim, handles, and supports.
- 01 No roof, crossbar, hose, or tipping pan above the plate
- 02 Generous corner radii and rounded contact surfaces
- 03 Fixed rear shielding keeps moving mechanisms behind the meal
03 / BUILT TO BE YOUR BUILD
Make it.
Understand it.
Make it yours.
The best part of a DIY feeder is knowing what’s inside it. Tortfeeder is designed around purchased hardware, printable mounts, laser-cut panels, and an ESP32 you can program.
- 01Explore before you order.Inspect the real part envelopes, movement, and open fit questions in 3D.
- 02Start with one mechanism.Build and test a single tray with your actual food and portions.
- 03Grow the system around your routine.Adapt the frame, controls, and preparation sequence as the design develops.
THE STRUCTURE40 mm T-slotMcMaster rail, brackets, and compatible fasteners.
THE CUSTOM PARTS3D printedCradles, mounts, guards, and replaceable interfaces.
THE ENCLOSURELaser-cut acrylic¼-inch and ⅛-inch panels, with visible assembly details.
THE CONTROLSESP32A familiar foundation for your own connected controls.
Open the build library →04 / THE WHOLE PROJECT, WITHIN REACH
Every detail.
One place to explore.
Go from the big idea to the parts, motion, dimensions, and fabrication files. Every workspace is linked, so you can follow the design as far as you like.
INTERACTIVE / 3D↗
Assembly explorer
Orbit the feeder. Click components. Watch a complete meal move through the system.
PARAMETRIC / CHECKS↗Engineering studio
Explore dimensions, tray sweeps, drive loads, dose volumes, and operating scenarios.
SOURCING / COMPONENTS↗Parts & BOM
Find sourced motors, rails, electronics, purchased pans, and open selection questions.
SYSTEM / INTENT↗The concept
Understand the food paths, refrigeration approach, control behavior, and build sequence.
ENCLOSURE / GUARDS↗Compact cabinet & refill
Inspect the cohesive cabinet, marked refill access, integrated utilities, and revised part schedules.
FILES / YOUR WORKSHOP↗Build library
Download the prototype CAD, acrylic outlines, design data, and component schedules.
05 / A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS
Designed to help.
Designed to be understood.
An evolving DIY hardware design, with the decisions and unfinished engineering visible alongside the possibilities.
Is this a finished feeder I can buy today?
Tortfeeder is currently a digital prototype and DIY design project. The model, sourcing research, and prototype fabrication files are available to explore. Fits, guard retention, refrigeration, food release, and outdoor operation still require physical validation before use with an animal.
Can I customize the build?
That is the idea. The system uses standard framing, purchased components, 3D printed interfaces, and laser-cut panels. The engineering studio lets you study geometry and loads; the build library provides the current design and prototype files.
Does seven portions mean a week without checking?
Seven portions is a storage-layout goal. Daily animal checks, a clean serving plate, fresh drinking water, and verified food storage remain part of care. Produce life and refrigeration performance need to be established with monitored tests.
How does food reach an open plate?
The trays release into a sloping common chute. The soaking pan also empties into that protected path. A fixed, rounded outlet stops behind the plate, leaving the eating surface free of overhead mechanisms.
Are Wi-Fi control and the ESP32 firmware ready?
The control architecture is specified around an ESP32 and independently driven mechanisms. The website is a design simulator, not a device controller. Hardware firmware, communications, interlocks, and recovery behavior are development work.
YOUR TORTOISE. YOUR WORKSHOP. YOUR BUILD.
Take a closer look.
Start with the assembly. Follow your curiosity from there.