# My new Redfoots in their new home



## Kristina (May 24, 2010)

Here are pics of the Redfoots in their new outdoor enclosure!!! 

I don't have all the hides in yet, but they are still coming in at night so they are fine for the moment. The lattice was put there to train a grape vine up over so that they have some shade in the afternoon. The enclosure is in shade pretty much the whole day except for from 1:30 to 2:00.





































They seem to really love it!!!


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## jwhite (May 24, 2010)

that enclosure is very cool your torts must love it. Wish I had a big enough yard to do something like that.

Jon


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## Yvonne G (May 24, 2010)

That's beautiful, Kristina! I love a waterfall. Wish I was talented enough to make one.


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## Isa (May 24, 2010)

Wow Kristina!!! What a beautiful enclosure, I love it. It must be so peaceful to sit there and watch the tortoise live their lives .


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## Kristina (May 24, 2010)

Thank you! It was actually intellectually simple to make, most of the work was digging it out and laying the liner, and then filling it back in with the various sized rocks and sand.


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## mightyclyde (May 24, 2010)

Quite lovely! Your little ones seem happy and content. Thanks for sharing.


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## fhintz (May 24, 2010)

Thats pretty awesome. I'm sure you'll have some super happy Redfoots there.


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## Scooter (May 24, 2010)

Wow that's great! Those are some very lucky torts!


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## terryo (May 24, 2010)

Kristina your enclosure is so great, and I love that waterfall and pond. What a cool idea with the grape vine. I still bring Pio in at night too as it gets down to the 50's here.


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## Tropical Torts (May 24, 2010)

Very nice enclosure! You very creativly built a home for you guys! Again very nice!!


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## Kristina (May 24, 2010)

Thanks everyone!!!


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## Jacqui (May 25, 2010)

Enough of this stuff already!  I can't start my redfoots permanent enclosure til next year and my son (who has summer care duties when I go back out on the truck) has forbidden me to have any moving water features for him to have to take care of.  You make me feel bad for my redfoots in their plain jane type enclosure.


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## Itort (May 25, 2010)

Looks good and grapevine is a great idea (eatable shelter). Be sure plant grapevine plant out of reach as adult rfs can be hard on young plants. You are now a Muddy Tort mom. Remember RFs rule.


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## South FL Katie (May 25, 2010)

It's gorgeous! Great job, and I bet the tortoises are very happy  I hope to build something like that when we get our own house.
It would have been cool to see some start to finish pictures. What plants did you use inside the enclosure?


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## Kayti (May 25, 2010)

That's so awesome!

Do redfoots really like water? Why do I see so many of them wading into streams and things? They're so different from other tortoises!


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## Itort (May 25, 2010)

Kayti said:


> That's so awesome!
> 
> Do redfoots really like water? Why do I see so many of them wading into streams and things? They're so different from other tortoises!


Like most forest type torts, they love wading to cool off and also will wallow in mud like a pig. My hingebacks, manouri, and forsten's also love to wade, so all have a water feature in outdoor enclosure.


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## Nay (May 25, 2010)

OK Kristina, have you and Terryo gotten together???
Great Great job. I want to change my brand new enclosure now. What are you doing for the water , a pump?
Thanks Na


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## Kristina (May 25, 2010)

Jacqui said:


> Enough of this stuff already!  I can't start my redfoots permanent enclosure til next year and my son (who has summer care duties when I go back out on the truck) has forbidden me to have any moving water features for him to have to take care of.  You make me feel bad for my redfoots in their plain jane type enclosure.



I am sure your Redfoots are doing just fine  How could they feel bad with you for a mom??? 



Itort said:


> Looks good and grapevine is a great idea (eatable shelter). Be sure plant grapevine plant out of reach as adult rfs can be hard on young plants. You are now a Muddy Tort mom. Remember RFs rule.



I have the vines going and they are going to be planted outside the enclosure.... I already lost a hosta to these gorgeous beasts, lol. Good thing I have plenty more that can be divided and transplanted in 

Don't Hingebacks count as muddy torts? I have one that would rather sleep in the water dish than in her hide... They are getting a stream in their new enclosure too.



South FL Katie said:


> It's gorgeous! Great job, and I bet the tortoises are very happy  I hope to build something like that when we get our own house.
> It would have been cool to see some start to finish pictures. What plants did you use inside the enclosure?



I didn't take any  I usually do, but I had a few setbacks and just kind of gave up on the pictures. So far there is timothy grass, hostas, roses, althea, and I threw a bunch of alyssum and pansy seeds along with some weed seed mix into there... We'll see if it grows.



Kayti said:


> That's so awesome!
> 
> Do redfoots really like water? Why do I see so many of them wading into streams and things? They're so different from other tortoises!



They absolutely do. They are in the water as much as they are out, and my Hingebacks are the same way. They love it when I turn the sprinkler on too.



Nay said:


> OK Kristina, have you and Terryo gotten together???
> Great Great job. I want to change my brand new enclosure now. What are you doing for the water , a pump?
> Thanks Na



I did get a lot of inspiration from Terry, and I wanted something similar to what she has for Pio for my girls. After all, Pio looks soooo good and happy!

I am using a 370 GPH Catalina return pump, with a custom filter box that I made. I am big into aquatics too, this was a pump that I used previously for water changes on my big tanks. The GPH seems perfect.

Thanks again everyone!


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## Candy (May 25, 2010)

Well it's no wonder that they love it it's beautiful. Yes they love water. I've noticed one thing in the last two weeks about the Cherryheads that I hadn't noticed before they seem to hear water dripping does anyone else notice that. I absolutely love your enclosure. You did a great job and they are very lucky to have you.


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## N2TORTS (May 25, 2010)

Very nice set up!..... Great job~.... you will have some super happy torts
'Hats off to ya for building such a wonderful enclosure! Very pleasing to the eye , and awesome for your Rf's. 

JD~
PS.
The torts ... will *love* the grape *leaves* when they come in ..!


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## Kristina (May 26, 2010)

N2TORTS said:


> Very nice set up!..... Great job~.... you will have some super happy torts
> 'Hats off to ya for building such a wonderful enclosure! Very pleasing to the eye , and awesome for your Rf's.
> 
> JD~
> ...



And the grapes, too  All part of my evil plan


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## ChiKat (May 26, 2010)

Wow that looks incredible!!! What lucky little torts!! You have such great enclosures for all of your babies, I love it!
I tried to grow a grape vine but it died- boo. Love that shelter/shade idea!! So creative.


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## N2TORTS (May 26, 2010)

kyryah said:


> N2TORTS said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice set up!..... Great job~.... you will have some super happy torts
> ...



** OH yea ..... A couple of big hollowed out logs laid sideways ... would be nice ...it would provide some " hide" areas for the RF's and fit into your hardscape. Also consider a " thick "mossy type " section...( possibly along and under the logs) .. they love to burrow in it.
Nice job once again! 

JD~


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## jejton (May 27, 2010)

Very nice enclosure. I'm working on mine ( well more like planning on it but would like to get it done by mid-June ). What kind of wood did you use ? I'm trying to decide what untreated wood would be rot resistant while in contact with the ground, yet not break the bank. Also what did you do to ensure they wouldnt dig out ?


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## Kristina (May 27, 2010)

I didn't use untreated wood. I used railroad ties, and then attached the fence to those. I ran a search on the forum and a lot of other people use the railroad ties also.

I didn't use anything to keep them from digging, I wasn't all that worried about it with the Redfoots. They aren't as big of diggers as, say, Russians.

JD, there are two half logs in there already, you can see one to the right of the picture. Another one is on the left side, but you can't see it in the picture because I am practically standing over it. I have a couple of other to use but the need a little modification.


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