# New home for Eggbert the AZ Desert Tortoise...



## Eggbert (Jun 18, 2010)

Eggbert is turning 3 soon, and thought it was time he had a larger place outside to call home. Here's what it looks like as of today.


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## IntoTheWildReptiles (Jun 19, 2010)

That is going to be awesome!!


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## Motara's Mom (Jun 19, 2010)

I can't wait to see pictures when it's through. 

What are all the plants you are adding?


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## Missy (Jun 19, 2010)

That is what I dream of doing for Tank someday, hopefully soon. Please send more pics as you build and give tips. Looks beautiful.


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## e_salter (Jun 19, 2010)

OMG that looks fantastic wish i could efford an enclosure like that for king cooper!


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## Yourlocalpoet (Jun 19, 2010)

Wow


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## Kristina (Jun 19, 2010)

Very nice!!!

What are the walls? Are those cinder blocks covered in concrete?


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## DeanS (Jun 19, 2010)

kyryah said:


> Very nice!!!
> 
> What are the walls? Are those cinder blocks covered in concrete?



Sure looks like it...WOW!


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## Laura (Jun 19, 2010)

VERY nice.. I t looks like a Zoo exhibit! 
Did you buy that large cactus? I have one about 1/2 that size that I planted about 2 years ago.. 
I just poked a 1/2 pad in to the ground and let it be..


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## Tropical Torts (Jun 19, 2010)

You must show pics of the finished product!!!!!!


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## Eggbert (Jun 19, 2010)

Thanks for all of your kind comments! The lawn was previously 30' x 30', and this was meant to cut down on the watering bills... We'll need a couple months to pass to recoup costs... *smirk*

The "finished" product isn't quite finished--there are still several trips to find grasses and other plants for Eggbert to munch on. Eggbert is only about 6 inches from head to tail, and the hide is WAY to big for her/him. 

The front of the enclosure is 2 cinder blocks high and the rear is 3 high. It was wrapped with chicken wire and stuccoed. The exterior was painted to match the house color, but the inside was not painted... Unsure if paint on the inside would be a good idea? There are weep holes--about 6" diameter covered with chicken wire--around the bottom to ensure it doesn't become a pond. And just like the Beverly Hillbillies it comes complete with its own cement pond! 

Currently the only plants inside are a spineless prickly pear, aloe blue elf, globe mallow, 2 hibiscus, and angelita daisies. Hence the need to find grasses!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I will be covering the watering hole with shade cloth about a foot above. I know that hatchlings are very sought after by birds, but was wondering if it would be wise to construct a screened cover and sides given Eggberts present size? 

Thanks for your feedback!


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## Maggie Cummings (Jun 19, 2010)

That's just freakin beautiful!!! Makes me want to pack my suitcase and head off to your house! I do think that you need to make a protective cover that could also make shade as it's so hot in AZ. I think shade cloth would do both, protect from predators and hot sun. Can you make it damp? Like spraying it down many times during the day??? Just a thought..


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## dreadyA (Jun 19, 2010)

Looks sweet! Oh yeah and protect your baby!


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## chairman (Jun 21, 2010)

A pergola with shade cloth attached would probably look really nice over that beautiful enclosure you have... and you could always attach some drip hose to the lattice that you could turn on when the tort could use a little "rain."


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## Laijla (Jun 21, 2010)

BEAUTIFUL!!!! what an excellent enclosure!
Laijla


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## Eggbert (Jun 22, 2010)

Eggbert has been enjoying her/his new digs... Here's a few pictures--does she/he look happy?


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## Josh (Jun 22, 2010)

that looks awesome! well done! eggbert looks stoked!


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## TOK DADDY (Aug 15, 2010)

Enclosure looks great!!! I also live in AZ (Chandler) and have been looking for ways to improve my enclosure as well - have 3 russians. I have a very large outdoor enclosure and am not happy with the walls and look of it thus far. Man I'd love to see that enclosure in person!!! Great job.


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## Neal (Aug 15, 2010)

Dude, that enclosure is insane!!
Where did you get those big rocks? I'm in Chandler too, I think I want to hire you as an enclosure designer.


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## ChiKat (Aug 16, 2010)

Wow that is amazing!!


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## fgately (Aug 16, 2010)

I am seriously impressed. I want to build something like that for my torts. I am inspired. Do you have experience working with concrete and stucco?


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## Laura (Aug 16, 2010)

like a zoo! do you have pics of it during construction so we can see how it was done!??!! did you do it? Was it hard to do? 

oh.. i see the beggining now.. wow..


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## TOK DADDY (Aug 29, 2010)

Probably one of the nicest enclosures I have ever seen. I also live in AZ - who did the masonry work for the walls? I'd like use that wall concept in my enclosure as well. If you did it how long did it take from start to finish (walls only)? How deep down does the concrete block go?


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## Becki (Aug 29, 2010)

Eggbert looks quite content and spoiled.


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## RV's mom (Aug 29, 2010)

What a beautiful enclosure~ happy happy tort.


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## jdawn (Aug 29, 2010)

Wow! What an amazing home


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## Eggbert (Sep 19, 2010)

Sorry to take so long in responding... I am a 6th grade teacher, and the school year began with a bang!  

I did not construct Eggbert's home--we hired http://www.desertgardensnursery.com/ to design and install. They took out half of the lawn and also planted a desert scape. The large boulders and gravel came from http://www.pioneersand.com/ . 

It took 3 days to complete the project, and it was completed on 6/20/10. Attached are some pictures of the process and the last picture is what it looks like as of this morning 9/19/10. Now that it is a bit cooler in the morning, Eggbert doesn't venture out until around noon.


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## Candy (Sep 19, 2010)

The enclosure is beautiful. I was wondering what he eats? Did you plant things for him to feed off of or do you give him something else to eat?  I have to say that I just love his name.


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## Eggbert (Sep 19, 2010)

Candy said:


> The enclosure is beautiful. I was wondering what he eats? Did you plant things for him to feed off of or do you give him something else to eat?  I have to say that I just love his name.



Thanks Candy! All of the plants in Eggbert's home are edible. Favorites include the hybiscus, elephant food, angelita daisies, evening primrose, portulaca (sparingly--it's like tortoise crack!), and desert honeysuckle. 

Eggbert refuses to try the gama or deer grasses??

Since the enclosure plantings are newer I do occasionally provide supplementary greens which include organic dandelion, turnip, mustard, and collard. 

Eggbert has become quite the tank and has learned to begin at the lower portion of the hybiscus branches and climbs out over them, weighing them down, and eating her/his way to the end!


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## terryo (Sep 19, 2010)

I seemed to have missed this thread when you first posted. Your enclosure is beautiful. The total opposite of a humidity loving tortoise. It's absolutely stunning.


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## Candy (Sep 19, 2010)

Tortoise Crack that is too funny. I'm going to have to plant some of those plants for Fernando although so far he won't touch the hibiscus that I have for him and Dale. I don't know why he won't eat it, but he just walks away. I have me some pretty picky eating tortoises.   I did plant him a cactus not long ago and so far he's left it alone.


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## Half Decaf (Oct 1, 2010)

Beautiful enclosure, Eggbert; and I appreciate the info on what you feed little Eggbert. For my desert tortoises, I planted globe mallow, ruella, deer grass, yellow trumpet, and a hibiscus. They attacked that hibiscus until there was nothing left. So I planted another and then another and another, etc. I now have thirteen hibiscus in my tortoise enclosure and that appears to be keeping my two guys pretty satisfied. They also like the globe mallow and the ruella, but they don't care too much for the deer grass.


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## Dutch-az (Oct 3, 2010)

Eggbert said:


> ...All of the plants in Eggbert's home are edible. Favorites include the hybiscus, elephant food, angelita daisies, evening primrose, portulaca...



I am still in the building/designing stage of our Sonoran DT enclosure. I have been doing extensive research on habitat, etc. For your edible plants you may want to look at the "Captive Desert Tortoise Diet' put out by AZ G&F. It can be found at: http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/tortoise/documents/CaptiveDesertTortoiseDiet_20100315_002.pdf. If you have trouble locating these plants, check with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum (near Superior). The sell native desert plants - and have a plant sale coming up Oct. 8.

I am assuming when you say you have an Arizona DT you mean a Sonoran DT. Their natural habitat is where you live now - minus the development. So as long as you have a proper burrow and some plants providing shade, you don't need to build a sunshade nor do you need a sprinkler system (or mister). Just put water out a couple days a week.

The best reference I have found is "The Sonoran Desert Tortoise: Natural History, Biology, and Conservation". (2002). Thomas R. Van Devender, Ed. There is research on what they eat in the wild as well as a an entire chapter on caring for and feeding a captive SDT.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 4, 2010)

Half Decaf said:


> Beautiful enclosure, Eggbert; and I appreciate the info on what you feed little Eggbert. For my desert tortoises, I planted globe mallow, ruella, deer grass, yellow trumpet, and a hibiscus. They attacked that hibiscus until there was nothing left. So I planted another and then another and another, etc. I now have thirteen hibiscus in my tortoise enclosure and that appears to be keeping my two guys pretty satisfied. They also like the globe mallow and the ruella, but they don't care too much for the deer grass.



Hi Half Decaf:

Welcome to the forum!!

(I apologize for the slight hi-jack)


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## goReptiles (Oct 4, 2010)

That is gorgeous for a non-humidity loving tortoise! 

I have been trying to figure something nicer for my Russians. I must get pictures up for tips and advice.


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## Eggbert (Nov 14, 2010)

It seems Eggbert is preparing to hibernate. Eating has stopped, and the plants have been recovering. Eggbert's adventures out of her/his burrows have become less frequent, and I am going to take advantage of this time to sew dandelion and plantain seeds for spring feeding. Here are some pictures of the enclosure today 11/14/10. The deer grass has gone crazy and the globe mallow has also taken off!


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## Yvonne G (Nov 14, 2010)

I just love Eggbert's enclosure. You are SO talented!


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## Eggbert (Nov 14, 2010)

emysemys said:


> I just love Eggbert's enclosure. You are SO talented!



Thanks Yvonne, that means a lot to me--coming from you.


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