# Really Simple Grazing Enclosure



## Tom (Dec 27, 2010)

I've got weeds sprouting everywhere, but I'm still sunning all my baby torts in their kiddie pools that I use in summer. I wanted to be able to confine them, so I don't lose them, but still let them graze naturally while they sun. I saw this at the CTTC meeting this last year, and thought I would share.

Start with four boards any size big enough to contain YOUR tort and 8 screws.






I like to pre-drill and countersink my screw holes and them start the screws, like this:





Then screw the ends of the boards together.






Here it is all screwed together.






Next find a flat weedy spot in the sun. Make sure there are no crevices along the bottom. Fill in with dirt along the outside if needed.





Lastly add torts. Move the pen to a fresh weedy patch as needed.


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## pugsandkids (Dec 27, 2010)

Great, simple idea Tom. If only I was not mired in mud...


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## coreyc (Dec 27, 2010)

I built a 4'x4' last fall cant wait till spring to put them back in it


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## efciv (Dec 27, 2010)

Just made one today, but I put hardware cloth over the top to keep the birds out.


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## kbaker (Dec 27, 2010)

I do the same, but I take a screen lid from a fish tank & use it as a protective cover (18" X 48"). Too easy for something to carry a baby off. Also, I take another 1" X 6" board and lay it across for shade.


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## kimmer (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks, I am going to make one of these to be ready for spring.

Kim


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## Tom (Dec 27, 2010)

Yeah, I forgot to mention the shade thing. Very important on a warm day, but on the day I took the pics it was only 62 outside, so I wanted NO shade. In warmer weather I would do at least half shade. You can also make little corner covers to keep climbers in. These sulcata babies are around 4" and we really don't have a predator problem on my ranch. I do put a screen over tiny hatchlings or put them in a wire cage for sunning.

Here is the pen that inspired my simple design.


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## Yvonne G (Dec 27, 2010)

Is that a current picture of your experimental sulcata hatchlings? They're still quite smooth. Looking good!


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## TLL (Dec 27, 2010)

aww that's a really good idea.
i'm thinking of getting one of these though.. 
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754677
partly because i have no idea how to use power tools 
your babies are super cute


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## Millerlite (Dec 27, 2010)

craigslist look up rabbit cages, and most the time you can find them for free, or really cheap, take the screen top off and use that. I use to do that.


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## Tom (Dec 28, 2010)

emysemys said:


> Is that a current picture of your experimental sulcata hatchlings? They're still quite smooth. Looking good!



Yes. That is them. The weather has been so consistently foul, and I've been busy, so I haven't found much time to take new pics. All of my torts are due for a pictorial update.



TLL said:


> aww that's a really good idea.
> i'm thinking of getting one of these though..
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754677
> partly because i have no idea how to use power tools
> your babies are super cute



Lynn, I don't like those types because the torts need a visual barrier. You could use wood glue instead of screws OR you could just lay out some cinderblocks too. If you went two blocks high, and kept anything that they could climb on away from the walls, your torts should be contained nicely and be able to get some much needed sun. If you look at pics number 5 &6 from post #1 in this thread, you can see what I'm talking about. I used slumpstone blocks and that contains my three year old sulcatas, Daisy. You can also see more of her pen here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pics-for-Maggie

Hope this helps.



Millerlite said:


> craigslist look up rabbit cages, and most the time you can find them for free, or really cheap, take the screen top off and use that. I use to do that.



Hi Miller. Has the lack of a visual barrier ever caused a problem for you? It does for me. Mine relentlessly pace the wire walls because they can see out.


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## Millerlite (Dec 28, 2010)

Some tortoises i found they do try and get out, some dont, I actually built something exactly like yours but i put a chicken wire top on top, just so no dogs or birds decide to find a new toy. 

I Recommend your design over the rabbit cage top, Some people though cant get a hold of tools or just arnt handy found rabbit cages are good, and cover the bottom so they dont look out work, both worked for me when i had hatching.

Kyle


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## tortoises101 (Dec 29, 2010)

Tom, your designs are so innovative! I think you're taking sulcata care to the next level.


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## Laura (Dec 29, 2010)

dont you have Raven's out there? or Hawks?


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## Kristina (Dec 29, 2010)

I found my grazing enclosure at the side of the road, out for the trash, lol. It is a Disney Princess sandbox frame  The torts have never complained about the bright pink walls, so it works pretty darn good 











Sorry I don't have a better picture of the whole


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## Angi (Dec 29, 2010)

My babies sun in a rabbit cage, but I leave the bottom on and feed them stuff I know is okay.

Tom~Do you know what all those weeds are? There was one in your photo that looked familiar, but I don't feed because I don't know what it is. It is not the Mallow or the Filleree.


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## tortoises101 (Dec 29, 2010)

kyryah said:


> I found my grazing enclosure at the side of the road, out for the trash, lol. It is a Disney Princess sandbox frame  The torts have never complained about the bright pink walls, so it works pretty darn good
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's okay, Kristina. Your torts look pretty happy in it!


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## ChiKat (Dec 29, 2010)

Kristina what a find! Very lucky  
And I LOVE seeing pictures of your Russians!! Seriously, post them more often. I can't wait to have my own group of Russians some day  (Maybe a hatchling from you?? haha)


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## Tom (Dec 30, 2010)

Laura said:


> dont you have Raven's out there? or Hawks?



Sure, but they don't come on to the ranch due to all the activity, strange animals and smells, and other "deterrent" measures. Plus those ones are just a little too big for them to mess with. I keep all the smaller ones caged or covered just in case. Oh, AND I never leave them un-attended. I'm right there with them doing other work, while they sun.

Great find Kyryah. I find lots of good stuff that way too.

Angi, there is desert mallow, hawksbeard, filaree (Erodium circutarium), wild mustard, wild grass (don't know what kind, but it produces nasty little fox tails when it dries out), and one we call pineapple weed (Chamomella suaveolens).


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## Kristina (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks Katie  I hope to have babies in a few years, but my girls aren't quite big enough yet


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## Jacqui (Dec 30, 2010)

Tom said:


> Millerlite said:
> 
> 
> > craigslist look up rabbit cages, and most the time you can find them for free, or really cheap, take the screen top off and use that. I use to do that.
> ...



I am not Miller, but here I have about 95% of the enclosures with wire sides. I started using these has to be around 20 years ago, before there was talk of "visual barriers". My experience has been once a tortoise is in the enclosure and gets to check out the wire walls, it does no more pacing then the ones in the solid walled enclosure does. Solid walls here have been wood (even one enclosure almost identical to the ones you got the idea from ), to darker more natural wood (checking to see if color made a difference), cinderblocks and even the metal roofing sheets.


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