# Kiddie Pool- Outdoor Enclosure



## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

Before you tear it apart....

This is a SUPERVISED ONLY outdoor enclosure. My current home does not allow for an unsupervised situation so this should work for my situation but I understand that this is not by any means an acceptable enclosure for her to be out in all day everyday. I'm not sure if she will ever get such an enclosure as the summers here can get fairly hot and I'm wondering if she could handle that...that's for another post though..

Eloise's enclosure is NOT finished. Currently I have placed the hide built a hill around it and laid the testudo seed (lot's of white specs in the dirt-Testudo seed). I will be adding river rock and a water dish. Since this outdoor enclosure will be highly vegitated (I also have flowers sprouting) I will not be adding a feeding stone. Where you see the seeds laid heavy try to imagine a field of green flowing down the hill. I hope this placement will facilitate in keeping her hide cool.







The location will provide half shade half sun over the enclosure for a good part of the afternoon. Full sun in the morning. 






I wanted to show you a few shots from Eloise's view. Hope you enjoyed!!


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## SmileyKylie623 (Apr 3, 2013)

Love it! I may have to copy the hide/hill part!!!


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## wellington (Apr 3, 2013)

Actually, as long as it stays cool enough, it is a fine enclosure for outside summers. Many have don't similar. So, job well done.


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## mctlong (Apr 3, 2013)

Love the cave!!!! Great enclosoure. It'll be gorgeous when all those seeds grow.


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

I will need to get a thermometer point and clicker thingy can't remember what it's called but I know what it looks like a ma jig!! lol I have at least a month before it becomes worrisome. It's just barely hitting the 60's here in Utah and it has been known to snow here as late in the season as May (not common but it does happen) Until then I will just be waiting for seeds to grow.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 3, 2013)

Love it. Great for (sun) bathing beauty time! 

FYI: I read a post not too long ago where Yvonne shared that someone had added to the kiddie a pool a second kiddie pool as a lid of sorts with the bottom cut out, large circle on bottom, which became the top, inverted, and did the electrician ties on holes all around, to keep it on, in order to prevent any escaping by those nimble little feet.


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

SmileyKylie623 said:


> Love it! I may have to copy the hide/hill part!!!



I got the log border thing from Walmart ($5.28) and used a 6 inch pot for the hidey hole (WM $.97). On the other side of the pot I used for paver bricks (WM $1.18 each) stacked on each other in a step stagger and backfilled with the dirt as I stacked them. 

I must say I'm new to the tort world so I am flattered you want to try something I did  Thank you!!




BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> Love it. Great for (sun) bathing beauty time!
> 
> FYI: I read a post not too long ago where Yvonne shared that someone had added to the kiddie a pool a second kiddie pool as a lid of sorts with the bottom cut out, large circle on bottom, which became the top, inverted, and did the electrician ties on holes all around, to keep it on, in order to prevent any escaping by those nimble little feet.



Thanks! I read the same post in my searching for ideas but my problem is that I have dogs so I can not keep her outdoor home in my backyard. So that leads me to a whole other concern of the human persuasion...If I can get in so can a thief  Oh the world we live in that this even has to be a concern!




mctlong said:


> Love the cave!!!! Great enclosoure. It'll be gorgeous when all those seeds grow.



Thanks I hope so!! I can't wait for the flowers to be ready to go in! I will update as it grows in.


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## wellington (Apr 3, 2013)

I wonder if you did the pool thing as a top, but, where you cut the bottom out, put hardware fabric over it. Use zip ties or similar to hold the pool and hardware fabric to the bottom pool enclosure, but leaving a portion of it wired together instead of zip ties in that area so you can open the section to be able to get in the tort.


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

wellington said:


> I wonder if you did the pool thing as a top, but, where you cut the bottom out, put hardware fabric over it. Use zip ties or similar to hold the pool and hardware fabric to the bottom pool enclosure, but leaving a portion of it wired together instead of zip ties in that area so you can open the section to be able to get in the tort.



That would keep Eloise from getting out but not Humans from getting in. I have to keep her in the front yard..my fear is that my dogs will pee on her enclosure if I leave it in the backyard and they could and probably would chew through the plastic kiddie pool in no time so I have to worry that strangers will steal her instead so she will have to just be supervised.


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## SmileyKylie623 (Apr 3, 2013)

Eloise said:


> wellington said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if you did the pool thing as a top, but, where you cut the bottom out, put hardware fabric over it. Use zip ties or similar to hold the pool and hardware fabric to the bottom pool enclosure, but leaving a portion of it wired together instead of zip ties in that area so you can open the section to be able to get in the tort.
> ...



Is it possible to section off a part of your backyard and to put the pool into this sectioned off area to only keep the dogs from going near it, peeing on it, chewing it, etc??? That way you could worry less about thieves? 

And thanks for the tips so I can copy you! I hope my local WM has those log border thingys


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

SmileyKylie623 said:


> Eloise said:
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> > wellington said:
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I suppose that would be possible but I rent this home and do not plan on being here long enough for the cost to be worth it. I have 3 dogs and two of them are pitbuls who are very strong so I would need a very sturdy well built fence to keep them out...3-4ft wont cut it either they can jump fairly high. She doesn't mind her indoor enclosure and she will love getting outside time everyday I'm sure..I have a 5 year old who needs supervision outside too for bike riding and such so I will be out there any ways so I really do not mind the supervision factor at all. I just want to make sure she gets some fresh air and real sunshine.


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## SmileyKylie623 (Apr 3, 2013)

Eloise said:


> SmileyKylie623 said:
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> > Eloise said:
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Ahhh ok. Makes sense. I was going to recommend once of those portable x-pens that they sell for dogs like this: 



However, pitbulls would just walk right through it, knock it over,dig under it, etc haha.


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 3, 2013)

SmileyKylie623 said:


> Eloise said:
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> > SmileyKylie623 said:
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yeah they'd make quick work of that and ask for another!! lol My oldest is like 80 lbs. sweet as a kitten but he's big enough that nothing really gets in his way...my other boy is just hyper he'd knock it down by mistake and get scared and my female she's a :::whisper::mutt...she already shows more interest in Eloise than I'm comfortable with so seperation is my only comfort..lol I do think I'm starting to like torts more than dogs Eloise NEVER whines!!


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## Steve_McQueen (Apr 3, 2013)

I dig your idea, and may copy it for myself this summer.


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## kanalomele (Apr 4, 2013)

I use a very similar setup for rescues. Its temporary housing for them, because they have to stay away from the rest until they have been rehabilitated. The biggest difference is that I use the extra large rabbit cages that have a wire top. Love them for hatchlings as well because i dont have to worry about birds getting them. Great job, it looks like it will be just perfect for your tort.


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## contessa20 (Apr 4, 2013)

Oooh I love this. What a great idea!


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## lynnedit (Apr 5, 2013)

That is very creative, wonderful design. You are right to be careful, even an hour outside will be fine. Russian tortoises will sit in the shade during the hot time of the day, if they have a place to go (and yours does), they are fine even in very hot weather. They then tend to roam and feed in the morning and early evening.

If you still worry about the heat, you can put a piece of wood over one side to add extra shade, or even stick a small umbrella in the ground next to the set up.

Can't wait to see pics of her outside in it!


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 5, 2013)

Lynn I can;t wait to see her outside in it!! I just need to let those seeds start to grow and then she can explore it a bit...I'm very excited for her!! I will post pics to update as the seeds start to grow in I'm hoping it will be a little garden for her!

Contessa20 thank you!! I can't not take credit Tom posted a very informative thread about turning a kiddie pool into an enclosure and severeal forum members chimed in on that thread with some great ideas.


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## Eloise's mommy (Apr 5, 2013)

Small Update!! I added her water dish and river rocks today. Kinda sad I have nothing left to do until the flowers are ready to plant in there  Here's what it looks like now..and we got a goo rain today. no standing water!!! yay!! 






ANd she found the seed I planted in her inside home and got to munching yesterday!! 







And just for fun here's what I envision it will look like.


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## alysciaingram (May 1, 2013)

Haha I love your Microsoft paint flowers! 
Also, weird fun fact, dogs peeing on the enclosure sides (not on the tort or her substrate) is actually good for warding off other predators I believe. I could be mistaken, but other animals won't bother coming near if they smell dogs in the area. I haven't seen a raccoon, squirrel, opossum, ect once since I've lived in my new home, but before my mother in law saw them consistently.


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## lynnedit (May 1, 2013)

How is it looking now?


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## Eloise's mommy (May 2, 2013)

We had a cold snap right after I got it setup and so it's slow growing but I will snap a few shots tonight and post an update. There is green just very little yet.


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## Eloise's mommy (May 2, 2013)

here it is today....I have some green not much and I think I'll put the flowers in this weekend but they aren't really flowers yet just little sprouts. 

















and does anyone know if this is a safe plant to eat or not???


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