Hello All!
I decided to start this thread, as a central location on the forum, to where I can post status, updates, questions, and other general stuff about my adopted tortoise, Alexander the Greek.
As I mentioned in the Intro section, Alex is my niece's tortoise. She is of Greek ancestry, which influenced her choice of what breed of tortoise to acquire. Unfortunately, she is also young (21, going on 16), and as many of you who have raised young ones can attest to, their stated "I'll take care of him! You won't have to do anything at all!" is a promise that qualifies them as being able to run for public office.
Now, she's at the point of trying to leave the nest and move out on her own. This also means that she can't take her pets with her. Thus, the care of such falls on us older folk ( As if you thought that would never happen.
Alex is a greek tortoise, sub-species unknown, and except for a few supervised jaunts outside over the last year, has been housed in a plastic 4' kiddy wading pool in her room.
I am now building an outdoor habitat for him.
My intentions are to build an outdoor enclosure for him.
Subject: Greek Tortoise- "Alex"- size 6"x5" shell.
Environment: Large open back yard, with perimeter fence.
Intended Enclosure: 8'x10', side construction of 2x10 PT lumber, surrounded by attached, escape-proof, wire fence to a height around 1-2 ft. Weed-Block cloth bottom for drainage.
Substrate: Approx. 50/50 topsoil-cypress mulch blend, 6" min depth.
Amenities: 2-3 flower-pot type hidey-holes, with substrate piled up over top of them for thermal insulation. Large-shallow water dish with basking stone 'island'. Various other basking stones distributed.
Neighbors: 2 rabbits & 2 guinea pigs
Lighting: Morning & afternoon sunlight. 6 foot fence at rear of enclosure provides increasing amounts of shade from late-afternoon onward. Other shade-producing objects/plants intended.
Landscaping: TBD. Shade plants, munchies, and other things. The 6" substrate allows 6" potted plants to be "plugged" into the enclosure as and where needed.
This will be an ongoing project. The first goal is to get Alex out of the house and into a safe, natural & healthier environment. Modifications and improvements will follow.
Comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Larry
I decided to start this thread, as a central location on the forum, to where I can post status, updates, questions, and other general stuff about my adopted tortoise, Alexander the Greek.
As I mentioned in the Intro section, Alex is my niece's tortoise. She is of Greek ancestry, which influenced her choice of what breed of tortoise to acquire. Unfortunately, she is also young (21, going on 16), and as many of you who have raised young ones can attest to, their stated "I'll take care of him! You won't have to do anything at all!" is a promise that qualifies them as being able to run for public office.
Now, she's at the point of trying to leave the nest and move out on her own. This also means that she can't take her pets with her. Thus, the care of such falls on us older folk ( As if you thought that would never happen.
Alex is a greek tortoise, sub-species unknown, and except for a few supervised jaunts outside over the last year, has been housed in a plastic 4' kiddy wading pool in her room.
I am now building an outdoor habitat for him.
My intentions are to build an outdoor enclosure for him.
Subject: Greek Tortoise- "Alex"- size 6"x5" shell.
Environment: Large open back yard, with perimeter fence.
Intended Enclosure: 8'x10', side construction of 2x10 PT lumber, surrounded by attached, escape-proof, wire fence to a height around 1-2 ft. Weed-Block cloth bottom for drainage.
Substrate: Approx. 50/50 topsoil-cypress mulch blend, 6" min depth.
Amenities: 2-3 flower-pot type hidey-holes, with substrate piled up over top of them for thermal insulation. Large-shallow water dish with basking stone 'island'. Various other basking stones distributed.
Neighbors: 2 rabbits & 2 guinea pigs
Lighting: Morning & afternoon sunlight. 6 foot fence at rear of enclosure provides increasing amounts of shade from late-afternoon onward. Other shade-producing objects/plants intended.
Landscaping: TBD. Shade plants, munchies, and other things. The 6" substrate allows 6" potted plants to be "plugged" into the enclosure as and where needed.
This will be an ongoing project. The first goal is to get Alex out of the house and into a safe, natural & healthier environment. Modifications and improvements will follow.
Comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Larry