Backyard concerns and suggestions

[BILL IV]

Hello all! I am preparing for the arrival of a desert tortoise named Morty! I’m clearing out weeds that the rains brought on like an instant forest! I recently moved from an apartment into this house and realized I don’t have yard tools. So the weeds won this round! Besides cleaning up one of my main concerns was the deck. It’s only 5.5 inches high. Is this a hazard? Morty is a decent sized tort see pictures. I’d just rather be safe then sorry. I was thinking I could line the deck edge with cinder blocks to discourage any adventurous ideas he may have. Ideally I would like to give him full run of the backyard. I know I have to put visual barriers on the gates and I need to put a couple more rows of blocks on the mulberry tree area. So any suggestions or concerns would be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

Besides wonderful shade, mulberry leaves are GREAT desert tortoise food. Desert tortoises are good grass eaters. Plant a section of Bermuda grass and keep it watered. Between the mulberry leaves and the bermuda grass. . . and whatever weeds he can find in the yard, he's going to love living there.

 

[BILL IV]

Besides wonderful shade, mulberry leaves are GREAT desert tortoise food. Desert tortoises are good grass eaters. Plant a section of Bermuda grass and keep it watered. Between the mulberry leaves and the bermuda grass. . . and whatever weeds he can find in the yard, he's going to love living there.

Yeah when I was doing research I was so happy to read about their love of mulberry leaves! I do want to plant a lot of vegetation he'll eat or enjoy. What do you think about the height of the deck?

 

[dmmj]

Is he going to be on the deck? Don't worry about the weeds, he will take care of them.

 

[BILL IV]

Is he going to be on the deck? Don't worry about the weeds, he will take care of them.

No. I just want to let him roam around and was concerned that the deck is maybe to high if he did decide to go onto it. Do you think it poses a problem if he did go on there and checked it out? Thanks

 

[dmmj]

They're very curious and have no real concept of ledges. I would put a brick. wall up

 

[MPappagallo]

View attachment 275877 Hello all! I am preparing for the arrival of a desert tortoise named Morty! I’m clearing out weeds that the rains brought on like an instant forest! I recently moved from an apartment into this house and realized I don’t have yard tools. So the weeds won this round! Besides cleaning up one of my main concerns was the deck. It’s only 5.5 inches high. Is this a hazard? Morty is a decent sized tort see pictures. I’d just rather be safe then sorry. I was thinking I could line the deck edge with cinder blocks to discourage any adventurous ideas he may have. Ideally I would like to give him full run of the backyard. I know I have to put visual barriers on the gates and I need to put a couple more rows of blocks on the mulberry tree area. So any suggestions or concerns would be much appreciated! Thanks!

View attachment 275878 View attachment 275879 View attachment 275880

Looks like Morty is going to have a great yard!