Backyard Tort Haven Suggestions, Please!

[Throckmortok]

1) Do you know any good suggestions for what I should line the ground with? I was thinking a rock/soil or substrate mix.
2) If I do plant some flowers for him to snack on in here, which ones do you suggest? We live in a rather shady area, so it would have to withstand that.
3) What wiring should I use to enclose it? I have a Russian tortoise so he’s rather small, if that matters. We live in an area with a lot of predators so, while I still wouldn’t leave him unattended, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
4) What decorations do you recommend?
5) What do you reccomend to line the ground underneath the substrate? We were thinking chicken wiring mixed with some sort of garden lining. We don’t want him escaping underneath the deck.
6) How do you reccomend we cover the top? We were thinking of building a door over the top of it so he can’t climb out or see over it, but we were also thinking of it being wire so he can still get sunlight with a wood frame.
7) Do you see anything in this picture that concerns you, is there any reason why I shouldn’t build it here?

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm glad you're thinking about an outdoor habitat for your new Russian tortoise. They really get along much better outside.

Please don't think I'm picking on you or being rude, but I'm going to tell you a bit about the Russian tortoise:

Yes, a Russian is a small species, but that doesn't mean he can be kept in a small area. Because of the short spring/summer season where they come from, and the scarce food supply, they're hard wired to wander great distances trying to get enough nourishment to see them through brumation (hibernation). Even though you're now providing them with plenty of food it's in their genes to wander. So your new little guy needs a much bigger space - 4' x 8' would be good.

Next, Russian tortoises are GREAT climbers and wonderful escape artists. Try to picture the tortoise standing on his back legs and stretching his full length, reaching with his front legs. If he can get his tippy toes over the edge of the wall, he CAN AND WILL pull himself up and over. Bye, bye tortoise!! So the walls have to be tall enough so he can't reach the top.

I've been keeping tortoises for many, many years, and I've never had one dig down then up. They dig down to escape the heat and find shelter.

BUT!!! If your tortoise can see daylight under the fence all bets are off. If he can see daylight under the fence he's gonna' enlarge that space and escape. I built my tortoise fences on top of masonry caps. That's a rectangular stepping stone. The bottom board sits flush on the cement.

 

[wellington]

Totally agree with Yvonne.
My russians enclosure has a puppy play pen wire surround laid flat on the ground. I just let the weeds and grass grow thru it.
The sides are black metal decorative fencing with hardware cloth on it so he couldn't try to squeeze thru the bars. I have no top on it. There is enough weeds/grasses that he can hide pretty good. Plus he has two hides. Anything that would want to try and get him would be at night and he is tucked away at night and let out in the morning