Brown Burmese having a hard time adjusting outside

[teresaf]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/case-file-on-darth.116347/page-3#post-1128395

Like this, not so nice to look at when you start out with already dead fronds, but the tortoises don't seem to mind.

How did you plant the fronds where they don't fall over? Now that I'm in Florida I can do that in my enclosure. What fronds are you using? Do they grow? Where'd you get them?

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I used a post hole digger and went down about two feet and jammed fronds into the hole. I put back as much dirt as I could so they were in place sorta firm. It only last about a year to a year and half, the tortoises are rough on it. There are many neighbors with palm trees here and so I just watch when they get pruned and ask for them. Depending on how the people who do the pruning cut the fronds off it can be easy. If the big flat part is still at the base of the frond, I think it works best to cut that off so it's more stick like at the base. I cut them into four to five foot sections. They do not grow at all.

Once the fronds decompose enough they 'stuff make the ground seemingly more pleasant for the tortoises to walk on.

I onlu use fronds that don't have the spikes. Here in southern California queen palms are popular and do not have spikes on the fronds.

This year I'm going to experiment and put many in a circle around a giant plastic pot and see if squash will grow over them.

Fragmites or giant canary reed grass can work, but the tortoises will knock those over much more easily.

I have three 60 pound tortoises in the enclosure, they tend to tear things up. Many posts and images of them in the thread 'live naked people'

 

[teresaf]

I used a post hole digger and went down about two feet and jammed fronds into the hole. I put back as much dirt as I could so they were in place sorta firm. It only last about a year to a year and half, the tortoises are rough on it. There are many neighbors with palm trees here and so I just watch when they get pruned and ask for them. Depending on how the people who do the pruning cut the fronds off it can be easy. If the big flat part is still at the base of the frond, I think it works best to cut that off so it's more stick like at the base. I cut them into four to five foot sections. They do not grow at all.

Once the fronds decompose enough they 'stuff make the ground seemingly more pleasant for the tortoises to walk on.

I onlu use fronds that don't have the spikes. Here in southern California queen palms are popular and do not have spikes on the fronds.

This year I'm going to experiment and put many in a circle around a giant plastic pot and see if squash will grow over them.

Fragmites or giant canary reed grass can work, but the tortoises will knock those over much more easily.

I have three 60 pound tortoises in the enclosure, they tend to tear things up. Many posts and images of them in the thread 'live naked people'

Thankyou. I'd be in trouble if I askedy husband to dig out the post hole digger.... : ( Considering I made him get rid of it when we were in Ohio. Seriously. We had it for years! Never used it.

 

[TortObsession]

I'm going to change the subject a little bit. Well I will say one thing first... when I put my black Burmese out (probably because they didn't have cover) they would only come out during the morning hours and in the evening hours. Sometimes one would come out sometimes both this is just a temporary enclosure that I have for them until they're much larger enclosure is done. Now here's where I'm changing the subject a little. Mine like to walk the edges of their fence line and burrow into the ground an inch or two if they end up there at night time. It was pretty scary when one afternoon I came out and there was only one in the enclosure. If your enclosure is going to be a permanent location I would definitely dig down a little and place a board. Luckily my temporary enclosure is located inside a fenced area which is inside another fenced area. But it was a bear finding the little booger

Mine is also inside of another fence, but I'll probably end up doing something like what you said.

 

[teresaf]

Mine is also inside of another fence, but I'll probably end up doing something like what you said.

Or dig a thin trench and pour mixed concrete in it.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Thankyou. I'd be in trouble if I askedy husband to dig out the post hole digger.... : ( Considering I made him get rid of it when we were in Ohio. Seriously. We had it for years! Never used it.

I could have used a shovel but had to use the post hole digger so my wife could see it's utlilty.

 

[TortObsession]

This is what I have so far. Excuse my gander. He thought he had to be part of the picture. I have several Christmas cacti too, but I'm letting them dry out for a day or two before repotting them because they were soaking wet when I got them. I also have a hibiscus, 3 hostas, and several more succulents, but they're all from Lowe's so I'm waiting a few months to add them. The last two days I've placed her food just on the inside of the doorway, and she's come up to eat it. It's slow, but it's improvement.

Oh, and any of the plants that don't look like tortoise safe plants are fake. All of the live ones are safe.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I see many trees in the background but can't tell what species they are. If you cut a few branches off and put the cut end through the chain link at about a foot off the ground you'll have alot more cover in minutes.

By "cover" I mean something near the ground that they can walk around underneath. All the stuff on the ground is great, they seem to like walking on plant stuff, but that's a subtle difference to being able to walk underneath, undetected, which is what the tortoises want.

Cool geese.

 

[TortObsession]

I see many trees in the background but can't tell what species they are. If you cut a few branches off and put the cut end through the chain link at about a foot off the ground you'll have alot more cover in minutes.

By "cover" I mean something near the ground that they can walk around underneath. All the stuff on the ground is great, they seem to like walking on plant stuff, but that's a subtle difference to being able to walk underneath, undetected, which is what the tortoises want.

Cool geese.

The tree hanging over her enclosure is a Sparkleberry tree. I haven't been able to find anything on it, but it's supposed to be related to blueberry, and it's safe for every other living thing, so my gut tells me it should be safe for her as well. I'll try that.

 

[TortObsession]

There are several pine trees too. I could use those branches. I'm not sure why I didn't think of that. Especially with all the talk of using palm trees. Please excuse my blonde moment.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

There are several pine trees too. I could use those branches. I'm not sure why I didn't think of that. Especially with all the talk of using palm trees. Please excuse my blonde moment.

I have those all the time, especially on days I forget to take my retard pill.