Can it be too big?

[sunshine_hugs]

I am going to be taking in a rescue adult redfoot (at least 10 years old), so I need to set up a space for him/her.

I have a large fenced in yard, and a section that can easily be portioned off to make a pen for the new tortoise, but it's pretty big. It's 50' wide at one end, 27' wide at the other end, and it's 90' long. It gets some sun, but is fairly shaded with 3 mango trees, an avocado tree, a wax apple tree, 3 orange trees and a palm.

I'm just wondering if this will be too much space for the new tort. She's been kept in a dog cage, and not fed on a regular basis (the owner admits to forgetting to feed her for up to 2 weeks at a time, so he just throws in large amounts of food so he doesn't have to feed her everyday).

I can provide several hide, and a shallow pool area (she also hasn't had regular water...I honestly don't know how she's survived this long).

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think its great when an adult tortoise gets a large or whole yard as its habitat. The more space the better, far as I'm concerned.

Just make sure you make the yard moist and humid for the tortoise.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Not to big at all. It sounds great!

 

[Saleama]

Wow! I am thinking that if you put a water feature in there I may come and live with your tort! She will love it! Put in a sprinkler system and watch the tortoise happy happy dance!

 

[sunshine_hugs]

Thanks guys...I was worried that suddenly having 3500sq/ft as opposed to a dog cage, might be shocking. I plan to still soak her everyday for a while, as I'm sure she's dehydrated. And I have a friend that's going to help me build her a shallow cement pool with a drain for easy cleaning.

It's rainy season here now, so it's really humid (well, it's always humid here, but it's more humid). I am actually working on a sprinkler / misting system for my small tortoise pen & garden, which is just above where I will be keeping the rescue tort (our yard is sloped, so it's done in tiers...hard to explain)....I'm sure I can make it work for both areas. I have a bit of time until rainy season is over. And I thought mango season was over, but one of my trees is blooming again! I won't complain.

 

[Jacqui]

I love the sounds of her new home! The only time I ever think an enclosure is too big, is when I am pressed for time, a cold front is moving in, and one of them becomes invisible and for the life of me I can't find it.

 

[mike taylor]

I would love to see pictures of your yard a tortoise.

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Sh3wulf]

Sounds fantastic for a tort that has had to endure a horrendous situation. It will be her Elysian Fields.
Hope you will post pics

 

[laney]

Do you have the dog cage she was in? Just thinking maybe you could take one side off and place it in the enclosure as a familiar hide. Don't know if it will do anything but might give her a bit of reassurance while she explores her new wonderland

 

[sunshine_hugs]

I will definitely post pictures. I actually tried to take some pictures of the potential area, today, so I could show you guys where I was thinking of putting it. The pictures turned out terrible. The area is a mess right now (just had the trees trimmed, and the branches are still on the ground).

As for the dog cage, it's a small wooden structure, and the guy wants to use it for a new dog (one of the reasons he wants to get rid of the tortoise...and don't even get me started on the fact he wants a new dog), so I won't be able to get my hands on it.

She actually won't be coming to my house for another 2 weeks, as I'm going away for a week...she'll temporarily be staying with a friend. I can't wait to get her home with me.

 

[AnnV]

POOR THING! Thank you for taking her and giving her Tort Heaven to live in!
Can't wait for pics!

Ann from CT

 

[Tom]

Sounds like a great enclosure size to me.

 

[thatrebecca]

Sounds ideal! It'll be fun to watch her explore her new space. When we first brought home our DTs, they had been living in a small terrarium and had never been outside. The first thing they did when we plopped them in the middle of our 5000-sq ft yard was look around like 'Holy cow! Where ARE we?' for a minute. Then they started walking the walls to find the limits of their new terrain. It's like, guys, this space is 1000 times bigger than where you came from, but you're already assessing your getaway options?

 

[kanalomele]

That does sound like a fabulous new home for this poor baby. But if you suspect she might be unhealthy at all from her former life then I would not just turn it loose in the yard. A kiddie pool for a week or two would help her get adjusted. She will have to be getting used to YOU as well as a new space. In the pool you can kep better track of her eating/pooping progress vs the big yard. It will also help you to have her readily available to establish a schedule of eating, soaking, etc. When you can each day let her roam around and explore. Show her where the water, feeding stone etc is. Then by the end of the week or two she will feel much more confident and secure when you release her for good. Torts that have been ill treated can be unhealthy in many ways. I say go slow. But yippee for the tort to be on the road to such a wonderful home!

 

[sunshine_hugs]

Thank you all for the encouraging words. I'm dying to get her home, and can't wait to watch her explore and blossom.

Sounds ideal! It'll be fun to watch her explore her new space. When we first brought home our DTs, they had been living in a small terrarium and had never been outside. The first thing they did when we plopped them in the middle of our 5000-sq ft yard was look around like 'Holy cow! Where ARE we?' for a minute. Then they started walking the walls to find the limits of their new terrain. It's like, guys, this space is 1000 times bigger than where you came from, but you're already assessing your getaway options?

This is too cute. Silly torts.

That does sound like a fabulous new home for this poor baby. But if you suspect she might be unhealthy at all from her former life then I would not just turn it loose in the yard. A kiddie pool for a week or two would help her get adjusted. She will have to be getting used to YOU as well as a new space. In the pool you can kep better track of her eating/pooping progress vs the big yard. It will also help you to have her readily available to establish a schedule of eating, soaking, etc. When you can each day let her roam around and explore. Show her where the water, feeding stone etc is. Then by the end of the week or two she will feel much more confident and secure when you release her for good. Torts that have been ill treated can be unhealthy in many ways. I say go slow. But yippee for the tort to be on the road to such a wonderful home!

I love your suggestion. We don't have kiddie pools here (seriously, they don't sell them on the island...I've looked), but I'm sure I can easily rig up something smaller for temporary. I'll just partition off a small portion of the enclosure. I know she'll need a lot of attention and observation when she arrives.

I'm sure I'll have many questions after her arrival. Right now, it's just a waiting game (well, and getting the yard prepared). 12 more days!