Chicken coop enclosure

[CarrieNTheSwim]

I live in North Carolina and I have a Russian tortoise that is 16 years old. He has been inside year-round for the whole 10 years we have had him. I am house-hunting right now and some of the houses I have looked at have chicken coops. Has anyone ever converted a coop for a Russian, or is he just too small to be kept outside? I would like him to have access to the year, but we have hawks around here and so I will have to have an enclosure for him that is very well protected. I am just trying to decide if it would be better to start from scratch for him or if I could convert it for him. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

I live in North Carolina and I have a Russian tortoise that is 16 years old. He has been inside year-round for the whole 10 years we have had him. I am house-hunting right now and some of the houses I have looked at have chicken coops. Has anyone ever converted a coop for a Russian, or is he just too small to be kept outside? I would like him to have access to the year, but we have hawks around here and so I will have to have an enclosure for him that is very well protected. I am just trying to decide if it would be better to start from scratch for him or if I could convert it for him. Thanks!

I use Tractor supply chicken coops to house tortoises. It works great. Just put a 12 inch visual barrier all around the bottom.

There is no one anywhere in the world that doesn't have hawks and other raptors where they live. You should not have any problem with hawks and an adult Russian. I have a par of red tails that nest in pine trees that over look my tortoise pens every year. They have hungry babies to feed, and they've never even looked at my tortoises. The bigger threat is dogs. Raccoons and rats are a nocturnal threat, but the tortoise should be locked inside a heated shelter at night for safety and protection. The chicken coop will offer the protection they need.

This is a daytime enclosure for a young star tortoise in fair weather. Nights and less than fair weather are spent indoors in a large closed chamber. It is under a mulberry tree that offers heavy shade in summer.

 

[wellington]

I agree with Tom. Also tortoises should always get outside time. Mine live outside all summer and inside a heated shed in winter.

 

[CarrieNTheSwim]

He will be living on the sunporch when we move, and I will build an indoor enclosure for him there and an outdoor enclosure in the yard. But I don't want him to have to be inside year round anymore. He has always gone outside with us in the past, but it's been years of my ex-husband and I talking about building him an outdoor enclosure. At this house I plan to finally put something together for him since I will be the one doing all the work!