Just planning ahead here for my bigger outdoor enclosure.
What are peoples opinions on needing an enclosure top for an outdoor enclosure? This would be for when Thor is 3-4 years old (Leopard tort), so a 5-6 inch tortoise. For now he's in his 6x4ft pen that does have a top. He's only 15 months old now.
Here's the scenario. I live in Michigan, and the only predators in the day are the occasional hawk. I have only seen 2 since I've moved here in 2006, one of which ate a morning dove in my backyard. The other was just gliding really high the sky overhead about 10 houses down.
The walls are going to be about 20-24 inches high, so bunnies and other veggy eaters shouldn't be able to get in.
Does a hawk really want to eat a 5-6 inch leopard?
Night time Thor would be brought inside, so I don't have to worry about the raccoons, opossums and whatever else is at night.
The upside to building it so nothing can get in/out is the plants, Thor would be completely safe. The downside is, if I ever wanted to expand, it would be a lot tougher to do so. Also, a lot more materials, and I would have to meet city guidelines (I have those neighbors that would call the city if they saw anything wrong).
I plan to build it so I *can* build the walls up as needed and a lid though. But if I do that, like I said it will be a lot tougher to add on.
What are peoples opinions on needing an enclosure top for an outdoor enclosure? This would be for when Thor is 3-4 years old (Leopard tort), so a 5-6 inch tortoise. For now he's in his 6x4ft pen that does have a top. He's only 15 months old now.
Here's the scenario. I live in Michigan, and the only predators in the day are the occasional hawk. I have only seen 2 since I've moved here in 2006, one of which ate a morning dove in my backyard. The other was just gliding really high the sky overhead about 10 houses down.
The walls are going to be about 20-24 inches high, so bunnies and other veggy eaters shouldn't be able to get in.
Does a hawk really want to eat a 5-6 inch leopard?
Night time Thor would be brought inside, so I don't have to worry about the raccoons, opossums and whatever else is at night.
The upside to building it so nothing can get in/out is the plants, Thor would be completely safe. The downside is, if I ever wanted to expand, it would be a lot tougher to do so. Also, a lot more materials, and I would have to meet city guidelines (I have those neighbors that would call the city if they saw anything wrong).
I plan to build it so I *can* build the walls up as needed and a lid though. But if I do that, like I said it will be a lot tougher to add on.