He did some exploring!

Michael Malone

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Every time we go out side he heads straight for the woods lol. Normally I'm right there ready to grab him. This time I set back for a few just to see what he would do. He patrolled the high grass until he can to a little opening and then he made his break lol.

So when I lost visual I proceed to follow. They are like tanks u can tell exactly where they have been when there is tall grass it's mowed over I can only imagine when he's 100 or so pounds and I let him go out in some tall grass. It's gonna look like crop circles lol

IMG_0811.jpgIMG_0815.jpgIMG_0816.jpgIMG_0818.jpgIMG_0820.jpgIMG_0822.jpgIMG_0825.jpg a lady bug landed on his shell thought it was gonna make for a cool picture but she took off you can see her flying away off to the right lol
IMG_0827.jpgIMG_0826.jpg
 

Michael Malone

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So you don't have a very sad day, you really should build him and enclosure to roam around in. They can hide and blend in so quick. It's an instant heart attack for you when it happens. It can only take seconds for them to be gone.

Yes I've had that scare not long ago I had to run into my house and I had my oldest daughter keep an eye on him and kids being kids she had her iPod and looked away for maybe 15 second I came back out I was gone maybe 3 minutes and I said where is he and she said he's right there .

And I looked and he was gone. So I ran amuck for like 2 minutes and went back to where my daughter said he was and sure enough he was in a little path of tall grass right up next to house. It was so scary my stomach sank. Unfortunately I am in my rent house at the moment and didn't want to build a big out door enclosure.

I was thing about buying some 10' 2x12's and maid a box. Do you know of any basic setups like that?
 

Big Charlie

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Yes I've had that scare not long ago I had to run into my house and I had my oldest daughter keep an eye on him and kids being kids she had her iPod and looked away for maybe 15 second I came back out I was gone maybe 3 minutes and I said where is he and she said he's right there .

And I looked and he was gone. So I ran amuck for like 2 minutes and went back to where my daughter said he was and sure enough he was in a little path of tall grass right up next to house. It was so scary my stomach sank. Unfortunately I am in my rent house at the moment and didn't want to build a big out door enclosure.

I was thing about buying some 10' 2x12's and maid a box. Do you know of any basic setups like that?
There are some posted on the forum, maybe in the enclosure section. @Yvonne G has some. There was someone awhile ago that had something on a rental property.
 

TriciaStringer

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https://www.homedepot.com/p/Greenes...ail-Cedar-Raised-Garden-Bed-RC6T21B/203477958
What about something like this for now. He would need something much larger when you are no longer renting. It would just give him a spot to graze and not get out of sight. You can move it around the yard and bring it with you when you leave. You should still stay near though because of predators. I'm not exactly sure on his size. This may be too small for even this purpose.
 

TriciaStringer

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I also made this for some outside time for our little one. I use tent spikes to hold it down. It costs about $15 to make. We are building her large outdoor pen right now. She has started grazing a bit in it. She was mainly fed Romaine before we got her a week ago. She is about 1.5 years old. Make sure you have a water dish in it.
 

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wellington

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IMG_3213.PNG Even dog exercise pens will work. Just have to make sure he can't fit through the wire spacing. You can also buy fence stakes to help hold it down.
There are also these in the pic. There's smaller ones too that are cheaper. Or take 4 2x4's by 6, 8, or 10 plus feet screw them together and scalps some chicken wire over the top if you have birds to worry about and just lift one end up to put him in it.
 
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TriciaStringer

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View attachment 238152 Even dog exercise pens will work. Just have to make sure he can't fit through the wire spacing. You can also buy fence stakes to help hold it down.
There are also these in the pic. There's smaller ones too that are cheaper. Or take 4 2x4's by 6, 8, or 10 plus feet screw them together and scalps some chicken wire over the top if you have birds to worry about and just lift one end up to put him in it.
That is very similar to the one I posted. They look very pretty.
 

wellington

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That is very similar to the one I posted. They look very pretty.
Yeah, sorry. I was going to post a different one but it's only a 4x4 and probably too small or will out grow quickly. So I grabbed a pic of this one. I actually use the 4x4 for my hatchlings when they are ready to move into a bigger enclosure. Mine come with the greenhouse plastic top. With some adjusting and an added tarp floor they make a good humid hide.
 

TriciaStringer

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Yeah, sorry. I was going to post a different one but it's only a 4x4 and probably too small or will out grow quickly. So I grabbed a pic of this one. I actually use the 4x4 for my hatchlings when they are ready to move into a bigger enclosure. Mine come with the greenhouse plastic top. With some adjusting and an added tarp floor they make a good humid hide.
We are hoping to move in the next couple of years to some land so my tortoises have more room. I'd love to expand our tort family. I may use these boxes for Russians, may do two put together to make a really large one. We would probably build it ourselves though to save money, not as pretty though.
 

Via Infinito

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Sulcatas for being so patterned with their shells can strangely camouflage really well.
I had him out in the park once in a completely flat grass area and I literally took my eyes away for like 30 seconds to talk to someone then he was gone.
I panicked and tried to find him for a good 5 minutes and he was just glaringly there right next to where I was standing!

Can't imagine if what's it like if they have bushes to hide in!
 

TriciaStringer

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Yeah, sorry. I was going to post a different one but it's only a 4x4 and probably too small or will out grow quickly. So I grabbed a pic of this one. I actually use the 4x4 for my hatchlings when they are ready to move into a bigger enclosure. Mine come with the greenhouse plastic top. With some adjusting and an added tarp floor they make a good humid hide.
Just noticed you said sorry. No need to apologize. Great minds think alike.
 

GHOST TEQUILA

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View attachment 238152 Even dog exercise pens will work. Just have to make sure he can't fit through the wire spacing. You can also buy fence stakes to help hold it down.
There are also these in the pic. There's smaller ones too that are cheaper. Or take 4 2x4's by 6, 8, or 10 plus feet screw them together and scalps some chicken wire over the top if you have birds to worry about and just lift one end up to put him in it.

Now that's really, really clever. Have to remember this.
 

Kristy1970

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I also made this for some outside time for our little one. I use tent spikes to hold it down. It costs about $15 to make. We are building her large outdoor pen right now. She has started grazing a bit in it. She was mainly fed Romaine before we got her a week ago. She is about 1.5 years old. Make sure you have a water dish in it.

OMG!!! I’m totally steeling the upside down pool cut out bottom move around idea! Never saw this before! Thanks for not sharing sooner “friend” LOL [emoji23]
 

TriciaStringer

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OMG!!! I’m totally steeling the upside down pool cut out bottom move around idea! Never saw this before! Thanks for not sharing sooner “friend” LOL [emoji23]
Ha! I did do a separate post about it right after I made it. The post is somewhere.
 

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