Just built a house outside for my two african torts.

[spiderreyy]

They have been living in a spare bedroom, and my girlfriend was complaing about that set up. Since its been gettin pretty warm I thought I would move them out. They were also getting to big for thier in house enclosure. Its 4 foot x 4 foot x 1 foot tall. And it cost about 15 bucks to build.

My adult desrt tort came out to me as I checked on the small ones in the inclosure, He has been getting pretty friendly these past few days, as he has never approached me before. I just got him before he went into hibernation last year.

 

[Jacob]

Looks Great!
Your Gunna Have To Build A Bigger one Before You Know It!

 

[spiderreyy]

No, I most likely wont. Plan on giving them the run of the yard as they get bigger. Its pretty big. Goes about another 15 feet behind the shed and is wider then what the pic shows.

 

[Jacob]

Okay, That's Even Better!
Be Careful Tho, They Will Found Ways To Get out Of Anywhere

 

[spiderreyy]

Jacob, I have a new block wakk on two sides. Chain link on one side with pieces of rebar in the ground every 5 or 6 inches, and the house on the last side with a driveway running under the gate. Thier gonna have to work real hard to get out of here. Besides, its so big they should be content.

 

[dmarcus]

Thats cool they will eventually get the run of your back yard, and sounds like you are prepared....

 

[Yvonne G]

Since your baby sulcatas are captive bred, it probably won't be a problem putting them in the yard with the desert tortoise, but I just want you to be aware that mixing the two species might (MIGHT) make one or the other specie sick and even dead.

And when the sulcatas get bigger than the desert tortoise, they for sure WILL be mean to him, especially if they are also male.

 

[spiderreyy]

Yes Ive read about this a few times. Actually up untill today the sulcatas were with the hatchling. All are well, its been a few months at the very least. I understand that there might be a problem with the sulcatas and the ca desert tortoise in the future. Im ready for that.
My son just picked up a 15 year ol ca desert tort. I tried to hold it for him for a week. After about 3 days the two male torts found each other in the yard and started fighting. My son had to come get his tort that day. It was much smaller them mine, but it was the coolest tort that I have ever seen. It would come right up to me every time I went out into the yard and follow me around like a dog. I would come home from work and go out back and lay in the grass. It would crawl right up my arm or leg. As soon as I would move it would come right back over to me. I was offered another 15 year ol ca tort last sunday, but it was a male and that wouldnt work. It also follows the owener around and I was told it would come to you when you called its name.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Nice pen!

 

[TortieLuver]

Nice outdoor pen!

 

[ticothetort2]

Nice pen and a beautiful desert tort!!

 

[Yvonne G]

After you've had your old boy a while, and he realizes that you are the food god, he will come to you like those others do. They are one of the most personable of tortoises, and one of my favorites.

 

[marinaresident]

Yes Ive read about this a few times. Actually up untill today the sulcatas were with the hatchling. All are well, its been a few months at the very least. I understand that there might be a problem with the sulcatas and the ca desert tortoise in the future. Im ready for that.
My son just picked up a 15 year ol ca desert tort. I tried to hold it for him for a week. After about 3 days the two male torts found each other in the yard and started fighting. My son had to come get his tort that day. It was much smaller them mine, but it was the coolest tort that I have ever seen. It would come right up to me every time I went out into the yard and follow me around like a dog. I would come home from work and go out back and lay in the grass. It would crawl right up my arm or leg. As soon as I would move it would come right back over to me. I was offered another 15 year ol ca tort last sunday, but it was a male and that wouldnt work. It also follows the owener around and I was told it would come to you when you called its name.

That's is cool! I can't wait for that day to come when my two torts will be following me around. They're 17 weeks right now so they pretty much hide from me in their humid hide box. I like your torts' outside enclosure with wire lid.

Thanks,
Marcel

 

[DeanS]

Yeah...I like the idea of giving sulcatas the run of the yard! My four youngsters are sharing space with my 8 year old 50 pounder...with no difficulties at all! Of course, I know this can change but I haven't had to separate anyone yet...although in light of recent events...this may change! More to follow!

 

[spiderreyy]

Now Im trying to figure out the best way to heat a corner of this set up for the torts on those cool evenings.

 

[spiderreyy]

Now I just built a shelter for the enclosure. The two torts quickly found the new opening in thier pen and struck out across the yard while I was building the shelter. I felt bad locking them back up.

Here is the build.. Just hadf to spend 3 bucks on screws, all material was otherwise just found around the garage.

 

[coreyc]

Great idea look's good

 

[spiderreyy]

Thank you. They are building a school next door . I asked for a few pieces of scrap pipe for the torts. They gave me two scraps and a piece about twelve feet long. Two of us had a tuff time carring the full piece. The shelter was made from one of the scraps. I originally took the pipe to make a tort tunnel.

 

[spiderreyy]

I was in the process of building a new 8x8 enclosure for the torts when I came across some material at work that we were tossing in the dumpster. So now Im bilding a 10,4 inch 10',4 inch enclosure instead. Its a design as you build thing. I made the 4 walls then added two cross supports. Then I realized that they needed a house that I could heat as its starting to cool off a bit over here. This is what Ive accomplished today.

 

[Laura]

very nice... be sure to post more pics... lots of people learn from these things!