Meet Daisy Mae! Also- pls help/need advice! :)

[Geeg]

Hey y'all! My name is Gigi and I have a Russian Tort that I've had for a little over 4 yrs. She is awesome and her name is Daisy Mae! The attached photo is one of her taken just the other day while eating a Hibiscus flower for the first time.... Might I add that the pic was taken approx. 30 seconds after she completely chowed down on my finger ((on accident)) as she bit through the flower... Ouch! Ya.. it didn't feel good but it was hilarious all at the same time!!!

So, I wanted to ask if anyone has any recommendations on what type of lumber would be the best to build her a new outdoor wood enclosure?? I live in FL and aside from when we get our "cold" days a few times a year, she lives outside in her "Tortoise Box" which I find she has outgrown a bit.. I wanted to start building her a new, much larger, wooden box but wasn't sure if there was any type of lumber I should stay away from as well as what the appropriate size her new home should be, etc.

Thanks in advance for any info. and/or tips!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Outdoors I would build it on the ground. This will allow you to make a little underground cave for her to escape the summer heat.

Plywood and 2x4s that have been primed and painted should last a while. You can use pressure treated lumber in areas where the tortoise doesn't have access. I recommend 4x8' as a minimum indoor size and larger for outdoors.

 

[Geeg]

Hi Tom! Thnx so much I actually do not want to build it on the ground only because Daisy, being that shes an excellent and sneaky digger, has escaped in the past and I don't want to take any chances of this happening again as I was lucky to find her after a neighborhood manhunt... :-0
With this being said, do you think I should still use plywood for the bottom and sides??

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Gigi, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Daisy Mae.

 

[Geeg]

Thank you so much!!

 

[Geeg]

Could I do a 3x6 rather?? Do you guys think this would be detrimental? She is currently in a Zoo Med Tortoise Box which is 3x2 so it will definitely be an upgrade... Please help

 

[Carol S]

To keep her from escaping from an enclosure that is built on the ground bury cement pavers or wire around 18 inches under the ground all along the inside of the perimeter of the enclosure. As Tom stated above, she needs to have an underground cave to escape the heat. I have Russian tortoises and this is how I have kept my tortoises from escaping. Also the enclosure must be tall with capped corners, or preferably with a top, to keep them from climbing escaping. Also having a wire top will keep predators out.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome, Gigi!

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Gigi !

 

[Geeg]

Thank you much!!!!

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome Gigi to you and Daisy Mae
You will find great up to date information here from very experienced members worldwide. There is a caresheet under species specific, the Beginners Mistakes thread (link below) is invaluable in helping avoid problems encountered by others and the Enclosures thread has lots of good ideas you could copy/adapt to suit your circumstances. As for enclosure size, 4 x 8 is usually quoted as the minimum size but the bigger the better as torts are wandering creatures and like to be able to roam about, some do two levels if they don't have room on one.