Moving Russian Outdoors For Summer

[brenrn]

Hi all...our Russian has done well indoors through the winter but I'd like to move him outside for the summer. We have a raised garden bed that I was going to use but I'm worried about predators getting in from the top. I found a rabbit run that was relatively inexpensive and figured this would work well if I add a hide to it. http://www.petco.com/product/119367/Adva...SiteSearch

Is this a good option if we add something around the edges and under it so he can't dig out?

Seems like a silly question but do I need additional lighting outdoors? I'm thinking he won't have a nice hot basking spot outdoors like he does inside. I have seed from Carolina Pet Supply that I grew indoors and supplemented his diet with through the winter so I am going to plant that in whatever enclosure we end up using.

Any other outdoor advice anyone would like to share?

 

[wellington]

The rabbit cage didn't show up. Can you just run some chicken wire over the raised bed? Also, they don't need added lighting outside. Just be sure where you put him gets some good sunshine and also has shade.

 

[brenrn]

The rabbit cage didn't show up. Can you just run some chicken wire over the raised bed? Also, they don't need added lighting outside. Just be sure where you put him gets some good sunshine and also has shade.

I could do some chicken wire on the top but I'm thinking that would become kind of a pain pulling it on and off to get at the enclosure to tend to it. Here's another link to a rabbit run.

http://www.petco.com/product/116823/Trixie-Natura-Flat-Roof-Outdoor-Rabbit-Run.aspx

 

[Saleama]

Do you see a lot of animals in your yard? I have four Russians in one garden and 13 box turtles in another, all adults, and have never had an issue. I have, on occasion, seen stray cats in and near the garden but none have botherd the tortoises.

 

[brenrn]

Do you see a lot of animals in your yard? I have four Russians in one garden and 13 box turtles in another, all adults, and have never had an issue. I have, on occasion, seen stray cats in and near the garden but none have botherd the tortoises.

No, our yard in completely fenced in. We do have 2 golden retrievers though so I want to make sure they can't get at him. Plus, I see owls and hawks on a regular basis.

 

[Tom]

Its very simple to make a rectangular wooded frame and screw some welded wire to it. Check this out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-30683.html

You could make the same sort of lid and put it on a raised planter box. Look at the second picture here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-50806.html

The main thing in an enclosure like these is to make sure they don't over heat. I like to make them a little underground cave to hide out in when it gets hot like here:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html
Scroll down a bit and you can see the crude early version before the weeds and water bowl went in.

 

[lynnedit]

What Tom, Barb and Angela said.

Depending on the size, I vote for the Raised bed too. The rabbit run is fine, but Russians are good burrowers, so you will have to make modifications to the bottom (create a base, back fill with soil, etc.).
So it might just be easier to make a simple lid for the raised bed! That would be very secure.
How big is your raised bed?

Cover one end with a piece of wood for shade.

Kudos to you for getting your tortoise outside!

 

[brenrn]

What Tom, Barb and Angela said.

Depending on the size, I vote for the Raised bed too. The rabbit run is fine, but Russians are good burrowers, so you will have to make modifications to the bottom (create a base, back fill with soil, etc.).
So it might just be easier to make a simple lid for the raised bed! That would be very secure.
How big is your raised bed?

Cover one end with a piece of wood for shade.

Kudos to you for getting your tortoise outside!

We put two together so it is 4 x 8'. I'm going to make a good sized hide to put in there. One more question. I noticed where it is currently it doesn't really get good morning sun. Sun hits it a little after 10 and then it has sun all afternoon. Is that ok? Just thinking about him warming up in the morning as we live in MA and some evenings it can get pretty cool even in the summer.

 

[lynnedit]

They do like to warm up in the morning. However, if that is where the raised bed it, so be it. Overall, it gets enough hours of sun.
The tortoise will adjust.
You can cover a couple of feet of the raised bed with plexiglass for a dry area, and it will warm up a bit more quickly.
(Then in the summer, cover the same area with a board for shade).
I do have one Russian who 'gets up' late, and doesn't saunter outside until about 12noon to 1pm.