My 1st outdoor enclosure

[kakashi_12]

Just built my very first hand made outdoor enclosure. Took me about a week and a half.
I have 4 doors so that I can remove her from any spot, a divider in the middle to give her room to move around, a dark spot (where the food and water sit), & wheels on the bottom to move around in the yard. Going to use this all summer long if I can, since we have long winters here.
I assume it's okay to leave her out all day long until night fall???
Our temps are around 70-80 F. On hot days, maybe 90-100.

 

[SinLA]

how cold at night?

how big is it? It looks kind of small, but its hard to tell...

 

[jaizei]

Just built my very first hand made outdoor enclosure. Took me about a week and a half.
I have 4 doors so that I can remove her from any spot, a divider in the middle to give her room to move around, a dark spot (where the food and water sit), & wheels on the bottom to move around in the yard. Going to use this all summer long if I can, since we have long winters here.
I assume it's okay to leave her out all day long until night fall???
Our temps are around 70-80 F. On hot days, maybe 90-100.

The importance of DEEP shade

Ok, folks, we need to talk about SHADE. You have probably (hopefully) heard tortoise keepers talking about the fact that tortoises need "DEEP SHADE" to retreat into on a hot Summer day (really any day that has air temps above 80 degrees). What do we mean by "deep shade?" - this is NOT...

tortoiseforum.org

I'd add something higher above to shade part of the enclosure and create levels of shade.

 

[TammyJ]

I think it may be too hot and dry. Where is the water pool?

 

[kakashi_12]

how cold at night?

how big is it? It looks kind of small, but its hard to tell...

I don't know how cold at night. But I bring her in by 9 PM at the latest so that she can be under her night bulb (purple) for heat.

Also designed to fit in my trunk. 4' x 5'

 

[kakashi_12]

I think it may be too hot and dry. Where is the water pool?

Underneath the loose wood on top. It's not really a pool though, more of a drinking cup.
I thought they liked hot & dry...

 

[kakashi_12]

The importance of DEEP shade

Ok, folks, we need to talk about SHADE. You have probably (hopefully) heard tortoise keepers talking about the fact that tortoises need "DEEP SHADE" to retreat into on a hot Summer day (really any day that has air temps above 80 degrees). What do we mean by "deep shade?" - this is NOT...

tortoiseforum.org

I'd add something higher above to shade part of the enclosure and create levels of shade.

OR put a bush inside for her to hide under?
If I read your "Deep Shade" topic correctly.
Then also put it under the shade of a tree in my yard, rather than in the sun?

I have been putting it in half sun, half shade.
Since I just finished this, I've only used it for about 2 days so far...

 

[Michael Bird]

Underneath the loose wood on top. It's not really a pool though, more of a drinking cup.
I thought they liked hot & dry...

They should have access to clean water that they can drink, and that they can walk in to soak if they want to.

They do like it hot and dry sometimes. And cool and moist at other times. You need to make sure they have access to both so they can choose based on their needs at the time.

 

[TammyJ]

Your tortoise is going to be in an unfortunate situation if you do not fix what are wrong conditions of care. I am hoping experts here like @Tom @zovick @wellington will help here and post the appropriate care sheets, and that you will be willing to accept the needed advice.

 

[wellington]

Not a bad first try. However, it's way too small. Minimum of a 4x8 needed. Is there a reason you do not block off an area of the yard for him? A chicken wire laid on the ground and cinder blocks laid around the edges of the chicken wire with chicken wire on the top of the blocks too and you have an area that he can't get out of. Add a hide, plants and water saucer and he can live outside all day.
The area should not be smaller than a 4x8.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Definitely go bigger, but I'd say you did the leaf village proud for the first attempt.

 

[SinLA]

I think it’s a great idea and a fun project and you did really well for a first try. It’s definitely still has some things that are at issue. Most notably the size is just much too small as as more shade in the walking around areas. I’m unclear if the bottom is solid with dirt on it or that’s the ground I would recommend just having it be the ground unless you’re in an area where there are pesticides or other hazards.

 

[Tom]

Just built my very first hand made outdoor enclosure. Took me about a week and a half.
I have 4 doors so that I can remove her from any spot, a divider in the middle to give her room to move around, a dark spot (where the food and water sit), & wheels on the bottom to move around in the yard. Going to use this all summer long if I can, since we have long winters here.
I assume it's okay to leave her out all day long until night fall???
Our temps are around 70-80 F. On hot days, maybe 90-100.

I agree with the other posters here. Its much too small, and it need some heavy shade.

Here are some simple ways to do it:

 

[kakashi_12]

@Tom , Thank you for the example pictures.
@SinLA , that is wood on the bottom with substrate on top of it.
@DoubleD1996! , thank you for the encouragement.
@wellington , as stated in my post above, this was a design specifically to fit in my trunk. I could go bigger than this when I have time to do a bigger outdoor enclosure. It's a "her". Thank you for the advice.
@TammyJ , yes I am willing to take advice, that's why I posted. Thank you....

My other thought for deep shade that would be easy would be to put a bunch of fake plants inside.
Then the wood on top as well.
That should give her plenty to hide under & stay cool, right??

 

[SinLA]

Wood for deep shade is good, but also heavy. If you can use it great. I use a car window screen reflector because its lightweight

 

[Tom]

@Tom , Thank you for the example pictures.
@SinLA , that is wood on the bottom with substrate on top of it.
@DoubleD1996! , thank you for the encouragement.
@wellington , as stated in my post above, this was a design specifically to fit in my trunk. I could go bigger than this when I have time to do a bigger outdoor enclosure. It's a "her". Thank you for the advice.
@TammyJ , yes I am willing to take advice, that's why I posted. Thank you....

My other thought for deep shade that would be easy would be to put a bunch of fake plants inside.
Then the wood on top as well.
That should give her plenty to hide under & stay cool, right??

Fake plants will be eaten and can cause impaction.

Wood on top will make it like an oven in there. You need deep shade from high over head, like a tree or an umbrella like in the one picture I linked. Please click on the link that @jaizei left for you in post number 3.

 

[kakashi_12]

ok, thank you very much Tom.
Does that mean they will never get natural sunlight though if they are under 2 levels of shade?

 

[Tom]

ok, thank you very much Tom.
Does that mean they will never get natural sunlight though if they are under 2 levels of shade?

You don't shade the whole enclosure. You shade part of the enclosure. More heat means you need more shade. Cooler weather means you need less shade. I even have different enclosures for sunning small tortoises in summer and winter. The summer enclosure is under a mulberry tree with deep shade over most of it. The winter enclosure is in full mid day sun, but with only a small amount of shade. When its 65 degrees in December, I want a lot of sun in there. When it 100 degrees in July, I want almost all shade.

This is another reason for a larger enclosure. It makes it easier to have adequate shade and adequate sunny patches all in one enclosure.

 

[kakashi_12]

Next summer I can build a bigger one. I've made an improvement to this one though. I noticed that when she is in the grass (freely), she likes to burrow in the pile of leaves. So I've put a large pile of leaves inside of her enclosure. I checked on her a couple of hours later & she looks comfortably tucked away in the corner with the leaves. Looks happy & cool.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Shade cloth can be hung up quickly and easily.
I use bungee cords. But here this time of year in south Florida we have rolling storms with high winds almost daily. If your area in Pennsylvania is relatively calm, shade cloth is money well spent