Need help with ideas for outdoor enclosure.

[RayRay]

I am thinking of getting a sulcata adult or two (in two separate enclosures).

I live on a family farm in central Texas where it gets over 100 in summer and snows once or twice a year sometimes, with a large front yard, I would like to have a tortoise but my parents don't want it inside. I was wondering if we were to cut down https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_ashei and set them on their side, bury them and put an electric fence around its to make a enclosure how tall would it have to be and would we have to worry about them eating the wood? Raccoons and other animals with the electric fence? we have two outdoor cats and one inside one the outside ones love to hunt and we have other cats get in fights with our big cat, would the electric fence keep all that out? and snakes how would we keep them out, we have had every species of venomous snake in Texas in our yard.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you go to the "enclosure" section you will find a good thread pinned at the top of that section that gives you many pictures of our members' outdoor habitats. You should be able to get some ideas from that. I'm not sure I like your idea.

 

[RayRay]

If you go to the "enclosure" section you will find a good thread pinned at the top of that section that gives you many pictures of our members' outdoor habitats. You should be able to get some ideas from that. I'm not sure I like your idea.

Which part? I wasn't going to have the electric fence on the inside just on the outside, I am not good at articulating stuff. But the trees would be debranched, and stacked log cabin style to make a fence.

 

[Alaskamike]

Which part? I wasn't going to have the electric fence on the inside just on the outside, I am not good at articulating stuff. But the trees would be debranched, and stacked log cabin style to make a fence.

I've seen fences made that way and they are very solid. Would certainly keep in a sulcata. The size of the tortoise would dictate the height needed for the fence. It must be higher than they can stand - in other words the length of their shell + front and back legs. They are not climbers like the Russian torts, but can pull themselves up over things if their front claws can reach the top. I would make it 2' off the ground and you would not need to worry unless (or until - they grow fast !) you had a very big one. but you could start out with less height and add to it as he/she grows.

You know sullys are often diggers, so there are several things you can do to avoid escape and give them a good home; first if you trench down about 18" and put in a barrier it can keep them from digging under the fence. Some people have used a stiff metal wire fencing embedded in the ground, wood, corrugated steel, you can also just lay the logs in the trench and build on top of them. Then if he digs, he hits the barrier.

Personally, I like the stacked log idea, it would look very natural, and when he rubs against them walking the perimeter of his kingdom he wont scratch up his shell. No worry about him chewing on them.

I your climate (mine too here in South Florida) if you want to keep him always outside you need 2 other things IMO
An Underground hide - to get away from the heat
An above ground heated hide - to get away from the cold

Many ways to do this. If you look @Tom's threads on hides in the sticky's for sulcatas you will see some great ideas. You can get as fancy, or simple as you want with both of these, but the basics are the same. I see nothing wrong with the electric fence wire idea. Would keep vermin out., but so would a 4' high farm wire fence.

My sulcata "Tiny" is only 8 lbs, but he has an underground hide box made of framed wood & plywood with a tunnel to it also framed in plywood so it can't cave in. Mine is buried about 2' down. You can see this one in the thread "Tiny Tales" in the sulcata section, as well as the first underground hide I made out of a rubber maid container.

The above ground box is like an insulated doghouse, with a flap door. But it would need a heater for winter on a thermostat controller. You can build this too, or use something you already have. They need a place that stays 70f + all year round ... some dispute this and keep their larger sulcatas in much cooler temps in winter, but they do not digest their food well under 80f, So.....

Toms threads on these issues are very good.

To me. the creation of quality environments for them is a great part of keeping tortoises. Build the environment first, put a bunch of plants they can eat in there, then get the tortoise. Have fun with it, be creative.

Remember - more room the better. They need to walk, explore, exercise. Build it as large as you can.get away with
I would discourage getting 2, its enough to do this for one, especially at first. Do right for one, and learn
You may be able to re-home a juvenile or adult sulcata - especially where you live, there are often ones in need of this. Might be better than a baby, especially since your folks want it outside. an older one is more tolerant of variants in temps & humidity. Look on Craigs list, or contact vets in your area
Sulcatas live a long time, he could be your "pal" for life if you treat him right.

Good fortune to you!

 

[Tom]

The potential problem I see with using juniper tree trunks for your walls is that there will be lots of gaps that the tortoise can see through. If they can see through, they will try to push through.

About the snakes: The only way I know to keep them out is to use 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch mesh hardware cloth. It comes in 100 foot rolls that are 24" tall. It will make any passing snakes go around the enclosure, but there cannot be any gaps. 24" high enclosure walls will hold any sulcata.

Here are some threads that might help:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/semi-underground-russian-box.98590/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/daisys-new-enclosure.28662/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/enclosure-expansion.38788/