Need some redfoot outdoor pen landscaping ideas

[pawsplus]

I am working on an outdoor enclosure for the first time in 19 (!!) years. My 24 year old RF, Beasley, and I just moved to a new place. I have the enclosure well started, and am beginning to think about plants and such. Beas is pretty large, so I will probably look for large, well started hostas and ferns and such. It is a shady area.

Please post pix of your redfoot/yellowfoot enclosures and tell me what plants you used! Also looking for ideas for breaking the sightlines to encourage more movement. I have used those flexible wooden border things in the past and will probably do so again. Maybe a rocky area?
Just need some ideas and would love to see your pix! Here is the pen as it currently stands. The doghouse is going and a locking night box will be installed just outside the pen (with access to the pen) on the narrow mulched area to the right on the second pic.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I am working on an outdoor enclosure for the first time in 19 (!!) years. My 24 year old RF, Beasley, and I just moved to a new place. I have the enclosure well started, and am beginning to think about plants and such. Beas is pretty large, so I will probably look for large, well started hostas and ferns and such. It is a shady area.

Please post pix of your redfoot/yellowfoot enclosures and tell me what plants you used! Also looking for ideas for breaking the sightlines to encourage more movement. I have used those flexible wooden border things in the past and will probably do so again. Maybe a rocky area?
Just need some ideas and would love to see your pix! Here is the pen as it currently stands. The doghouse is going and a locking night box will be installed just outside the pen (with access to the pen) on the narrow mulched area to the right on the second pic.

This is my redfoots outdoor pen. It's elephant ears, lyropie or "Monkey grass", hibiscus, hostas, various edible seed mixes. Once you plant it heavy one year it'll all come back every year and I don't trim anything I just let it go. On the outside border of the pen I grew various greens and edible vegetables and I just pick a little every morning and throw it in the pen.

 

[pawsplus]

This is my redfoots outdoor pen. It's elephant ears, lyropie or "Monkey grass", hibiscus, hostas, various edible seed mixes. Once you plant it heavy one year it'll all come back every year and I don't trim anything I just let it go. On the outside border of the pen I grew various greens and edible vegetables and I just pick a little every morning and throw it in the pen.

Looks fabulous!! Elephant ears are technically toxic aren't they? But I understand torts seem to know enough not to eat them. Do they do OK in shade? And where do you live? Will they overwinter OK in Tennessee?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Looks fabulous!! Elephant ears are technically toxic aren't they? But I understand torts seem to know enough not to eat them. Do they do OK in shade? And where do you live? Will they overwinter OK in Tennessee?

I've not heard of elephant ears being toxic. Mine don't mess with them, Nor have I heard of any other keepers who had trouble with them. Redfoots thrive in the shade. They aren't big baskers usually. I live in Atlanta area. I don't overwinter them outside though. I've got pens setup in my basement they live in during extreme winter months. It still gets down to 50s sometimes down there but they have a basking area heated house they can go into. Once it's consistently 70 and above they go back outside.This has worked for me for several years.

 

[Maggie3fan]

wow...

 

[pawsplus]

I've not heard of elephant ears being toxic. Mine don't mess with them, Nor have I heard of any other keepers who had trouble with them. Redfoots thrive in the shade. They aren't big baskers usually. I live in Atlanta area. I don't overwinter them outside though. I've got pens setup in my basement they live in during extreme winter months. It still gets down to 50s sometimes down there but they have a basking area heated house they can go into. Once it's consistently 70 and above they go back outside.This has worked for me for several years.

Great! So you dig them up and put them in pots? Do they do OK with normal room lighting/windows?

 

[pawsplus]

Do you know what varieties you have?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Ya they're pretty easy to care for. You can pot them or put em in the ground. Mine are under led lights. I dunno what variety they are they actually came from someone on TFO who sent them to me a couple years ago.