So, bad news, the person we're renting our home from has decided to sell, so we're moving.
Good news is that means we get to build new enclosures!
We'll be moving in 3 weeks, so we have 3 weeks to plan and buy material. I am completely totally and utterly open to suggestions. I'd love to tap this forum's collective creativity. I've seen the fantastic thread that Jacqui put together of enclosures and I've also been scouring the internet for creative ideas.
Here's our main impediment -
We've decided to rent another house (with a backyard) for a year until we can save up enough for a down payment on buying a house, so the new enclosures will be temporary tortoise homes and need to be either:
1.) cheap and disposable after a year; or
2.) transportable when we move.
As far as materials -
I've already started tearing down the current enclosures and the wood is not in good shape, so I'm tossing it. We can salvage some bricks, ceramic water dishes, 12"x12" granite food tiles, and some heating fixtures. I can also transplant some mature vegetation including a hibiscus, some spineless prickly pear, and grapes. I'll need to reseed for everything else.
What we need -
I have four tortoises and need three enclosures, one for a young sulcata, one for an adult Russian, and one for two burmese stars. I'll need a lid with raccoon-proof latches on all three and a heated box in both the sully's and the stars' enclosures (I can use the heated boxes we have now, but am open to upgrading from CHE to maybe gas heaters ). I'm also looking at theft deterrents (such as padlock latches and heavier building material) on the stars' enclosure.
I'll be posting pics and measurements of the new backyard as soon as I get them.
Any ideas and suggestions are completely welcome. I'll keep this thread posted with updates, progress, and finished products.
Good news is that means we get to build new enclosures!
We'll be moving in 3 weeks, so we have 3 weeks to plan and buy material. I am completely totally and utterly open to suggestions. I'd love to tap this forum's collective creativity. I've seen the fantastic thread that Jacqui put together of enclosures and I've also been scouring the internet for creative ideas.
Here's our main impediment -
We've decided to rent another house (with a backyard) for a year until we can save up enough for a down payment on buying a house, so the new enclosures will be temporary tortoise homes and need to be either:
1.) cheap and disposable after a year; or
2.) transportable when we move.
As far as materials -
I've already started tearing down the current enclosures and the wood is not in good shape, so I'm tossing it. We can salvage some bricks, ceramic water dishes, 12"x12" granite food tiles, and some heating fixtures. I can also transplant some mature vegetation including a hibiscus, some spineless prickly pear, and grapes. I'll need to reseed for everything else.
What we need -
I have four tortoises and need three enclosures, one for a young sulcata, one for an adult Russian, and one for two burmese stars. I'll need a lid with raccoon-proof latches on all three and a heated box in both the sully's and the stars' enclosures (I can use the heated boxes we have now, but am open to upgrading from CHE to maybe gas heaters ). I'm also looking at theft deterrents (such as padlock latches and heavier building material) on the stars' enclosure.
I'll be posting pics and measurements of the new backyard as soon as I get them.
Any ideas and suggestions are completely welcome. I'll keep this thread posted with updates, progress, and finished products.