New enclosures all around. :)

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mctlong

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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 :D). 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. :)
 

wellington

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If it were me, and you know for sure it's only for one year, ir a hair longer, I would do the cheapest wood I could find, like landscaping timbers and bring them in every night. I just wouldn't waist the money or time to build all the houses and heating, etc for a year. As long as you can get them out every day and just bring them in at night, you would save a lot of time and money. The saved money could go towards, that new home for yourself and the torts.
 

mctlong

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The intention is a year, but who knows what can happen between now and then. I thought my current living situation would be temporary, but I've been here 7 years. LOL!
 

AesopTortoise

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I put this together for about $200 w/ stuff from Lowe's and a local farm co-op. 4x4, both levels are removable, almost everything is edible, and it's self cleaning for almost year. That's if you use bioactive soil, which I recommend.

image-695332374.png


2x hr
 

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