New Outdoor Enclosure for limited space

[Maro2Bear]

Perfect.....it’s really good to see beautifully landscaped outdoor tortoise enclosures! Too often, enclosures are equated to flat, overgrown weedy, spotty rundown dry looking areas, surrounded by a patchwork of cinderblocks, old mismatched stones, pallets & tin cans. Soooooooooo, when I show wifey enclosures that look like this,, she gives the nod! ??

 

[Blackdog1714]

SIr, with this enclosure I could almost talk my wife into letting me get another tortoise. If not another then she will at least be very happy with the two I have. Very well planned and executed!

 

[AZGirl]

I just about have this enclosure ready for the tortoises. I had a limited amount of space to use for my group of Burmese Stars, and wanted to take advantage of all the space I could since I was now using the last space I had for my weed garden and tortoise food it provided. Brenda is pleased, as she didn't like the look of the "weed garden", so I had to find a way to make it more esthetic, yet functional.

My solution was to make a two-tiered planter for the borders of the enclosure. I planted petunias, gazania, and gardenia along the top section so as it grows and hangs down, there is a constant food source for the tortoises, as they keep it trimmed up. The lower section has a few squash plants but is planted with tortoise seed mix.

I definitely like to generously plant a tortoise enclosure. This issue is either sturdy enough, or safe but not attractive food. The enclosure itself is planted with tortoise edibles that I've had growing for some time now and trying to get sturdy size. Some are plants the tortoises normally don't eat much, but is safe if they do. It will provide good cover and sight barriers and help keep humidity. The sprinklers come on every 2 hours for a "monsoon" rain.

I also shaped in plenty of elevation changes for sight barrier as well. A tortoise in one part of the enclosure cannot see another tortoise in most other areas. It is divided into two sections as I want to separate male & females, or have the option of two separate breeding groups.

The night box is pure copy of @Tom 's design. Also separated with a movable divider inside into two sections. I do paint mine inside and out. I have come to really like the way the Countertop Paint I have talked about elsewhere on the forum works for me. It creates an extremely durable, waterproof finish. Of course, I had to paint it to match our house!

View attachment 207753

That is the most amazing habitat! I would live there. ?

 

[Sue Ann]

I just about have this enclosure ready for the tortoises. I had a limited amount of space to use for my group of Burmese Stars, and wanted to take advantage of all the space I could since I was now using the last space I had for my weed garden and tortoise food it provided. Brenda is pleased, as she didn't like the look of the "weed garden", so I had to find a way to make it more esthetic, yet functional.

My solution was to make a two-tiered planter for the borders of the enclosure. I planted petunias, gazania, and gardenia along the top section so as it grows and hangs down, there is a constant food source for the tortoises, as they keep it trimmed up. The lower section has a few squash plants but is planted with tortoise seed mix.

I definitely like to generously plant a tortoise enclosure. This issue is either sturdy enough, or safe but not attractive food. The enclosure itself is planted with tortoise edibles that I've had growing for some time now and trying to get sturdy size. Some are plants the tortoises normally don't eat much, but is safe if they do. It will provide good cover and sight barriers and help keep humidity. The sprinklers come on every 2 hours for a "monsoon" rain.

I also shaped in plenty of elevation changes for sight barrier as well. A tortoise in one part of the enclosure cannot see another tortoise in most other areas. It is divided into two sections as I want to separate male & females, or have the option of two separate breeding groups.

The night box is pure copy of @Tom 's design. Also separated with a movable divider inside into two sections. I do paint mine inside and out. I have come to really like the way the Countertop Paint I have talked about elsewhere on the forum works for me. It creates an extremely durable, waterproof finish. Of course, I had to paint it to match our house!

View attachment 207753

Looks great

 

[Kanda]

i love it. but i cant have it. too big for my house right now.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Mark, I am in love with this set up. I'm going to try and copy it as much as possible. Do you think the planter walls would hold up to a sulcata and leopard tortoise? Right now they are just babies, so it would be good for a bit. I want to spend wisely.

Also I saw you listed a Gardenia. I love them so much, I have one under my window. The TTT shows them as a never feed. What are your thoughts on it. I would love to put them in the enclose it would be great shade too.