NEW OUTDOOR TORTOISE ENCLOSURE

[REDfoots]

This week At sams club I purchased a plastic wood garden box thing for around 50 dollars and it works really well. Both of my tortoises really like it. its dimensions are 84 inches long 43 inches wide and 8 inches tall. And the enclosure is half dead grass and half Pea stone (small pebbles). At 1 end of the enclosure they have a hide and in the middle of it there is a stone that they can either Bask or they can eat their food on and next to that there is a water dish that is too deep so I put some of the other pea stones in there to make it more shallow. Please comment or reply below if you want me to add something or take something out of the enclosure help is needed please reply. Thank you

 

[Redstrike]

Pea stone sounds like an impaction nightmare waiting to happen...

 

[lynnedit]

Post some pics! The size sounds quite nice, do you have plans for some plants like hosta,etc., even a hibiscus (Rose of Sharon)?

I have gravel and even pea gravel (not the tiny stuff), and although I have RT's, not RF's, I have never had an issue with impaction. It is great for drainage and about the grey gravel retains heat as well as anything I have seen. But they have water, and a lot of weeds and safe plants to eat, also a big cuttlebone.

 

[REDfoots]

My tortoises really like it.

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[lynnedit]

Good start! The gravel looks fine, size wise.
I don't own Redfoots, but I do know they need more humidity, shaded areas. So you might consider removing some of the gravel and adding cypress mulch (if it is inexpensive at home supply stores in your area of the country), or just more safe soil. Then add a few plants: clumping grasses, rosemary, hosta (if it won't get fried), etc. These plants will help hold in humidity and also attract worms, slugs, etc., for a treat. Yum.

Safe plants:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp

You have a faucet right there; you could put a hose splitter on it with a timer on one side to a small drip line, and add some microsprayers to come on a couple of times per day during the warm weather, also a drip emitter to fill your water dish (a nice large plant pot base would work).