Outdoor eclosure NY

[Laurie]

Hi everyone, looking for some opinions here. I am planning my Russian torts enclosure outside for summer ( I know wishing for warmth here )

We have a family of hawks who like to call our backyard home! So I definatly need a top.. Was going to use hardware mesh?

Was more concerned about underneath. I read that I should block out the bottom as well because Russians dig... So fencing underneath at about 12" is this right?

We also have moles that dig in our yard so I was maybe thinking of a premade pond enclosure and then just filling with dirt. I'm not sure how big you can get those though.

Any ideas?

Thanks, laura

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Forgive typos! My phone likes to "fix" things!

 

[ascott]

Laura, will they be living outdoors 24/7 during the good weather months? Then back in for the winter months or are you going to allow brumating outdoors?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You might consider a raised bed with a chicken wire lid. Why don't you get rid of the moles, then the hawks will leave too as that's why they re there...

 

[Laurie]

In planning summers outside 24/7 then indoors for winter/fall. The moles like to feed on grubs.. Which we have laid down plenty of grub killer in the past few seasons.. Unfortunately, we still seem to have them we are in a pretty wooded area.

The hawks I have witnessed feeding on chipmunks and other small birds. They seem to show up late summertime (late July August) there are three of them. Then all seems to go quiet In our fenced in yard ( beyond that are trees) .

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Oh , which leads me to another question, last year we laid down grub/insect killer... Will one winter season be enough to get rid of this? Or should I look into filling an area with "fresh" topsoil?

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I really want to keep her natural , but safe! You're talking to a woman who brings her cats out for walks! Outside, but safe!! Sure I walk my cats on a leash, but they're safe!

 

[ascott]

You might consider a raised bed with a chicken wire lid

Maggie has a great suggestion...also, if you are concerned about critters approaching from below....you can lay chicken wire under the raised bed ----then construct the size of raised bed and pull the wire up around the bottom of the wood of your raised bed structure and staple to the wood so nothing can sneak in....

I personally like the Hawks and Falcons around our place...they are awesome to watch and if you make the wood frame and chicken wire top with a hinge attached you can have a lifting top and then add a padlock loop and you will be able to then lock your little ones in snug and safe.

I would also think that if you do raised beds you would be filling with clean (grub pesticide free soil) dirt and organic soil, you know?

 

[lynnedit]

I made an enclosure for Russians as a raised bed:
started with thick garden plastic wire first (even galvanized wire degrades underground around here), leaving enough to go up the lower insides of the wood edge.
Then a couple of inches of gravel (and a few bricks I had laying around), for drainage.
Then I built the sides of older cedar, but you can also use treated wood, or exterior plywood (lumbar yards will often cut it for you). My sides are 24 inches high.
Then you can pile topsoil up 6-8-10" above the gravel.
Finally, I made lids with 1x2 frames and hardware, each one about 4' wide.
You can even have a cold frame on one end that is on a wood base with a door so they can get out of bad weather when you are not home.

Make sure you have a good idea of where your sunny areas are, for the months he will be outside, especially since the arc of the sun changes from Spring to Fall.

 

[GBtortoises]

I have been keeping tortoises outdoors in New York State for nearly 30 years with no problems. Including Russians and several other species. My enclosures consist of 3/4" pressure treated plywood sides, buried about 4" in the ground with approximately 12" above ground. The Russians are the only true burrowing species that I keep. Their need to burrow and where will depend entirely upon the set up and physical situation of their enclosure in relation to exposure to the sun and other elements. In the entire time that I have kept Russians, a better part of 20 years, I have never had a Russian attempt to "dig out" of an enclosure. They do dig burrows up to nearly 30" long, most averaging about 12" to 16" long. My enclosures are situated on a hillside that has about a 15% grade with full southern exposure. The entrance to their burrows face south with the actual tunnel extended deeper into the slope in a northerly direction. I have for years, successfully brumated (hibernated) them outdoors along with other Testudo species. But under semi natural outdoor conditions Russians will not breed here in New York State. Our seasonal changes are too mild and too long.

If you believe that predators could be a problem a secure cover should be used. I have about every co predator here including hawks, crows, coyotes, racoons, bobcats, bears and more. In the entire time that I have had tortoises and turtles I have had one problem, about 15 years ago, with a racoon. I discovered that the problem was actually caused by turtle food that I was storing outdoors near the tortoise/turtle enclosures. Once I removed the food, the racoon left too. I would be much more concerned about dogs, cats and kids than I would native animals although the level of concern depends upon your local area.

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Where in New York State are you located?

 

[Laurie]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think a raised bed is my best option. It will certainly need a secure top. A few years ago, lattice work had come off under one side of our deck. Something had gotten underneath and must not have known how to get back out, so it chewed it's way through the other side! I imagine it may have been a raccoon. Also, unfortunately, my yard doesn't get much sun. There are a few places, just not the most convenient places to build an enclosure. I will have to give some thought as to where they will get the most sunlight. I still have a couple of months to figure it out before the weather cooperates I am in Northern Saratoga county GB.

 

[GBtortoises]

Our microclimates are very similar, I live in the Northern Catskills, west of Cobleskill. Depending upon how populated of an area you live in, your biggest predator concern will probably be racoons and/or kids. Finding a location on high ground, away from moisture as well as being exposed to as much natural light as possible is paramount when keeping Russian tortoises outdoors here in the Northeast. You most likely have a better draining soil than what is found in my area which will be better for your tortoise(s) than mine have here.