Outdoor Enclosure Border?

[Zergy]

I have a 3-4 month old Red Foot Tortoise that I am making an outdoor enclosure for. This area is in a shaded patio and is a 7 feet long by 3 feet wide section.

What do I use to make the walls of his enclosure? If it is rock, will it ruin his shell if he rubs against it? Is a softer material like untreated wood preferred? If wood, why type? Do you seal it? Doesn't it warp with time?

Overall the the enclosure has to 'look' good or pleasing to the eye since it is in the front of the house. Also, I can't dig far down so fences that require a post in the ground would be near impossible because of the cement below parts of the area.

EDIT:
Here is a picture of the area. The small bowl represents how big my tortoise is right now. The substrate is top soil.

 

[Momof4]

Since he's so tiny I would use 1-2 rows of cinder blocks. Done. You could turn them on their side and fill the holes with dirt and plant some flowers so it looks nice.

 

[Zergy]

Since he's so tiny I would use 1-2 rows of cinder blocks. Done. You could turn them on their side and fill the holes with dirt and plant some flowers so it looks nice.

Yeah, I suggested the cinder blocks to my room mate and saying I can also use them as pots and he didn't like the idea too much. 0.o

Am I being over paranoid about the rough surface of rocks and cinder blocks though? Does it matter? Will it ruin his shell if he rubbed against it?

 

[Jacqui]

Either the blocks (or even one of the more decorative blocks out there) or a frame of wood planks works well and both are easy to do. More of the work comes in at the stage of: what are you going to do for a lid.

 

[Tom]

I would not use rock. They could find a way to climb it. I use slumpstone block. It works really well, they can't climb it, they can't move it, and you can buy the caps to make it look nice too. Buy some half blocks so you can stagger the rows. Here's what I've been doing:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...ut-Safe-Outdoor-Baby-Enclosures#axzz1odsSkxG1


Wood would work too. Just prime and paint it, so it doesn't rot as fast...

 

[Yvonne G]

You could use those corrugated roofing panels too. They come in different colors, metal or plastic.

Landscape timbers make a good wall. Just take a walk through any home improvement store and see if you see something that piques your interest.

Rubbing up against the blocks isn't an issue. They really don't do that. They scrape when they go into their hide, but usually don't hit the fence in their wanderings.

 

[lynnedit]

The only reason you might pick wood (treated wood is fine these days), or some kind of panel, is that you would lose less square footage. Wood would look fairly nice, and you would be able to screw them together and dismantle at a later date if needed...

 

[Jacqui]

My one comment on the landscape timbers is that atleast here where I live, they do not hold up at all. When I invest the time and money into an enclosure, I don't want it rotting away in five years.

As was mentioned whatever you use, what the corners especially for them to try to climb out. An inside lip around the entire enclosure is a great thing, too.

 

[Zergy]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I am going to have to visit lowes/homedepot to see what I like. But right now the slumpstones idea is winning. It just seems so easy and cost effective. I will still look at the other materials to see if they inspire me.

 

[DSaenz]

You will get a lot of ideas at the hardware store

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

The only reason you might pick wood (treated wood is fine these days), or some kind of panel, is that you would lose less square footage. Wood would look fairly nice, and you would be able to screw them together and dismantle at a later date if needed...

+ they won't scratch the shell.

 

[Zergy]

If wood, what type would I use that will withstand humidity and heat outdoors?

 

[Keggateggie]

My husband built me an enclosure about 5 years ago. He used untreated 4x4s, stacked 3 high, and screwed them together with these giant screws. We then put patio blocks underneath the whole area to keep my big redfoot "Violet" from digging out. He then attached upright posts to the inside of the pen and used the plastic type white lattice to make a fence around the whole thing. He even was able to create a lattice doorway that I can pull up to get in and out. We use rubber mulch as the substrate and put a few rocks , timbers, and we put some tortoise safe plants in every summer. Within the rubber mulch I dug an opening that I put a plastic removable rubbermaid in as a pool with pieces of slate to allow for easy entry and exit. I also attached a sunshade we had from a big outdoor dog pen. The rubber mulch allows for easy cleaning. Oh and booda makes a cat litterbug that is round and has a side ramp I use just the top as a shelter. I live in NY, and this has held up well to heat as well as cold and snow. I am away from my home for the next week but would be happy to send you pics if interested when I return. Just keep in mind that I have not done the post winter cleanout.

 

[Jacqui]

I am away from my home for the next week but would be happy to send you pics if interested when I return. Just keep in mind that I have not done the post winter cleanout.

First off, hi and welcome! I hope you will take the time to make an introduction thread in that section for us. Helps us to get to know you just a little bit. As for posting pictures of your setup, when you get home, let me speak for everybody when I say we love seeing pictures of not just everybody's tortoises but also how they do the enclosures. It gives us new ideas to try out.

 

[Zergy]

Well, I went to 2 hardware stores yesterday and ended up buying some lumber to make a 3 foot by 7 foot long enclosure. I still have to buy the screws and something to seal or paint the wood with. If this could last him a year, then it is all worth it.

Keggateggie: I would like to see any pictures of your torts enclosure for some ideas.

 

[lynnedit]

If the wood is thick enough, you can screw the pieces to each other using deck screws. Or if needed you can use 2x2's as uprights in each corner. Put a small lip overhang along the top You can treat ( not needed if landscape,treated, or exterior wood), with any exterior water based stain, I used the Behr brand.