Outdoor Enclosure Help

[Kikwi]

Hi, im getting a new baby tortoise soon and it will most likely be a hermanns and i need helpwith an outdoor enclosure. I have squirrels so i have to make sure they cant get in to his hime, and i would onlykeep him outside for a couple hours of the day (in other words never will he be out alone at night) so i was thinking of making his home in a 21 gallon concrete mixing tub and all the things he needs in it (food bowl water bowl hiding home etc) and then setting it outside and putting a big window screen filter on top of it so no animals can get in but the sun can get in and he can bask and get the sun he needs and what not. would this work?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

21 gallons seems way too small. Little spaces are easy to overheat outdoors. Can you not fence off a part of the yard for a safe outdoor habitat? Or perhaps a large kiddie pool?

 

[Big Charlie]

I believe I read on the forum that a screen could block a lot of the UV rays.

 

[wellington]

The cement mixing tubs are black unless there are others that isn't. They would get very hot. I would use landscaping timbers or cinder blocks and make an area in your yard. Then use chicken wire or similar for a top. Be sure to offer lots of shade and a water dish. Screen and glass blocks a lot of the UVB. An FYI, my squirrels have never bothered my torts. Large Birds like crows, sea gulls Hawks etc I would worry about.

 

[Kikwi]

21 gallons seems way too small. Little spaces are easy to overheat outdoors. Can you not fence off a part of the yard for a safe outdoor habitat? Or perhaps a large kiddie pool?

I could try and do this method with a kiddie pool and put something over it, but are you sure its too small? its only for one tort and ive seen some people do it before. this of course wouldnt be for his whole life just until he grows a bit older then i can fence off some area with cinderblocks and what not and give him a big space (probibally most of my backyard when he gets older)

 

[Kikwi]

I believe I read on the forum that a screen could block a lot of the UV rays.

Really? ill have to look into that, i know another alternative i can get thats like basically a fence that i can just set on top so nothing can get in but the sun.

 

[Kikwi]

The cement mixing tubs are black unless there are others that isn't. They would get very hot. I would use landscaping timbers or cinder blocks and make an area in your yard. Then use chicken wire or similar for a top. Be sure to offer lots of shade and a water dish. Screen and glass blocks a lot of the UVB. An FYI, my squirrels have never bothered my torts. Large Birds like crows, sea gulls Hawks etc I would worry about.

Ok thanks for the info, i believe there are some blue cement mixing tubs (im not 100% positive since im colorblind) at my home depot. Also i dont think i have things like hawks but my squirrels can get kinda aggressive and i have some pretty mean blue jays and robins that fight a lot, would they try and harm my little tort?

 

[wellington]

Not sure about those birds. Probably not the robins, but I do know blue jays can be pretty mean, but don't really know if they would bother either.

 

[Tom]

Check these two out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/simple-sunning-enclosure.104351/

You could go smaller for a baby hermanni, but the welded wire top will keep out all your critters.

You could make a top like this for a kiddie pool too.

I prefer large cement mixing tubs for winter sunning, and I prefer the ground for summer sunning. Either way you have to be careful your baby does not over heat, so always offer some deep shade in addition to access to sunshine.

 

[Agent007]

Ok thanks for the info, i believe there are some blue cement mixing tubs (im not 100% positive since im colorblind) at my home depot. Also i dont think i have things like hawks but my squirrels can get kinda aggressive and i have some pretty mean blue jays and robins that fight a lot, would they try and harm my little tort?

I'm sorry to hear that your colour blind. But which enclosure are you talking about the Inside enclosure or the outside enclosure?

 

[Kikwi]

I'm sorry to hear that your colour blind. But which enclosure are you talking about the Inside enclosure or the outside enclosure?

Outside. i would move it inside at night

 

[Agent007]

Oh.

Outside. i would move it inside at night

Oh. Just see what others can reply because the rest of the replys are correct just follow those steps. Oh also just in case add am emergency first aid box kit.

 

[Kikwi]

Oh.

Oh. Just see what others can reply because the rest of the replys are correct just follow those steps. Oh also just in case add am emergency first aid box kit.

Emergency first aid box kit?

 

[Lyn W]

There is a thread somewhere about things to have handy for your tort in case of emergency, but not sure why that's been mentioned here - maybe Agent007 is thinking you should have one in case of injury from your squirrels etc.?