Outdoor enclosure in the PNW

[karalisa78]

I live here in the beautiful PNW, Seattle, WA area, and wanting to hear from people who have outdoor enclosures in this area or similar climate. I have one Russian tort.

What months do you usually house outdoors?
Do you need a heat source or UV light?
What type of enclosure do you use?
Do you have to watch out for any particular preditor or plant that is native here?
What type of shelters do you use? Do you bring them in during rain?
Any advice/suggestions?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I'm in the cascade foothills east of Salem. Once the weather hits the 60's I bring mine out to the outdoor pen. I bring mine in at night. My outdoor enclosure is made with cinder blocks. Stacked two high with the top one over hanging into the enclosure side. This makes it very hard for them to climb out of. Some sections I just have a 2x10 piece of lumber that hangers over the inside edge and it serves the same purpose. Corners are blocked off at the top to keep them from stovepipe climbing out.
I don't have the pen near any fir trees because the needles might cause damage. I can't think really of any native plant I've seen that they can't eat.
Concerning predators to watch for, small rodents,possums,skunks,coyote,domestic dog, and any other carnivores you have in your neighborhood. I don't worry about crows/ravens at least at my house they aren't on the ground near the house. I have troughs set up in my garage for winter/nighttime keeping. If the rain is an all day 40 degree one, I keep them inside. Spring/summer rain I leave them in. Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

 

[karalisa78]

I'm in the cascade foothills east of Salem. Once the weather hits the 60's I bring mine out to the outdoor pen. I bring mine in at night. My outdoor enclosure is made with cinder blocks. Stacked two high with the top one over hanging into the enclosure side. This makes it very hard for them to climb out of. Some sections I just have a 2x10 piece of lumber that hangers over the inside edge and it serves the same purpose. Corners are blocked off at the top to keep them from stovepipe climbing out.
I don't have the pen near any fir trees because the needles might cause damage. I can't think really of any native plant I've seen that they can't eat.
Concerning predators to watch for, small rodents,possums,skunks,coyote,domestic dog, and any other carnivores you have in your neighborhood. I don't worry about crows/ravens at least at my house they aren't on the ground near the house. I have troughs set up in my garage for winter/nighttime keeping. If the rain is an all day 40 degree one, I keep them inside. Spring/summer rain I leave them in. Hope this helps and welcome to the forum.

Thanks! Do you have any pictures of your outdoor setup? Do they get all the light and heat they need with the temps at 60 degrees during the day?

 

[abclements]

Hi and welcome to the Forum! I am also from the Seattle area (Kent) but I'm over in Pullman for school. The biggest thing you have to do is watch out for those nocturnal animals like cowboy mentioned. Your outdoor enclosure can just have netting over it to keep the birds out as long as you bring your tort in every night. I would put him out as soon as the temp hits 60-65 (or when you wake up him up for the day on the warm days) and leave him out until it drops below 60-65 or it gets dark (whichever comes first). Here are some more specific answers to your questions.

What months do you usually house outdoors? No specific months just on days warmer than 60.

Do you need a heat source or UV light? The sun if the best UV light you can give a tort! Even when it's cloudy! No heat outside, if it drops below 60 just bring him in.

What type of enclosure do you use? I just use a kiddie pool, one of the plastic circles, but my torts only 3 inches long, so it depends on the size of yours. If you need to go bigger, you can make a crude rectangle out of 2 by 12's (stacked 2 high so you have 2 feet of exposed boards) to fit the right size needs, fill it with 6ish inches of top soil and plant it nicely, put a couple hides in there and you're good to go!

Do you have to watch out for any particular preditor or plant that is native here? No pine trees and if you bring him inside during the night, you just need to watch out for birds. Unless you have a dog in your house or a neighbors house that might get into your enclosure, then you might need to look into stronger barriers like a chain link fence or something...


What type of shelters do you use? Do you bring them in during rain? Clay pots, some big, some just big enough for him to fit into so he can choose. If it's warm enough to be outside it's warm enough to be rained on a little.

Any advice/suggestions? If you have to leave for a while, and it's close to that 60 degree mark, bring him inside so you don't have to worry about the temps dropping on you and you not being home to go bring him in.

Hope this helps!

 

[karalisa78]

That helps a lot! I worry about him getting chilled in a 60 degree temp. I guess, I don't need to? Thanks so much for all the info!!

 

[lynnedit]

I live in SW Washington.
I have two areas. Once has a greenhouse (insulated with bubble wrap and Tekfoil) where 3 torts live in on the ground, with a couple of basking lights and a Rubbermaid dog house with a black bulb on a thermostat. We use the shelves, lol.
They have lived out there since last May. The greenhouse is secure from predators. The outside run has no netting on it, but there are shrubs and one skinny plum tree that make it difficult for a raptor to land. We don't have raccoons or skunks. One large female in this area sleeps and basks in the GH, but goes outside for a 'walk about' every day if it is over 40f. then she comes back inside to warm up again. If you feel her shell after even 1/2 hour out there, it retains heat for awhile.
I have another area with a smaller homemade cold frame (wood sides and a polycarbonate lid) with a basking light.
This opens to an outdoor run, part is covered with lids with hardware mesh. This tort winters inside, but can probably go outside in March to at least October.
Remember, 60f during the day can be 80f if the sun hits a graveled area which absorbs heat. In the PNW, placing your enclosure in an area that gets sun 8 hours or so Spring to Fall is important. Watch the pattern of the sun in your yard all year long.

Both modeled after enclosures in the UK, where the GH or the cold frame extends the season on either end.
I have some pics in the enclosure section, but can try to link you to them or post them if needed.

 

[karalisa78]

I live in SW Washington.
I have two areas. Once has a greenhouse (insulated with bubble wrap and Tekfoil) where 3 torts live in on the ground, with a couple of basking lights and a Rubbermaid dog house with a black bulb on a thermostat. We use the shelves, lol.
They have lived out there since last May. The greenhouse is secure from predators. The outside run has no netting on it, but there are shrubs and one skinny plum tree that make it difficult for a raptor to land. We don't have raccoons or skunks. One large female in this area sleeps and basks in the GH, but goes outside for a 'walk about' every day if it is over 40f. then she comes back inside to warm up again. If you feel her shell after even 1/2 hour out there, it retains heat for awhile.
I have another area with a smaller homemade cold frame (wood sides and a polycarbonate lid) with a basking light.
This opens to an outdoor run, part is covered with lids with hardware mesh. This tort winters inside, but can probably go outside in March to at least October.
Remember, 60f during the day can be 80f if the sun hits a graveled area which absorbs heat. In the PNW, placing your enclosure in an area that gets sun 8 hours or so Spring to Fall is important. Watch the pattern of the sun in your yard all year long.

Both modeled after enclosures in the UK, where the GH or the cold frame extends the season on either end.
I have some pics in the enclosure section, but can try to link you to them or post them if needed.

A link would be great!

 

[lynnedit]

Can't find a link to the smaller enclosure with the cold frame, so here are some pics.

inside the cold frame

If you click on my name, it will take you to my information. You can click on 'Find all Threads' and you can find some pics of the GH (pretty desolate outside area when first built :O ), there are a few more of the outside area in the summer in later threads.

 

[pugsandkids]

I'm perusing this thread for ideas. I'm in southern Oregon and follow the same rules as Cowboy. Even if its a bit below 60, but there's sun available I'll put them out. My boys tell me when they're done. If they are digging in, I figure they've had enough

 

[lynnedit]

That's exactly right. Sort of a 'watch and listen to your tortoises' philosophy.