Outdoor Enclosure Question

[Kerryann]

I am thinking of having an outdoor enclosure built for my baby girl, but I have some questions. I am thinking of having it built in an area that used to not receive much sun but now does due to cutting down some trees(so there is not much there right now). I had planned to build it up with either wood or rock walls and have bricks embedded in the bottom with organic topsoil on top of that. I already have researched to find plants that would give her nutrition and also be pretty.
My question is how do you enclose her and ensure that no raccoons, coyotes, neighbor children or birds will get to her? I am not allowed to have fences of any sort in my sub and I have four kids that share my backyard(I plan to put this in my side yard).
I really want to do this for her but I keep thinking there is no way I would ever leave my dogs outside if I am not there to watch them, so how can I ensure her safety? I was hoping someone had already crossed this bridge and had recommendations.

 

[GBtortoises]

For certain an outdoor enclosure for Russian tortoises should receive as much natural sunlight as possible. It also needs to situated in an area that has good drainage and is not damp too long after it rains. All walls need to be high enough so that your tortoise(s) cannot climb over and of a material that they cannot easily climb at all. There is really no need for organic topsoil outdoors as a substrate. Whatever soil is presently there, as long as it's known to be chemical free is fine. As with the general location, the soil should be such that it does not retain excessive moisture either. Most purpose mixed topsoil, bagged or otherwish generally does hold moisture. Depending upon the soil quality you have or use you may have to increase it's drainage ability by adding some sand and small stones.
If predators are a concern then it would be best if you built a strong, secure, lockable top. Screen or fence material can be used to allow sunlight and air flow in to the enclosure. It just has to be sturdy enough to also keep the predators (including kids) out.
Tortoises don't really need watching outside as long as they're in a secure enclosure. They'll do fine as long as they are given the requirements necessary for daily activity-sun, shelter, water and food.

 

[wellington]

Tom has a thread showing what he has built Basically 2x4 frame that sits on top of your encloser with chicken wire attached. You can hinge it on if you wanted or just lay it on top. The chicken wire is spaced far enouh apart to allow sufficient sun/uvb/uva. If I can find the thread, I will post it on here.
Found it
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Easy...z1lj7V3VAL

 

[Kerryann]

The area doesn't have much for dirt other than a rooty clay currently, so for anything to grow I will have to put in dirt. I can't do the chicken wire it is considered fencing. I basically need to have something that looks like a flower bed. I don't plan to leave her out at night(too scary), but I was thinking that I could put her out before I go to work and have my husband bring her in when he gets home.

 

[ascott]

A raised flower bet is actually perfect...before you do the box..simply lay down some chicken wire leaving a few inches out around the bottom past the edges of the box..then set the flower box...then pull that couple inches up and around the bottom of the box on the outside bottom and staple or nail with small tack nails..then make a wood box frame around the top...the same size as the flower box...making sure it is flush with the top of the box...then take that framed top and stretch the chicken wire over the frame then neaten the edges by pulling the chicken wire tight over each side and staple or tack with small tack nails and then add a latch to all four sides to the flower box and the lid...then if anyone says anything tell them you have a guard tortoise for your flower box....lol... if you do it very neat and tidy you likely will not even have anyone notice it as anything other than a raised flower bed....also if you want to...you could place a potted plant or two that can sit right on the top corners of the enclosure to provide shade and also be what is apparent plants on your flower box????

 

[wellington]

You can't have the chicken wire as a top? If you can't use chicken wire or anything like that for a top, my only solution would be to build a pergula type top and hide the fencing inbetween the slats and hopefully you don't get caught or you will have to use plexi glass and drill lots of holes in it. However I would be very carefull on watching the temps with plexiglass as it can get hot very hot in there and he will cook. I can't think of anything else. Maybe someone else has some ideas

The area doesn't have much for dirt other than a rooty clay currently, so for anything to grow I will have to put in dirt. I can't do the chicken wire it is considered fencing. I basically need to have something that looks like a flower bed. I don't plan to leave her out at night(too scary), but I was thinking that I could put her out before I go to work and have my husband bring her in when he gets home.

 

[lynnedit]

You can put plexiglass over 1/3 or 1/4 of the enclosure for a 'warming area', as long as the tort can get to other open areas for sun, have shade, etc.
You want a secure enclosure for dogs, etc., but you could certainly bring the tort in at night to burrow down, then back out in the am.

Here are pics of mine, it has galvanized wire on top, but maybe that is a 'no-no' too? The area at the back is a cold frame, and has heating and a basking light for cloudy or cool mornings or days.
After I took this pic, I painted the wire black so you can barely see it. (note to self: do that before you install it next time).

 

[GBtortoises]

You can put plexiglass over 1/3 or 1/4 of the enclosure for a 'warming area', as long as the tort can get to other open areas for sun, have shade, etc.
You want a secure enclosure for dogs, etc., but you could certainly bring the tort in at night to burrow down, then back out in the am.

Here are pics of mine, it has galvanized wire on top, but maybe that is a 'no-no' too? The area at the back is a cold frame, and has heating and a basking light for cloudy or cool mornings or days.
After I took this pic, I painted the wire black so you can barely see it. (note to self: do that before you install it next time).

You can't get much better than that outdoor enclosure, it's got about everything a tortoise needs and looks great too!

There should be a sign on the front of it that says: "The Taj Mah Tortoise"

 

[Kerryann]

That enclosure is low enough to the ground that it could really work. It doesn't look like you can even see the wire the way it is designed. I could put some wood chips and some plants around it also to kind of disguise it. That is really neat and would be a cool way for betty to have some outdoor time. I figured someone else had encountered my issue

 

[lynnedit]

Thanks tort peeps.

Here is a pic of the bottom, trying to be predator and tort secure. Neighbor had tons of bricks, but I think they were overkill.
I used plastic wire because EVERYTHING rusts in the PNW. It is bent up the inside and stapled. Then gravel for drainage, which would have been enough w/o the bricks, lol. Sides are old cedar 2"x8"s, but I treated them with waterproof stain. You can use treated wood, or plywood or composite wood.
If your walls are about 20" high, you can excavate a few inches, add gravel to ground level, then add enough soil for 6-8" with mounds. With the lid, torts can't get out.
In the case of the cold frame, go at least 24 or even 30" high to accommodate a basking light.

Inside of cold frame:

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

You can put plexiglass over 1/3 or 1/4 of the enclosure for a 'warming area', as long as the tort can get to other open areas for sun, have shade, etc.
You want a secure enclosure for dogs, etc., but you could certainly bring the tort in at night to burrow down, then back out in the am.

Here are pics of mine, it has galvanized wire on top, but maybe that is a 'no-no' too? The area at the back is a cold frame, and has heating and a basking light for cloudy or cool mornings or days.
After I took this pic, I painted the wire black so you can barely see it. (note to self: do that before you install it next time).

That is a nice pen!

 

[Kerryann]

You can put plexiglass over 1/3 or 1/4 of the enclosure for a 'warming area', as long as the tort can get to other open areas for sun, have shade, etc.
You want a secure enclosure for dogs, etc., but you could certainly bring the tort in at night to burrow down, then back out in the am.

Here are pics of mine, it has galvanized wire on top, but maybe that is a 'no-no' too? The area at the back is a cold frame, and has heating and a basking light for cloudy or cool mornings or days.
After I took this pic, I painted the wire black so you can barely see it. (note to self: do that before you install it next time).

That is a nice pen!

It really is. I am so excited now. We are going to build the exterior of it in the same wood as our landscaping timbers and put untreated wood on the interior. We are going attach it to a bed towards the front of the house where there are already timbers and extend it out so it looks like the bed is longer and one timber higher but it will hide her outdoor enclosure. I am getting excited about building this

 

[lynnedit]

oh, how fun! Remember to take pics along the way to post in the enclosure section. Can't wait!

 

[Kerryann]

Here is my first drawing of it to show my husband what to draw up. It's kind of hilarious. Anything brown/green represents woodchips

 

[lynnedit]

That is kind of funny, lol!
So the enclosure will start at the shed and go around the house? If so, that is a nice idea, different sun/shade exposure. Can you utilize part of the shed for the tortoise too? And what is Betty's hole, sounds neat!

 

[Kerryann]

I hadn't planned on putting any in the shade but i like the idea now that you mention it. Her hole was going to be the box the arrow was pointing at only. The shed can't be integrated because we are already in the subdivision naughty box for the shed so I don't want to do anything to make it stand out or depend on it. I was going to make her outdoor enclosure like about 5 ft by 3 feet but I could make it like 5x5 and put some in where it'd be in the shade.

 

[lynnedit]

OK, now I see. Yes, hard to imagine this time of year worrying about shade, but there will come a time.
PLan to make her spot as large as you can get away with. You will never regret making it bigger. Most of the time, we wish our enclosures were.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Wow, Lynn. That is a nice outdoor pen.

 

[Kerryann]

OK, now I see. Yes, hard to imagine this time of year worrying about shade, but there will come a time.
PLan to make her spot as large as you can get away with. You will never regret making it bigger. Most of the time, we wish our enclosures were.

That is a great idea considering the garden I am running it next to already extends that far back anyway. It will match even better

 

[lynnedit]

Way to disguise it!