Outdoor housing and cohabiting species

[Dkozi7]

I am looking at constructing a fairly low cost outdoor enclosure in my backyard in Georgia. I am also researching having both my yearling leopard tortoises and two female iguanas housed there as well for the summer. Has anyone done this or have recommendations or suggestions ? The enclosure would need to be at least 4-5 ft tall as iguanas are arboreal ? Would like to keep cost around $150 or less. Thanks!!

 

[Merrick]

You could try making a basic tortoise wooden pen then a screen top attached to it (by screen top I mean 5 feet high with a roof all made of metal screening) @Turtlepete did something like it

 

[Tom]

I would not recommend mixing species. Potential for injury and disease transmission is high. These two species come from different continents and carry different gut flora and fauna. When the iguanas poop and it falls to the floor, you can be sure that the tortoises will run over and eat it. Feces is one of the normal foods consumed by leopard tortoises in the wild.

Better to build two separate enclosures.

One other thing... In case you don't know it, most indoor lizards get super-charged by the sun. Your normally tame mild mannered indoor pet will turn into Godzilla in the sun. I recommend gloves and goggles the first time you go to pick him up. I find that after about two weeks of sunning all day, most of them tend to calm back down a little bit, but not all of them.

 

[bouaboua]

Agree with Tom. You need to build two enclosure.

I mix two different species before, almost suffered the consequences.