Outdoor Housing For Beginners

[alben909]

Hi all you tortoise lovers. My names Alec and i own two 13 & 12 inch tortoises that have outgrown their cage in my house. I have already bought a dogloo but its rectangular. I have made it really easy to access for my tortoises. It has a hole at the top for the heat lamp to snuggly fit in. If it gets to hot, i have built them a burrow-like strucure made out of half of a black bucket and a slight downhill hole i dug. I have weeds and grasses in the area and a tree that constantly drops its leaves. Tommarrow i am going to dig a hole and outline it with a thick sheet of plastic for their water dish. I really dont know where to put a heating pad without them acually laying on it so i just left it out. I also outlined the whole fenced perimeter with a foot deep of metal rods. They are completely seperated from my lazy dog Gunner. How does this whole setup sound. BTW i have not moved them into the enclosure yet. I just wanted to check with some more experinced tortoise owners.

 

[Madkins007]

Species?

Sounds like a good start, but the 'devil is in the details'. Photos would help if possible.

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum and we LOVE PICS

Alec what species of tortoise do you have?

 

[alben909]

I have two Sulcata tortoises

 

[alben909]

Oh and by the way, im doing this from my Coby tablet and its camera is TERRIBLE. Sorry but i dont think i could. Maybe you can just give me advise about any native plants or other details like that.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Alec:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know appx. where in the world you are?

You didn't say how big an area you fenced off for the tortoises. Two sulcatas will require quite a big yard. In fact, it would be best if they can have the whole back yard.

 

[alben909]

I live in Yuciapa Ca where the yards are big. Our plan was to keep the tortoises in the enclosure that is about ten yards long and five yards wide till i got home at 3:00 p.m and then let it roam my 1 acer back yard until the morning. Also i have a hill in my backyard that i am unsure if its safe. So what do you think.

 

[nicoleandrocky]

I live in Yuciapa Ca where the yards are big. Our plan was to keep the tortoises in the enclosure that is about ten yards long and five yards wide till i got home at 3:00 p.m and then let it roam my 1 acer back yard until the morning. Also i have a hill in my backyard that i am unsure if its safe. So what do you think.

Is it a steep hill ?

 

[ascott]

I think that sounds good....also...as they grow you may find that just leaving them free run of the entire fenced in yard will make for happier torts....are they both the same sex?

 

[alben909]

It is kind of a steep hill but they easily climb it. And yes i think they are both females. I really wanted a male but oh well. Will they fight.

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Oh does anyone know what to use for a water dish outdoors?:shy:

 

[Yvonne G]

I use the lid of a large plastic garbage toter for my sulcata:

And for the box turtles, I scooped out some dirt and lined it with Redi-Mix:

 

[alben909]

Thanks, and by the way beautiful tort. He looks happy. Do you think spraying a hole alot with waterproof in a can(a spray that you put on shoes or cloths etc to make them waterproof) would work.

 

[nicoleandrocky]

In regards to the hill, it will be fine.
For dishes you can use plastic tubs, terra cotta pot bottoms, or even large dog bowls!
http://ojaisulcataproject.org/assets/sulcata_saucer.jpg

 

[ascott]

I would not use the waterproof spray chemical.....I love Thinned idea of the plastic trash lid....awesome....

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Apology...using my dumb smart phone....the words thinned in my prior post should have been the.....

 

[alben909]

Oh my gosh your right about the chemical stuff. Thanks for that. I will probobly take a lid of of my old trash cans awesome idea indead.

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By the way, what do you need more, a heating pad or a heating lamp. And if the heating pad is more nessesary, how would you set it up where theyre not laying on it directly- is it bad if they lay on it directly?

 

[ascott]

Heating from above....this would be more important in my opinion...

 

[alben909]

Ok thanks. I was just working on my enclosure. I have a mixure of dirt,rocks,and grasses & weeds. Does this subsrate sound good?