Photos of Our Outdoor Russian Tortoise Enclosure and Garden

[Oxalis]

Hi all! I plan to close off the top of the enclosure (with chicken wire) to keep out hawks and rabbits. This way the tortoise mommy will be a lot more comfortable leaving Steve outside to play. I also have lots of new plants to try out, so I will have to post what I'll be planting later. I randomly threw down some Coreopsis seed, so I think that is sprouting now, and the Testudo Mix from Tortoise Supply is already coming back with a vengeance! So keep an eye out for photos!

 

[Oxalis]

I don't have any mold issues when I use wood, and a 2x12 will take a long time to rot through. You can use some other material for the roof if it suits your climate better.

Thanks, Tom! What with our drastic changes in humidity throughout the year, I'll look into that!!

 

[Oxalis]

Here's Stevie enjoying a last few minutes in his garden before we took down the fences.



And then I'll get together our weekend photos of re-building!

 

[Oxalis]

Day 1

First we tore down the old fences and then put down the rocks around where the new fencing will go. Hopefully this will keep him from burrowing out under the fence.



I got another tortoise statue, so I'll have to find a place for him!


Here's another photo of the bricks. I can't believe we had enough from around the yard to fit under all the new fencing.


I pulled a couple weeds to see if I could identify them once they got a little older. Any ideas?


Day 2

Thank goodness for the nice weather this weekend! But we did get a bit warm and sun-burnt... We put up the posts (4''x4'' douglas fir) and connected them to cross beams (2''x4'' treated wood, most likely pine). Our awesome Michigan clay held the posts in place pretty well!!


Here's my tortoise sign, cleaned and ready to go up on a post.


Here's my boyfriend getting the pieces assembled.


Here are the new walls, which are a foot high made from cedar (which smell awesome!).


Next I will be covering up the rocks with dirt/clay and flattening out the ground. Then I will take Steve out there to see how he fits. I probably won't need another layer of cedar boards along the walls since we plan to cover the "ceiling" and "walls" with chicken wire. That should keep out the hawks and rabbits and keep Stevie in. The reason for the height is because I did not want to restrict the growth of my plants, and I wanted the space to go inside and rototill or work in the garden. We didn't plan on it being this tall (~ 8') but we worked with the lumber that was available at Lowe's. We should be putting a door on the side too; I'll just have to step up and over the cedar walls. I also have a few bricks left to put out as basking rocks for Steve. I will probably have to buy more dirt to cover up all the spaces under the walls (both on the inside and outside), but so far I've spent quite a pretty penny on this project! Steve is definitely worth it though!

 

[DawnH]

Love, love, LOVE it!!!

 

[Oxalis]

Here is the list of native Michigan species I will be purchasing to plant in Steve's enclosure (scientific name; common name). These are from the Native Plant Nursery LLC nearby in Ann Arbor and are all grown without pesticides. This was just all that was available from the Native Plant Nursery. There is also 2 Michigan native Hibiscus species, believe it or not, and I plant to get at least one if I can find it. I also have a list of seeds at home that I will post later. Everything I chose is categorized as either "safe to feed" or "safe in moderation" on The Tortoise Table. In the end, there should be some really good variety available for him!

Aster laevis; Smooth Aster
Aster novae-angliae; New-England Aster
Aster oolentangiensis; Sky Blue Aster
Aster shortii; Short's aster
Coreopsis lanceolata; Sand Coreopsis
Coreopsis tripteris; Tall Coreopsis
Geranium maculatum; Wild Geranium
Mimulus ringens; Monkey Flower
Monarda fistulosa; Beebalm
Monarda punctata; Horsemint
Oenothera biennis; Evening Primrose

Potted:
Opuntia humifusa; Prickly pear

Outside the enclosure:
Rosa palustris; Swamp rose
Rosa setigera; Prairie rose

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Lovely thread.
Thanks for these updates.

 

[Oxalis]

Here is my list of seeds (so far) from Burpee.

Hollyhock, Fordhook Giants Mix, Malva Real
Echinacea, Purple Coneflower, Equinacea
Coreopsis, Mardi Gras
Viola, Johnny-Jump-Up
Pansy, Trimardeau Mix

After I plant everything, I'll see if there's room for more. More photos to come!

 

[Oxalis]

Here are a couple photos of Steve exploring the new garden! Haven't had a chance to cover all the bricks with dirt yet -- it's been a busy week!! Should be picking up my baby native plants next Saturday, woot!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Looks good so far.
But careful Steve doesn't dig under or climb over it.
You know what Russians can be like.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

He can climb chicken wire.

 

[Oxalis]

You know what Russians can be like.

Yes: very good at making trouble!!!

 

[Oxalis]

He can climb chicken wire.

Really? That wouldn't surprise me with him being a crazy Russian escape artist! When I took him outside yesterday though, it looked like he wouldn't be able to climb to the top of the fence, so I think we'll be OK. It's 12'' high.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Did you cap the corners? Corners are designed for escape.

 

[Oxalis]

Thanks to @Odin's Gma, I used the idea to dig out a hide, surround it with bricks, and then put one on top. Here's Steve checking out the area:



Here's the finished hide, with a nice slope down to it:



I picked up some extra dirt and placed the rest of our bricks around as basking rocks. The flamingo is back too! Here's the north end of the garden:



The tortoise sculpture is back too; I just have to wash off the water dish and all that's left is the chicken wire. I had to order best fit chicken wire online so I'm waiting for it to arrive at the store. We'll have to design and build a door as well but then it's just gardening and planting seeds after that -- next Saturday!! So stay tuned!

 

[Odin's Gma]

That is wonderful! Steve looks very pleased.

 

[Oxalis]

That is wonderful! Steve looks very pleased.

He should be; he's super spoiled!!

 

[DawnH]

He looks in awe of his new digs!! Great job!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I really like what you have done!

 

[Oxalis]

I really like what you have done!

Thanks, everyone! Wait till July -- I bet it'll be a jungle again!

I have a question (for anyone) regarding the tortoise hide. Is there a worry that it could flood? I plan to take him inside when it rains anyway; just curious though. Thanks!