Planning a first enclosure

Ladylikepunk

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Joined
Jun 5, 2015
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7
Location (City and/or State)
London
I'm planning on adopting a rescue tortoise - either a hermanns or a horsfield/Russian, as they're the commonest in rescues here (I'd like a boxie or an Indian star, but they're less easily available, and I definitely want a rescue). I don't know which tortoise I'll get, but from looking at rescue sites, it would either be a young adult (5-10 years) or a much older tortoise. I would be happy either way - but I'm planning for an adult.

I'll be building an outdoor enclosure in the back garden, nice and secure to keep out the dogs (and the local fox population) - more a raised bed style with an aviary mesh lid. The space I've got earmarked is going to be long rather than square. I haven't gotten in an measured, but eyeballing - 4ft wide and I could go up to 10ft long, maybe a bit more if I went for an L-shape rather than a rectangle (we're building with recycled pallets, so this is theoretically feesable). It would be deep enough for a Russian to dig, with drainage aplenty because my garden is on clay, and I'd include a cloche-style warm hide and a wooden hide that could possibly be heated at night. Then indoor accommodation in a big rabbit cage - and hibernation once it gets cold.

Is 4ft x10ft , so 40sq ft (3.7sq m) big enough for either a hermanns or a horsfield/Russian?

Here's a plan:
31DB63A1-07B7-4571-9C1D-B1B7114DD016_zps6gpitgql.jpg
 
Last edited:

wellington

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Chicago, Illinois, USA
Hello and Welcome:). Congrats on the future rescue. The enclosure sounds and looks great. The bigger the better, so do at least the 10 feet and bigger if possible. Don't forget to share a pic of your new family member when you get him or her.
 

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