Rain & Mud !!

[ditzyangeluk]

Sorry for dense question but ...

My hermann Sparky is going out daily, in an enclsoure, with a mesh cover for protection.
My question is, when it rains, what do I do? If there is a sudden downpour and I can't cover up the encolsure in time, there will just be a mess of be mud from the topsoil in the enclosure. Yes? In the UK we can't predict when the bad weather is coming so how does this work?

Am I being dense?!

 

[leigti]

You can make sure that the enclosure has good drainage and that there are plants to keep the soil stable with their roots. Also that his hide is on "Highground" and does not flood. My Russian tortoise likes to come out in the rain in fact right this minute he iIS actually out in the rain. My Boxturtle likes it too.

 

[ditzyangeluk]

I am sure my Hermann will love the rain too - it's the mud I am bothered about. Is there anything else I can use as substrate outside apart from soil?

 

[Jabuticaba]

You could try coarse coconut coir. I agree with Leigti, as long as you provide dry, high ground your Hermann's should be fine.


May, Aussies, & THBs
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[leigti]

I think the dirt would be fine just put some other things in it such as plants, larger rocks or pebbles that he can't swallow, large pieces of bark he can walk on or pieces of wood or some pavers or flat pieces of slate. That way it won't be just dirt but there will be some other surfaces too. You can make the terrain hilly with high spots and low spots that way he can always hike to a higher level if he needs to.

 

[ditzyangeluk]

Oh yes, I have all that, it was the mud I was worried about as and when. Guess I'll just have to keep an eye on the weather and judge accordingly. Thank you

 

[leigti]

You can cover part of the enclosure or make a sort of box so that one part of it never gets wet. Other than that I think tortoises are like kids, they just like to get dirty.