Summer!

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joshtaylor123

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So I'm starting to make Marvin (TTBT) a pin outside for the summer and I need ideas. It's going to be in our old garden, I know it needs fencing around and above it do he can't get out and nothing can get in. What else should I put? What are some edible plants to plant in there?

Also, I'm wanting to add a Koy Pond in there so he has a place to soak and so my family can enjoy watching the fish. Since Koi need deep water, could I make the water get deeper and deeper so Arvin still has shallow water to be in? Or will he go too far and drown?
 

wellington

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Search on this forum for enclosures. You will find many to get you going. Second look on thetortoisetable.org for edible safe plants. Third, I don't know what kind of tort you have to know if it can swim. If it can then you shouldn't have a problem with how deep your pond is as long as he can get out of it. You don't really need that deep of a pond for koi though either. Mine is four feet at the deepest, however 2-3 feet is fine also. don't forget to post pics for us :D
 

joshtaylor123

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wellington said:
Search on this forum for enclosures. You will find many to get you going. Second look on thetortoisetable.org for edible safe plants. Third, I don't know what kind of tort you have to know if it can swim. If it can then you shouldn't have a problem with how deep your pond is as long as he can get out of it. You don't really need that deep of a pond for koi though either. Mine is four feet at the deepest, however 2-3 feet is fine also. don't forget to post pics for us :D

Thank you! And I have a 3 toed box turtle. And thanks about the depth of the pond!!
 

joshtaylor123

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Got almost done today! I'm going to plant more plants when I have the chance and put up the fencing! Also, I planted grass seed in between the big rocks so that should grow soon! Sorry it's hard to see when I took the pictures the sun was going down. Tell me what u think! Thank you!

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dmmj

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The best advice I got about box turtles pens, was if you can't see the turtle then you have a good enclosure.
 

dmarcus

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Once you add more plant's and get the fencing put in you should be good, you could add some leaf litter or a log to hide under. I think it looks great...
 

terryo

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That will be a great enclosure once you put in plenty of plants. My Dad always said...first make a beautiful garden, and then put your turtles in. I love the look of your pond. Very nice. I wouldn't put a Koi pond in with your box turtles. Even though they can swim, it's a struggle for them. And also the Koi grow really big and you'll need a very big pond. My Koi pond was 1,000 gal. and I only had 5 Koi in there. They need a lot of space.
 

joshtaylor123

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terryo said:
That will be a great enclosure once you put in plenty of plants. My Dad always said...first make a beautiful garden, and then put your turtles in. I love the look of your pond. Very nice. I wouldn't put a Koi pond in with your box turtles. Even though they can swim, it's a struggle for them. And also the Koi grow really big and you'll need a very big pond. My Koi pond was 1,000 gal. and I only had 5 Koi in there. They need a lot of space.

The weather here is so bipolar anyways that I don't think I would put fish outside. So yeah.. And should I have plants covering every part or what?

dmarcus said:
Once you add more plant's and get the fencing put in you should be good, you could add some leaf litter or a log to hide under. I think it looks great...

Yeah I'm adding more plants and fencing.. And I'm going to put some leaves in and hay maybe? And the pot On its side is the hide box thing. And thanks!

Jacqui said:
So you gave up on the koi?

I think so.. The pond didn't end up as deep as I wanted. Darn. I really wanted them haha but oh well!

dmmj said:
The best advice I got about box turtles pens, was if you can't see the turtle then you have a good enclosure.

Thanks for the advice!
 

terryo

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I like lots of plants and ground cover. I use a lot of red clover, creeping jenny, hosta....They love the hosta. They draw slugs, which the boxies love and they sit under them for shade. A fig tree...I just let them get ripe and fall. Pansies look so pretty for the Spring. Lots of moss around the pond...it spreads too.
 

joshtaylor123

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terryo said:
I like lots of plants and ground cover. I use a lot of red clover, creeping jenny, hosta....They love the hosta. They draw slugs, which the boxies love and they sit under them for shade. A fig tree...I just let them get ripe and fall. Pansies look so pretty for the Spring. Lots of moss around the pond...it spreads too.

Thank you sooo much!
 

LittleTurtles

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Also, with koi, or any type of goldfish, you need SERIOUS filtration going on as they produce a LOT of ammonia which can burn their skin once it reaches high levels.... Im not sure if it would harm a tort, but I doubt it would be comftorable or tasty to drink from not to mention the fish would have trouble... otherwise... I LOVE the enclosure... Im not sure if Terry has had the issues with Pansies, but they tend to seed (at least the dwarfs did for me) and take over the grass (my dad is a big lawn guy and has forbid pansies since they seeded in his lawn)....
 

joshtaylor123

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LittleTurtles said:
Also, with koi, or any type of goldfish, you need SERIOUS filtration going on as they produce a LOT of ammonia which can burn their skin once it reaches high levels.... Im not sure if it would harm a tort, but I doubt it would be comftorable or tasty to drink from not to mention the fish would have trouble... otherwise... I LOVE the enclosure... Im not sure if Terry has had the issues with Pansies, but they tend to seed (at least the dwarfs did for me) and take over the grass (my dad is a big lawn guy and has forbid pansies since they seeded in his lawn)....

Good to know! I'll just leave the fish out then! Thank you!
 
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