Thanks to Tom and others for great info NEW Enclosure

LostInTheBoonies

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This is Thick Rick. He will be a year old around feb or so. I have used info on this forum to raise him. His new pen is a work in progress . I installed a water dish and some shade for him while digging him a sweet burrow. He eats pellets and mixed greens sprinkled with vitamins I would like to say THANK you to all the people who have provided great information here especially Tom. AD581F55-72E2-4BC1-956B-1F44299226FD.jpeg A SIDE NOTE TO TOM : Tom, thanks for your info. When the internet first started I was a meme we of many DTV hacking forums and we had a knowledgeable guy named Tom who provided many of us with free direct tv for many years. You remind me of him. Not the same guy right ?
 

Yvonne G

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It's good that you're trying to improve your tortoise's living conditions, and the enclosure looks nice, but I have a couple suggestions - make it bigger and make the walls taller.

That tortoise will have no trouble at all climbing out of that space.
 

g4mobile

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Definitely go bigger. Start with 4ft x12ft or so. He needs a hiding place and ceramic water dish. Plant grass in a couple areas and let it grow as tall as it wants.

I agree with Yvonne above that the sides should be taller. A good rule of thumb is the sides should be as tall as the tortoise is long (X2). If your tortoise is 8" long, then you need sides at least 16" tall.
 

Aloysius Taschse

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Trust me, you don't want to have short walls. (RIP Hermin). Also, is that the permanent enclosure or did you post the wrong picture? You said that you had dug a burrow and gave him water, but I don't see those in the picture. Whichever situation, like Yvonne G and Tom (who didn't actually say it, but I'm sure he would), bigger is better. (With walls and square meters). Good luck!
 

gurgleblaster

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I agree with what others said. Also keep all dogs away and so they can never get too the tort. They will chew on him.
Not all dogs chew on torts. I have a blind deaf pekingnese that will happily sniff around like a roomba but her chewing days are long gone. Just enjoying her retirement in laps.
 

wellington

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All healthy dogs, big or small well trained or not, eventually will chew on the tort.
We have heard all the excuses here before and it always seems to still happen time after time.
But yes, I understand what you are saying about your old girl. Living the golden years spoiled I'm betting.
 

gurgleblaster

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Yeah. She is the last of our three my wife and I had when we got together. The other two were 18 and 10 and are missed dearly
 

LostInTheBoonies

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It's good that you're trying to improve your tortoise's living conditions, and the enclosure looks nice, but I have a couple suggestions - make it bigger and make the walls taller.

That tortoise will have no trouble at all climbing out of that space.
He can’t climb out of it at all but thanks again for the concern. I also have a wire cover that I built for it. To keep any predators out. He might one day be able to climb out but not yet. In my original post I stated that I am adding a burrow as well as shade and water. I never leave him outside for any long periods of time or when we are not home. Thanks again for the comments
 

LostInTheBoonies

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Trust me, you don't want to have short walls. (RIP Hermin). Also, is that the permanent enclosure or did you post the wrong picture? You said that you had dug a burrow and gave him water, but I don't see those in the picture. Whichever situation, like Yvonne G and Tom (who didn't actually say it, but I'm sure he would), bigger is better. (With walls and square meters). Good luck! This is just temporary so he has a place to sun himself. I added water and burrow. I also have a wire cover that works perfect. This pen is obviously a work in progress that will continue through his lifetime.
 

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