Tort Enclosure in progress Need feedback please

[rsross1970]

O.k.I have been puting this enclosure together with what time I have. Which has been alot of fun. I am not finished with it yet. I have to add the plastic pond liner to connect the waterfall area to the plastic pond. Also I have to fill the pond with large rocks and slate. I am making it a pondless waterfall set up. I figure that having running water will help keep a tort happy and healthy.I will also be providing a substrate that is a mix of cypress mulch and peatmoss mixed with 50/50 mix soil,all natural and great for plants. I also have on order a large container of irish moss seeds for ground cover. I've thought about adding some nesturshums from seed for color. I have provided a cave type of shelter with a heat source and lots of natural plants around the enclosure for comfort and most likely extra treats for any tort. When the sun is out it gets plenty of basking sunshine on half of the area. I will also be adding atleast another one to two levels of wall bricks to help keep from tort escapes. I am not positive yet what type of tort to put in here. My thoughts are a pair of redfoot adults or a pair of yellowfoots. That or I was thinking of going with a few of hingebacks in here. But from what I've found on hingebacks you have to be careful of disease and they according to what I've found are kinda picky eaters and not so socialable. Anyways please give me some feedback on this set up and opinions please. Don't be shy..

 

[N2TORTS]

Anyways please give me some feedback on this set up and opinions please. Don't be shy..

Great looking setup! ... your hard work shows! .. Nice to see others " extreme out" their torts "Pad" The one thing I was wondering...is what kind of tort is going ot be living here? Also the retaining wall "inside" to keep the tort "confined" . Might be a little low. They are actually pretty good climbers and from what it looks like is your wall "inside lip" is about 6" . That might be fine for a junior but an adult will be able to climb over that .
Nice work .. once again! ...
JD~

 

[Millerlite]

looks good, like above said looks like the walks are a little on the small side, but thats a easy fix, i want to say your going to have a rf torotise or something, but what are you going to keep in there?

 

[Yvonne G]

If you're looking to get adult tortoises, then plan on buying more blocks. You'll need to stack them 3-high to keep an adult inside. I'm thinking redfoots.

 

[reptylefreek]

well his little avatar kinda looks like a baby sulcata... that looks excellent for a baby, should last a little while if thats the case

 

[Rhyno47]

Ponds might be too deep. If a tort falls in they'll sink to the bottom.

 

[goodsmeagol]

Ponds might be too deep. If a tort falls in they'll sink to the bottom.

Thats also an easy fix.
A few fist sized rocks to fill in the space...

 

[Kristina]

Or pea gravel. I made my Hingeback pond shallower by adding a layer of pea gravel that I bought at Home Depot for less than $3. It has less large spaces to allow mulm/feces to fall into and decay, and you can actually clean it with an aquarium gravel vaccuum.

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I think it is looking really good, as long as you make the wall higher and make sure no one will fall in and get trapped and drown.

 

[GBtortoises]

Looks pleasing for the human eye but for the tortoise the sides need to be higher and the ponds more shallow.

 

[Nay]

RSROSS,
I think you did a great job.I love seeing new ideas!!
I wonder if you can post another pic of the smaller water pond,the one that has two pieces?
I bought that piece also and am having trouble figuring out what to do after it overflows,looks like you have a second piece added?
Thanks na

 

[terryo]

I think that enclosure is absolutely beautiful. A beautiful little Redfoot would love it there. Just add some black river rocks (I get a bag in the dollar store here) in the little pond to make it more shallow, and one or two more layers of bricks, so he can't climb out. I love it.

 

[rsross1970]

I think that enclosure is absolutely beautiful. A beautiful little Redfoot would love it there. Just add some black river rocks (I get a bag in the dollar store here) in the little pond to make it more shallow, and one or two more layers of bricks, so he can't climb out. I love it.

Thanks for all the great comments. I love building this set up. I will be adding atleast two more levels of the brick wall all around and I will be filling that pond with rock so that the tortoise won't fall in, but still allow atleast a two inches of water for him to soak in. I will be puting up more pictures as this set up finishes up. I do own a baby sulcata at this time but I am looking to find him a better home. I want to go with a pair of either redfoots or yellow foots. Maybe that or a few forrest hingebacks. But my favorite is the redfoots.


-rsross1970

 

[Millerlite]

i would go with some redfooted tortoises, the hingebacks are a little harder to care for because they are hard to find a decent pair without running into problems, plus redfoots are really active and would love that enclosure,

 

[Jacqui]

Looking good so far! I do have a question, what size is this enclosure? Wondering especially since you mentioned a pair of ADULT redfoots. (or yellows).

 

[rsross1970]

Looking good so far! I do have a question, what size is this enclosure? Wondering especially since you mentioned a pair of ADULT redfoots. (or yellows).

The enclosure long portion that runs along the portion of the house is about 8 foot wide by about 18 foot long. The other portion ( rounded portion at one end ) of the enclosure is around 5' x 5' in size. The reason I mentioned a pair of adults for redfoots or yellowfoots is because I found a breeder online who has some really nice looking redfoots and yellowsfoots adults for sale.I am starting to think that the yellowfoots may be a little to large, but maybe not? However since I've posted this thread here in this forum. I've been approached by someone else who has some sub-adults redfoots for sale. So I'm waiting on this person to contact me with some more information on them. Besides I really am a fan of redfoots.

 

[Millerlite]

yellowfooted tortoises can get pretty big, redfooted tortoises are cool though, i still want some.