Tortoise-worthy space??

[KellBell]

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Over the past few years we 'tortoise-sat' our neighbor's seventeen year old male desert tortoise when they would travel. On summer weekends they would bring their big guy to our place to forage for dandelions and we grew lettuces in our garden which my son loved feeding him. Sadly our neighbors moved last year and we're missing the tortoise! Thinking of getting our own and wondering if our space is tortoise-worthy? According to our neighbors, all we need is a shade structure (they used a dog house) a watering pan and visits to the grassy area.

Out neighbors kept their tortoise in their side yard. I was hoping to do the same. Our side yard (originally designed for an RV, it's our garden space now) is decomposed granite. It has a fencing separating it from the rest of the backyard (grass, fruit trees, patio and hot tub area). Would it be appropriate to make a free-roam space for a tortoise in our side yard? Please see photos and thank you again for your time!

 

[wellington]

If you could get some weeds and grasses growing in that area for it to graze on, I think it looks like a fairly good size, depending on the type of tortoise you get. Tortoises graze on and off all day, so really better if it can do that on its own schedule and not when you want to let him into the main yard. My opinion. I also would not want that smaller stone in with it, to possibly get swallowed and cause problems.
With a few modifications, I think it could be a good space

 

[edwardbo]

What's in that pond area? You have many options dividing that up into nice habitats.with a little work.

 

[Yvonne G]

The area shown in the last picture looks like a nice tortoise habitat. All that area needs is a shelter in the shade and a built in waterer. But fix the fence. If a tortoise can see daylight on the other side of a fence, he will try to dig or escape in that area (towards the back where a board is propping up the fence).

I don't like the area where the garden is. Too bleak and rocky. Tortoises need to be able to graze, they needs grass and weeds to walk on.

 

[KellBell]

I appreciate your responses! There's no pond area EdwardBo perhaps what you see is the bark overspray from the sprinkler? Yvonne, the fence is in decent shape, though light does filter through the spaces between the slats.
There are remnants from this summer expired sunflowers I have yet to remove leaving against it though . You can see light through the slats though around the whole fence though - sounds like that's a no go? I've added more photos of the fence. The main backyard has a fig, apple and plum tree plus a fruiting mulberry. Are any of these problematic to torts?

I actually thought the side yard would be best because it's drier and more desert like. It's also the most secure since the wood fencing abuts concrete footers, concrete driveway and house foundation....the main backyard has 120' or so of fence that borders open space with a creek.

 

[KellBell]

As for the species, we're open to whatever would do best. I like desert tortoises because of their size, and I like the idea of their hibernating as well. Sulcatas just seem too big, Russians too small.

 

[Yvonne G]

No, I thought (maybe it's a gate?) towards the back in that last picture that the fence is leaning and being supported by a board. Light between the slats is fine. It's more at the bottom where the tortoise is where you don't want light showing through.

 

[Gillian M]

That looks lovely, but is it safe enough? I wonder. A tort could disappear/escape/dig more easily than we think.

And a very warm welcome to the forum!

 

[KellBell]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. I'm beginning to see how the fencing in the main backyard area would be an issue for a tortoise...back to the drawing board I go . I appreciate your help.