What do you use for swimming holes?

[mary t]

Hey all- it feels like forever since I've had a chance to get one the site. I LOVE THE NEW IPAD APP!

Anyway back to my topic, I'm needing to increase an area for Willie to cool off in. I used a birdbath last year and well I noticed a few days ago, my big boy doesn't fit in it anymore. Being in central Florida- I can't keep a mud hole wet, it drys up as fast as I get it going. Any suggestions. I was thinking of a shallow concrete pond, I could line it with river rocks to smooth it out.....

I've attached a picture from last summer- he spends a lot of time "swimming". But the last weigh in he is 25 pounds, in this pic he was only about 18...

Thanks for any suggestions....

 

[Len B]

This is what I made for my sulcata, it is easy to clean, just turn it up rinse and refill, and can be made to any size you want.

 

[wellington]

I made a small cement pond for my Leo. Just dig the size you want, pour cement, I used my gloved hand to spread around and let dry and cure. I also, placed a PVC pipe into the ground in the middle of the pond, placed a sink pop up stopper in it. This way I can rinse out the pond every day. Just be sure you don't make my mistake. I forgot to put some kind of air pipe, so mine drains slow.
I have also seen someone use a kiddie pool. Cut a section out of the side, leaving a little lip on the bottom for tort entrance, then sunk into ground on an angle, so the part that didn't have the entrance cut out, was the deeper end.

 

[mary t]

Thanks for the ideas guys.. A concrete one with a drain is a great idea. I made a French drain under the birdbath so I could just dump it. I could pull the plug and let it go down into the rocks... How big did you make yours, Wellington?

 

[Yvonne G]

This is a plastic boot thing-a-ma-bob, made for you to put your boots in outside the door. I use this for the Gulf Coast box turtles.

This was one of my failures. Its a plastic thing you take to the snow and slide down the hill in:

Dudley, 100lb sulcata, has been using this one for several years. It's the top of a garbage toter:

This is a cement-lined hole in the ground for the box turtles:

This is a cement mixing tub with two Manouria in it, and a garbage toter lid to the right:

And just for some comic relief, "GET OUT OF MY BATH TUB!!!!" :

 

[mary t]

Emy....

Do your torts have any trouble getting out of the varied pool ideas? Or o they have rocks in them to help.... Also, where are you located? I'm afraid the dark tubs will become pots to cook Willie in here in Florida... I kept a beach umbrella over the birdbath all summer.. I have moved his enclosure and it incorporates more shade but not where the pool needs to be!