Feedback please - first tort garden in progress

[KrissyLeigh]

So after many false starts and issues (steep learning curve!) my tort outdoor habitat is well underway. I'd like some feedback as I continue.

The flagstones are for feeding, and there are three hides buried at different levels in the soil. The soil is mostly clay, so I'm thinking the hides will stay pretty cool. Plants are tort safe, and I'm planning on sowing a bunch of seeds when I'm done trampling the area. Saucers are water dishes. I am going to build up the walls and put a predator proof lid on, just want to get the middle situated first.

 

[Oldbattleaxe]

Looks great! What size is it?

 

[KrissyLeigh]

Thanks! 4' x 8' I think... I'm pretty broke right now, I spent all my extra for the month on materials for their indoor enclosure, so I'm scrounging things that previous tenants left behind, and begging free plants hahaha. My redfoots are still pretty small so I think it will be ok for now. There is another old flower bed I may use to extend it another 8' I haven't decided yet.

Building this thing has been an ADVENTURE! I had it in another area, but found out it was under two massive oleander I couldn't get rid of, so I moved it. Then I planted everything and afterwards realized the organic potting soil I bought had perlite , so I had to scrape the area and start over. Then when I was digging I realized our soil is mostly clay, which was difficult enough , but there was also a layer or rock under the clay. And the only tools I have are a spade with no handle, an army shovel about 3' long, and a twisty metal thing. Also the whole area was overgrown with tough weeds and this grass I swear is on steroids that I can't get up - damn stuff had thick roots one and a half foot deep! Now I'm just waiting for the next thing to go wrong! Needless to say, I am not a gardener or a handy-type person - so many rookie mistakes!

 

[wellington]

It's looking great. However, unless it's very humid where you live, the torts should live in a humid controlled enclosure with only short daily trips outside until about two years old in order to continue growing smooth without pyramiding. Unless you can get a high humidity to stay within the outdoor enclosure.

 

[Oldbattleaxe]

It's so humid is Deep South Texas, we practically have to snorkel from the door to the car.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

The youngest one is 2. It is SUPER humid here all the time. Especially since I'm only about a mile away from the ocean. The plan is to put them outside before I go to work and bring them inside in the evening.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

OMG my torts are STRESSING ME OUT. So they were having supervised time outside and I saw them trying to eat rocks. The soil here is a mix of clay and pebbles, and I pulled a large pebble out of Janis mouth. WHY?!

So now I either need to pick out all the pebbles or scrape the area and start over again for the THIRD time! This is so frustrating! Maybe I can cover it with a layer of soil? I mean, they survive in the wild where there are rocks and sticks and such.... but I will probably scrape it and start over because I'm a worrier. Sigh.

Anyone else have rock-eating tortoises, or are mine just special?

 

[KrissyLeigh]

Oh, the area is 4' x 10'