New Outdoor Enclosure

[biking-monkey]

Hi

I've been busy building an outdoor summer enclosure for my horsfield tortoise. I've got to a point now where its all the fun finishing touches and tortoise friendly features. He hasn't seen it yet, want to get it perfect so he can move in and not having me change stuff around too much.
I'm still building it but would welcome some more suggestions on what to do to make it interesting.

The left corner will be his basking area as it gets a lot of sun throughout the day, and to the right will be a rockery with a network of tunnels and hiding places to cool off, that corner gets some shade from the garden fence. Want to put some more edible plants in and more ups and downs in the ground. Eventually I will make a wire mesh/chicken wire lid to the enclosure to keep him safe. Tempted to build in a tunnel to take him from grass area to the rockery.

Also I'm building a raspberry pi system to monitor the temp and humidity and maybe a webcam so I can keep an eye on him all the time That will sit outside his enclosure on the patio.

 

[Yvonne G]

You might consider placing horizontal boards on top of the fence to act as a lip all the way around to inhibit his climbing out. They are very good climbers. Good looking spot. Nice addition to your landscape and he'll love it too.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi

I've been busy building an outdoor summer enclosure for my horsfield tortoise. I've got to a point now where its all the fun finishing touches and tortoise friendly features. He hasn't seen it yet, want to get it perfect so he can move in and not having me change stuff around too much.View attachment 171947
I'm still building it but would welcome some more suggestions on what to do to make it interesting.

The left corner will be his basking area as it gets a lot of sun throughout the day, and to the right will be a rockery with a network of tunnels and hiding places to cool off, that corner gets some shade from the garden fence. Want to put some more edible plants in and more ups and downs in the ground. Eventually I will make a wire mesh/chicken wire lid to the enclosure to keep him safe. Tempted to build in a tunnel to take him from grass area to the rockery.

Also I'm building a raspberry pi system to monitor the temp and humidity and maybe a webcam so I can keep an eye on him all the time That will sit outside his enclosure on the patio.

Looks good you could use some pipes for tunnels.

 

[biking-monkey]

Progress update...

Its been a busy weekend, got the wood to make a lip and painted it ready, will get them fitted this week. Added more plants and finished the rockery section.

Got glass bricks and slate in the basking area, did a test with a thermometer and got up to 24-25c and its not particularly warm at the moment.

Still to do
Make a shaded /cover tunnel
Fill a few gaps
Secure the ramp down to the rockery
Few more plants dotted around, I'm thinking a type of cactus.