Outdoor enclosure location advise.

[M249saw]

Im going to start on my outdoor enclosure this week for my redfoot and was wondering if the location I have is acceptable. It's in the north east corner of my backyard, in the area that was once covered by pavers. It will be made by stacked, secured landscape timbers, buried two feet below grade and two feet above grade with a lip to prevent climbing.

My other question is if too much light will reflect off the white vinyl fence and be an issue?

Thanks,
Kyle

 

[Yvonne G]

My RF yard is also in the N/E corner, however there are lots of trees and bushes to give them plenty of shade. I think if you also have many plantings, the fence won't be a problem.

 

[Carol S]

Weiner dogs are my favorite. I had one for 15 years. He was a fantastic dog. He hunted gophers, rats, etc. just like a cat. Please be careful with your tortoise around your dogs. Do not forget to post a picture when you get your enclosure done.

 

[M249saw]

Thanks, I have 4 doxies. And the tort and turtle are in a spare bedroom that's closed off to them and the enclosure will have a closing, lockable top

 

[Tom]

You'll have to set it up and check the temps. You could always run some shade cloth over it if you needed to.

There is no need to dig down two feet unless you really want to. RFs don't dig. And two feet tall will hold and adult sulcata. No need to go that high. Instead I would make a cover with welded wire over it to keep out the dogs and any other predators.

 

[M249saw]

So a foot to a foot and a half high from ground level should be high enough? I guess my wife was saying we should bury the sides a bit as she had Sulcatas growing up.

 

[M249saw]

Also I'll check the temps but I'm in Central Florida so I'm sure it will be acceptable.

 

[Tom]

So a foot to a foot and a half high from ground level should be high enough? I guess my wife was saying we should bury the sides a bit as she had Sulcatas growing up.

It won't hurt anything to bury the sides, it just a lot of work that isn't needed.

My 80+ pound sulcatas are contained by three slumpstone blocks which total 16" high. Your much smaller RF should be fine behind 18". I don't bury my blocks at all. They just sit at ground level for my sulcatas and leopards. My russians are in a giant cage with wire that goes down 18".

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I've used 12" high walls with a 4" perimeter lip for a few different species. The 12" was always high enough. In your case, with the dogs you could either do a low wall which will have a cover anyway...or go tall enough to make it a "walk in" enclosure for you, too.

 

[Jacqui]

The location isn't as important as what you do with it. Plantings and other objects can add the shade and help keep in humidity. So you have any reason to think some type of predator may dig under to get in with your tortoises? Otherwise I don't see a need for digging anything in (unless your ground is really uneven). If you worry about the fence, put up a couple of grape vines, then you have food and covering to help block rays from the fence. How big are you thinking of going?

 

[Turtlepete]

You'll have to set it up and check the temps. You could always run some shade cloth over it if you needed to.

There is no need to dig down two feet unless you really want to. RFs don't dig. And two feet tall will hold and adult sulcata. No need to go that high. Instead I would make a cover with welded wire over it to keep out the dogs and any other predators.

Agree with Tom. Recently, I don't even bury them. I build the walls level with the ground, then fill up the inside a good 6 inches to get good drainage. That's because we flood badly here, which is a problem you likely don't have.

 

[M249saw]

Agree with Tom. Recently, I don't even bury them. I build the walls level with the ground, then fill up the inside a good 6 inches to get good drainage. That's because we flood badly here, which is a problem you likely don't have.

We still get a good amount of rain here in central Florida too. So I might go that route. Build it up a little. What about drainage pipes in the enclosure (the pvc ones with holes drilled in them) for run off?

 

[M249saw]

The location isn't as important as what you do with it. Plantings and other objects can add the shade and help keep in humidity. So you have any reason to think some type of predator may dig under to get in with your tortoises? Otherwise I don't see a need for digging anything in (unless your ground is really uneven). If you worry about the fence, put up a couple of grape vines, then you have food and covering to help block rays from the fence. How big are you thinking of going?

I was looking at a 8 foot by 12 foot enclosure for Archie the RF.

 

[Turtlepete]

We still get a good amount of rain here in central Florida too. So I might go that route. Build it up a little. What about drainage pipes in the enclosure (the pvc ones with holes drilled in them) for run off?

Oh, didn't realize you were in Florida. Extra drainage is always a good idea. It's nice to have some muddy spots for them to mud-wallow in (pretty much a red foot's favorite thing to do), but you also want them to be able to get dry. Have never used drainage pipes, I just build all the enclosures up on several inches of top soil, peat moss and mulch. Also gives you the option to improve the soil quality. The plants appreciate this as well.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

make sure your weiners don't get near your tortoises.

 

[M249saw]

I do my best to keep my weiners from going where they don't belong. I learned my lessons in the Navy

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I do my best to keep my weiners from going where they don't belong. I learned my lessons in the Navy

that made me lol