Summertime Enclosure

[ethan508]

I found a pair of Russian tortoises on the local classifieds and jumped in. For now I've put together the below pen. Take a look and (kindly) let me know if their is anything that needs immediate improving. This is about 10 feet wide at the back, 5 feet wide at the front and 5 feet deep (~36 sqft). The water dish is an 2" deep 8" diameter PVC end and I made the larger hide with some other 8" PVC scraps and some old shelf boards. The house is the north side of the enclosure and their is a small maple tree to the southwest that will provide some mid-day shade.



A view looking west.





A view looking North.

I plan on building a larger enclosure out of patio blocks when I redo my patio at the end of summer. It will be considerably bigger (the entire foundation bed plus a little) with a design that will allow me to separate the pair as needed.

 

[wellington]

Looks nice. But now you will need to build another one. Tortoises don't do good in pairs and specially Russians. They will bully or fight until one is sick, injured or dead.
Even if they have been housed together before, they most likely were stressed and or had lots and lots of room to roam and hide away that the owners never noticed the bullying.
If you still plan to keep them together anyway, keep a very close eye on any bullying and it's not always hit you in the face obvious

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I agree with Wellington.
Russians are the "poster children" for tortoises that are bad to keep as pairs. The scrappiest of them all.
I like the pen, though. You've worked hard and it shows. Don't forget to ad a few shade plants.

 

[ethan508]

But now you will need to build another one.

The guy I bought them from included a decent plywood tortoise table (3.5' x 7', UVB and CHE, coco-coir/topsoil substrate) that I can move the male to if he bothers the female until I figure out a more permanent solution (re-home or separated enclosure; not sure which would be best). I had read the warnings here about pairs and was planning on starting out with just 1 female. However the guy I bought them from wanted to sell the entire set-up and used tortoise are hard to come by at a good price.

Don't forget to ad a few shade plants.

I'll have to visit the nursery this weekend.

 

[wellington]

The guy I bought them from included a decent plywood tortoise table (3.5' x 7', UVB and CHE, coco-coir/topsoil substrate) that I can move the male to if he bothers the female until I figure out a more permanent solution (re-home or separated enclosure; not sure which would be best). I had read the warnings here about pairs and was planning on starting out with just 1 female. However the guy I bought them from wanted to sell the entire set-up and used tortoise are hard to come by at a good price.


I'll have to visit the nursery this weekend.

Sounds like you know what to look for and have already read up on it. Good for you.

 

[von345]

I would just add more shade but looks good

 

[KaitlinKeefe_]

be careful both with getting plants that are pesticide and safe for Russians.

I would highly recommend separating them asap you may not see it but someone is being bullied. Russians as stated above do not "play well with others"

they are amazing pets I have a soft spot for Russians ❤️