Tommy loves having run of the yard

[DItzoid]

Any advice for letting him roam around the yard without having to watch him like a hawk? He is so happy and active out there. Roams the whole yard. I enjoy watching him. The only problem is I have a toddler and preschooler to watch and other things to do besides follow him around and make sure he doesn't get lost. I don't know if there is any way to avoid this. Tie a balloon to him? I have a feeling that would fall right off. Anyway....any one have an idea or tried and true method of not losing the tort? I could build him an enclosure for the yard but he really loves having the whole yard to roam and I'd also worry he'd burrow out of it. If it had a bottom that would pretty much defeat the purpose. He likes roaming the grass, eating the weeds, etc.

 

[AZtortMom]

Hi and welcome there are threads on the forum that talk about this, but we buried steel chicken wire three feet deep around the perimeter of our yard and provided hides, shade and water for our kiddos. This stopped our Houdini from escaping the balloon idea has been used with great success on the forum as well


Life is good

 

[Tom]

There is a thread in my signature for this.

You are right to be nervous about losing him. Chances are very good that he will disappear if you continue doing what you have been doing.

 

[SpdTrtl]

When I have the human kids outside I section off a safe roaming area for the torts. I make a large perimter made of big rocks. This way I don't worry about them going somewhere they shouldn't and also makes the children more aware, with all the running and ball throwing I don't want any squished torts!

 

[contessa20]

My son is way older than your kids, but when one of us can devote our attention to watching Vladimir then we allow him to roam the whole yard. He stays in our eyesight 100% of the time. When we are busy doing other things outside, he goes into a 24 ft. enclosure that is planted with grasses, weeds, and flowers for him to eat. We still make sure to check on him occasionally, but he is safe. He definitely knows when he's in the enclosure vs. having the whole yard to roam, but something is better than nothing. If you can't devote your full attention to watching him, then you need to put him in an enclosure. Sink the bottom down and backfill so that he can forage but is still safe and secure. It's just too easy for them to get lost otherwise. Contrary to popular belief, they can be fast little buggers.

 

[lynnedit]

Everyone is right. And they do love being outside. Think about creating an outdoor enclosure, the bigger the better! It is SOOO easy to lose them.

 

[DItzoid]

Thanks everyone! And by the way, when I've had him out I've kept my (and the kids, too) eyes on him the whole time, so no I wouldn't lose him that way. It just isn't practical to keep doing that everyday for as long as Tommy would like to be out roaming. Lots of great ideas. I love it! Thanks!

 

[wiccan_chicken]

I've had to do the same with ym girl Vodka for the few weeks I've had her.
But the dangers are great, she can't go in the back yard because of my dogs, and the front yard has minimal grass area that isn't planted with trees etc. She does enjoy roaming as much as she can, but I have to keep my eyes on her, especially since there's a road not twenty feet away! I can't build an enclosure since I won't be living with my parents for much longer, so my solution to getting her outside is I plan to purchase a Kiddy pool, add topsoil and plant the pool so she still has weeds/grasses to browse on, and I can put her outside without having to watch her every move!

If you are willing to bury the chicken wire, go for it! Even sectioning off half of your yard and tortoise profing it will provide enrichment and leave room for your kids to play outside.

Which ever you feel would benefit your tort best! Just make sure your sweetie can't get under or through the chain link fence, I'd hate to hear he god lost


As for being able to easily spot him, I crochet, so I was planning on making a "shell band" in a bright color and adding like a flower or something to the top, to go around Vod's shell so if I had to look away I can easily see her again If you like that Idea, you could always crochet one yourself, or I'd make one for you and mail it to you

 

[DItzoid]

That is super sweet! I think I have to consider all these options and choose If I decide on something crocheted I have a friend close by I whose "business" I can support, but thanks!

I've had to do the same with ym girl Vodka for the few weeks I've had her.
But the dangers are great, she can't go in the back yard because of my dogs, and the front yard has minimal grass area that isn't planted with trees etc. She does enjoy roaming as much as she can, but I have to keep my eyes on her, especially since there's a road not twenty feet away! I can't build an enclosure since I won't be living with my parents for much longer, so my solution to getting her outside is I plan to purchase a Kiddy pool, add topsoil and plant the pool so she still has weeds/grasses to browse on, and I can put her outside without having to watch her every move!

If you are willing to bury the chicken wire, go for it! Even sectioning off half of your yard and tortoise profing it will provide enrichment and leave room for your kids to play outside.

Which ever you feel would benefit your tort best! Just make sure your sweetie can't get under or through the chain link fence, I'd hate to hear he god lost


As for being able to easily spot him, I crochet, so I was planning on making a "shell band" in a bright color and adding like a flower or something to the top, to go around Vod's shell so if I had to look away I can easily see her again If you like that Idea, you could always crochet one yourself, or I'd make one for you and mail it to you

 

[stinax182]

you have a Russian...they are escape artists. just today, actually, mine escaped. i have a secure, big pen, just for them. i THOUGHT it was secure, i have sparrow netting tied tightly over it...but he climbed up the 2 6x6 posts i have as walls and squeezed under the netting! you cannot underestimate them!

Sent from my MB886 using TortForum mobile app

 

[DItzoid]

yikes. Hope you found him!

 

[AZtortMom]

you have a Russian...they are escape artists. just today, actually, mine escaped. i have a secure, big pen, just for them. i THOUGHT it was secure, i have sparrow netting tied tightly over it...but he climbed up the 2 6x6 posts i have as walls and squeezed under the netting! you cannot underestimate them!

Sent from my MB886 using TortForum mobile app

Holy moly! I thought I had a Houdini on my hands!


Life is good

 

[stinax182]

any time he escapes he goes to the same place under the fire wood pile...which is where he was, haha. but yeah, he's climbed out of his indoor enclosure once too....can't have anything near the perimeter of any enclosure he's in, haha.

---

ummm, i didn't post that picture! VVVVV

Sent from my MB886 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Tyrtle]

I have an outdoor "garden" for ours. It's basically just a raised garden bed with tall side walls. Last year, we lost one of ours. Never to be seen again. He didn't burrow, he didn't climb. I've never been sure what happened to him, but I suspect it may have been some sort of predatory bird. Anyway, it was awful. My poor kid was devastated.

Now when I put the other one in the garden, I cover it with an old window screen on one side and a wire shelf on the other. I need to get someone to build me a chicken wire top for it. But I figure the covers I have are a good deterrent for now.

I guess the moral of my story is, keep 'em safe and even when you think they are safe, make them safer.

 

[Chinque]

You could tie him to a cinder block so he can't get very far, that's what I do! Jk! I would use the balloon idea