Why can't I ever leave things alone? LOL

[Kristina]

I am never satisfied with anything... I drive myself crazy.

The first enclosure I got done this spring was the Hingeback enclosure. I have now come to the conclusion that it is too small, lol. I finished the Russian enclosure, and have been working on my Redfoot enclosure... I was also going to build a new Box turtle pen along where the Redfoots will be living.

Now I have decided to switch things up a bit. The Hingebacks are going to get a SECOND new pen (in a single spring!!!) and the "old" Hingeback enclosure is going to be inherited by the Box turtles. (as of right now I just have Mika, but I am looking for a couple friends for her.)

The Redfoot enclosure will stay in the same place, and now will have the Hingebacks next door. If I split up the space that I have evenly, that will give me two 8' X 18' enclosures. The Hingebacks previously had a 4' X 12' enclosure (which would probably have been fine, but some moron had to go buy two more HUGE females.)

Do any of you guys do things like this? I feel sometimes like my obsession for always making things "better" is really more a pain than anything else. I'm not really sure if the tortoises actually appreciate it, or if it just stresses them out.

 

[Tom]

I do it too. Constantly fiddling. I used to leave them alone more before I found TFO and got all sorts of new ideas.

 

[terryo]

Don't feel bad Christina..I do the same thing. I just got rid of my big Koi pond, and am making a boxie garden, which was supposed to be for Pio, but now I'm letting him stay in the old boxie pen, and on the other side of my house I still have a big planter that I might make for Pio if I get another Redfoot....it goes on and on and on.....my whole house will be surrounded with boxies and torts .....like a mote (sp).

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Sigh ... I do it too and this forum makes me do it even more!!!! My husband is always asking me why - and I liken it to when I was little with my dollhouses - getting it furnished and looking all cute for my barbies to live in ... now it's just for my shelled friends to live in. Are we ladies more prone to this?

 

[latshki]

I dont think its a gender thing I thinks its just a reptile keeper thing lol because I certainly do it
have you guys noticed that as you walk through a store things catch your eye that would go good with so and so for a hide or water dish?

 

[Kristina]

That's me too, lol, surrounded... But, I enjoy them, and I will only take as many as I can provide for.

It does make it a bit worse, belonging to the forum and being jealous of all your beautiful enclosures I think it is good for us though, it keeps us striving to new heights, and being the best possible caretakers that we can.

 

[Jacqui]

Are you kidding? I am constantly changing and rearranging enclosures. It may be as simple as trying new plants (or removing old), changing their water feature, or more involved like adding top walls and tops.

Currently, I have several enclosures in various stages of change. The Russian enclosure (which just was updated two years ago) is getting new upper walls and a top. Along with that, we are joining it all under one roof with an old enclosure (one we haven't used for about 8 years), but still keeping them separate with a walk way between them. This enclosure was used for a Wood turtle and I had planned turning it into a Greek enclosure, then changed it to now being for some of the Homes hingebacks.

I am currently also adding a temporary section within the section of yard, which is actually a temporary section area until the "real" redfoot enclosure is done. (did ya follow that? ) It's called I was given a Leopard tortoise and need this temp enclosure to house him until his quarantine is up, so there goes the section I had held back for human usage (relaxation zone to watch tortoises from ).

Did I mentioned I am working on the sulcata pen at the same time? Working on a double line of althea (rose of Sharon) bushes along what use to be the horse lot and then along another side of the same lot a double row of grape vines. Something like 40-60 plants involved in that project and I don't want to even start thinking about how many new plants I am expecting to add in the established enclosures.

Finished? Never! I think just as we keep adding to our knowledge of these amazing animals, we keep changing their environments. That each one is a constantly evolving work in progress. That we allow ourselves the flexibility to change them as the needs change. May it be new animals, animals that have grown larger, or maybe changes in what species we are choosing to work with. Change is good.

Also like Tom said, it doesn't help belonging to sites like this one. The folks in here keep coming up with so many creative and just plain awesome enclosures, they drive me to keep trying to make mine better.

 

[Kristina]

I have plant fever too... I am putting in althea, grapes, rose bushes, grasses, mosses, ferns, lavender, hostas.... I have seed trays every where and shed FULL of plants. (Plus a Japanese maple that I am not sure where it is going yet....)

Glad to see I'm not the only Looney Toon on the block!!! I am so making my husband read this thread so he will get off my case

 

[ChiKat]

have you guys noticed that as you walk through a store things catch your eye that would go good with so and so for a hide or water dish?

haha yes! The other day I made my mom save her Lean Cuisine container because it looked like the perfect water dish
I also look at weeds/plants on the side of the road as I'm driving...today I pointed out some garlic mustard to my sister, and informed her that Nelson can eat it

It will be dangerous when I have a place of my own...

 

[Kristina]

OMG I am sooo bad about scanning the road sides... rocks, wood, nothing is safe!!!

 

[dmmj]

I think I will refrain from commenting on this thread.

 

[Kristina]

Why start refraining now? It might prove bad for your health, kind of like an arterial blockage...

Better let it all out.

 

[terryo]

I think I will refrain from commenting on this thread.

Noooooooooooooooo.....

 

[Candy]

Please Dale's had 4 enclosure so far and we've only had him for 1 1/2 now. After finding TFO I found new ideas on how to make it better. At least Dale is happy now.

 

[N2TORTS]

I am never satisfied with anything... I drive myself crazy.

* Singing .... " I am WOMAN" ... La ^ La^ La ^ ....

JD~

 

[dreadyA]

laugh out loud @ all you people


I do it too With all of my reptiles. Except my RES, he likes everything so plain!

 

[Kristina]

I am never satisfied with anything... I drive myself crazy.

* Singing .... " I am WOMAN" ... La ^ La^ La ^ ....

JD~

Whoa whoa WHOA...

I don't sing.

 

[-ryan-]

I do the same thing as well, except my tortoises are indoors most of the time. They mostly just get outdoor time in 1-4 hour increments and only when the temps are warm enough (only get about 3 months with warm temps here). So I mostly do my flip-flopping with the indoor enclosures, and for good reason, because I just don't have the space that I need for the enclosures I really want to build. Right now the big decision is what I will build for my quartet of female russians. Right now they are in a rubbermaid stock tank which is just too small.

So in the past couple of months I have gone through many many ideas, most of which I have thrown out after further thought.

 

[Jacqui]

OMG I am sooo bad about scanning the road sides... rocks, wood, nothing is safe!!!

Me too! except normally I see the best things when we are in the truck and can't stop. Seriously, why is it there is always somebody right behind you when you see the good stuff?

For two years now I have been casing this vineyard that is in California. They have this long row of huge cactus growing along the fence and through it. I keep telling my husband that once it spreads into the public side it's not stealing.