Another Outdoor Enclosure

[Yvonne G]

You have a very eye-appealing piece of property there.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Starting with clearing the underbrush, this project took weekends and all my spare time after work for about a month. Having a farm and a tractor and some materials already on hand helped. The most expensive were the posts. They are regular 3" (actually 3-4") farm fence posts cut in half. I got bids from multiple lumber yards for cutting and delivering the posts. The best deal I could find was about $2 each. A cheaper option would be to place the posts 6-8' apart and use boards. I did it this way mostly for looks and for increased strength.

There are lots of thermostats that you can use to control heat emitters or pads. I like the ones with a remote temperature sensor on a cable so you can have the sensor inside but the controller outside. Some examples:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZZG3S/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F97K9O/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

What is the wattage max on that Hydrofarm digi-therostat? I could not find any info on it?

 

[laramie]

Looks great! I love that you named your tort Chalie. If Wilbur was not named Wilbur, it would be Charlie.

 

[wrmitchell22]

That is an awesome enclosure!!

 

[SailingMystic]

Awesome!!! I like your sitting bench! There's so much you can do and he's probably loving the additional space !!

 

[Momof4]

That looks like a piece of heaven!! Wow!!

 

[SailingMystic]

Nope; just dug a trench, stuck the poles in the ground, filled in the dirt.

They will last! I did a mini version and the pressure of the posts agAinst each other and deep down makes them super strong! I just wouldn't do this one by hand lol! On average how much was the cost to deliver dig and set the posts? If you don't mind me asking. It's wonderful!!

 

[evlinLoutries]

COOL!

 

[ShadowRancher]

Wow, I will definitely be favoriting this post for future reference. You've really done a beautiful job.

 

[dan496]

I just wouldn't do this one by hand lol! On average how much was the cost to deliver dig and set the posts?

After digging the first ten post holes by hand I realized two things; it would take 3 months to dig but on the plus side I would develop a massive upper body physique. I thought seriously about the body building but I didn't have the patience or the time so I went to a more fun plan B; heavy equipment. I rented a medium sized (500 lbs), self propelled trencher for four hours, cost $75. It took only about an hour and a half to cut a 3" wide, 18" deep and 175' long trench to put the posts in. And another hour to get the monster unstuck after one wheel of the trencher fell into the initial cut while completing the loop.

Setting the posts by hand was another 2-3 hours to drop them in and go around trying to get them all to stay relatively vertical. As noted before, the posts themselves were the most expensive part of the whole deal. Full size fence posts around here cost $2.75 each. I paid the lumber company to cut them in half and deliver them, increasing my final cost to just under $2 each. If you shop around or cut them in half yourself or pick them up in your own truck it could be less. The posts are irregular, averaging between 3-4" in diameter so figure 3-4 posts per foot.

Using boards would have been cheaper and concrete more durable but once I got this plan in my head it was just the way it was going to be. My hope is that this will be a good, low maintenance home for Charlie for at least 10 years (please, longer) before I have to come up with a new plan.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very nice.

 

[Mnash0915]

That is so cool!!! He is huge!! If we lived in Fl we would love to have a big guy like that. Your enclosure is very impressive!! Charlie is very lucky

 

[chairman]

How do you keep the roof from leaking at the intersection of the 2 halves? I live in cold country and it is easier to heat short houses than tall ones, but short houses are too difficult to walk in and I can't think of a good way to keep the rain/snow/sleet/etc from coming in the peak of a hinged roof. My tortoise's shed is going to need an addition or replacement within a couple years and I would love to be able to create a heavily insulated version of what you've got there!

 

[Zamric]

Here is a REALLY great way to to build low profile with easy cleaning hindged roof that doesn't leak.... Got the Idea from Grandma's Storm Cellar!

 

[Tccarolina]

Very cool pen, Dan! Really like the style of the torthouse.

 

[Jacob]

Simply Amazing, Tort Heaven