Cedar fence picket

[pawsplus]

Thank you all for your input! This info makes me even more indecisive on what to use for the enclosure. ha.
Another question, would it be okay to use the back of our condo (it is brick) as one of the borders? I am considering bricks or concrete for the entire border so didn't think there would be an issue, but I wanted to double check with the experts first.

Sure! I have the same situation. BUT I decided NOT to use the brick wall b/c doing that made constructing the other walls more difficult in my application. If you look at the left side of the pic, where the tort pen fence joins the privacy fence, you can maybe see the brick below the vinyl siding. But I would be unable to attach to the building b/c of HOA rules, which would make the fence unstable unless I sunk a post there and put it in concrete. So I just continued on over and attached to the privacy fence, making it really secure. You may have a different situation, or a less anal HOA. ;-) And if you are making the whole pen out of bricks, as you suggest, it may work just fine.

 

[Carl StarTortoise]

Sure! I have the same situation. BUT I decided NOT to use the brick wall b/c doing that made constructing the other walls more difficult in my application. If you look at the left side of the pic, where the tort pen fence joins the privacy fence, you can maybe see the brick below the vinyl siding. But I would be unable to attach to the building b/c of HOA rules, which would make the fence unstable unless I sunk a post there and put it in concrete. So I just continued on over and attached to the privacy fence, making it really secure. You may have a different situation, or a less anal HOA. ;-) And if you are making the whole pen out of bricks, as you suggest, it may work just fine.

That is a good point! We never hear from the HOA but I would be salty if I built the enclosure and then have them make me redo it. I won't use the house or privacy fence for a border. I am just going to go with pressure treated 2"x8"s for the perimeter. My buddy is a welder and is going to make a 3' high predator shield around it on his day off tomorrow. Thanks again for everyone's sound advice!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

"Another question, would it be okay to use the back of our condo (it is brick) as one of the borders? I am considering bricks or concrete for the entire border so didn't think there would be an issue, but I wanted to double check with the experts first."

As you might be able to see, my houses exterior walls make up 2 of the 4 walls of my tortoises enclosure.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Guess I am late to this party...however, I love to give my ideas ...good or failure...
I have operated a small special needs turtle and tortoise rescue for some years now. I have run some fun torts (Houdini) thru here, but I mostly deal with homeless Sulcata...This is how I keep them. The 3 ft cedar fence separates my flower gardens from grazing tortoises, In have a litter of small enclosures for small torts, a box turtle pond for box turtles and escaping Sulcata to swim in. My enclosures are not pretty, but the use of cinder block enables me to change the shape or set that to rest...it's winter here
Mary Knobbins is a rescue I have had for about 4 years or so. All spring and summer she breaks out of her pen by deliberately standing on her back legs and pounding out the top blocks, so she can climb over the blocks to the box turtle pound. I know it's bad, but oh well. I rarely take in chelonia anymore, mostly what I have are pets. And as usual in my life I do as I want...if Mary wants to swim I let her. can you se
see the box turtle in the pond? above...

 

[Levi the Leopard]

would it be okay to use the back of our condo (it is brick) as one of the borders? I am considering bricks or concrete for the entire border

...just to confuse you with even more input... 🤣

Keep in mind that using bricks or concrete borders can wear down the tortoise's shell. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, maybe it does. Maybe your tort wont rub or maybe it will.

My leopard tortoise, Levi, has worn down his shell in 2 areas. One area on his side is worn down from walking in-between the concrete house foundation and the electric meter. It's not worn down in a way that will hurt him or cause damage to him physically but the leopard pattern in that spot is gone. The concrete foundation didn't escape unscathed, either. It too is scratched up. The other worn area is on his other side and was caused by walking in-between the fence and the some garden pavers. Again, it's mostly just that the pattern is gone but some of his ridges are filed down, too.

I eventually blocked off both areas but I'm sure he'd have been fine if I hadn't.

 

[Maggie3fan]

...just to confuse you with even more input... 🤣

Keep in mind that using bricks or concrete borders can wear down the tortoise's shell. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, maybe it does. Maybe your tort wont rub or maybe it will.

My leopard tortoise, Levi, has worn down his shell in 2 areas. One area on his side is worn down from walking in-between the concrete house foundation and the electric meter. It's not worn down in a way that will hurt him or cause damage to him physically but the leopard pattern in that spot is gone. The concrete foundation didn't escape unscathed, either. It too is scratched up. The other worn area is on his other side and was caused by walking in-between the fence and the some garden pavers. Again, it's mostly just that the pattern is gone but some of his ridges are filed down, too.

I eventually blocked off both areas but I'm sure he'd have been fine if I hadn't.

One day I want to meet Levi. My sister has a few BIG Leopards, one especially was a smaller female who would spend her time walking around a lemon tree until she would end up with a lemon. My sister thought it was ok for the tortoise to waste her time like that, but I couldn't waste time watching her. But she'd end up with a lemon and eat the whole thing...or was it oranges??? Hey Y...you have a pond yet? You still have our favorites in a tub? No major deaths?

 

[Carl StarTortoise]

...just to confuse you with even more input... 🤣

Keep in mind that using bricks or concrete borders can wear down the tortoise's shell. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, maybe it does. Maybe your tort wont rub or maybe it will.

My leopard tortoise, Levi, has worn down his shell in 2 areas. One area on his side is worn down from walking in-between the concrete house foundation and the electric meter. It's not worn down in a way that will hurt him or cause damage to him physically but the leopard pattern in that spot is gone. The concrete foundation didn't escape unscathed, either. It too is scratched up. The other worn area is on his other side and was caused by walking in-between the fence and the some garden pavers. Again, it's mostly just that the pattern is gone but some of his ridges are filed down, too.

I eventually blocked off both areas but I'm sure he'd have been fine if I hadn't.

Thank you for this! My babies have way too pretty of shells to risk it loosing their patterns. I went w wood.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

One day I want to meet Levi. My sister has a few BIG Leopards, one especially was a smaller female who would spend her time walking around a lemon tree until she would end up with a lemon. My sister thought it was ok for the tortoise to waste her time like that, but I couldn't waste time watching her. But she'd end up with a lemon and eat the whole thing...or was it oranges??? Hey Y...you have a pond yet? You still have our favorites in a tub? No major deaths?

If you ever pass through Medford on your way to your sisters, let me know! Levi can bruise your ankle 🤣

 

[ZEROPILOT]

...just to confuse you with even more input... 🤣

Keep in mind that using bricks or concrete borders can wear down the tortoise's shell. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, maybe it does. Maybe your tort wont rub or maybe it will.

My leopard tortoise, Levi, has worn down his shell in 2 areas. One area on his side is worn down from walking in-between the concrete house foundation and the electric meter. It's not worn down in a way that will hurt him or cause damage to him physically but the leopard pattern in that spot is gone. The concrete foundation didn't escape unscathed, either. It too is scratched up. The other worn area is on his other side and was caused by walking in-between the fence and the some garden pavers. Again, it's mostly just that the pattern is gone but some of his ridges are filed down, too.

I eventually blocked off both areas but I'm sure he'd have been fine if I hadn't.

It would seem that no matter how gigantic you make your tortoise enclosure, they will wear out a path all the way around it right up against the fence or wall.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Fence pickets aren't suitable for the larger. Stronger species of tortoise.
A sub adult Sulcata would turn a fence picket wall into a stack of toothpicks. But a structure made of pickets can be used for a Redfoot for its lifetime.
(For anyone reading this post later,)

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Fence pickets aren't suitable for the larger. Stronger species of tortoise
(For anyone reading this post later,)

I like that you included this bit for future readers.

With that said, Levi has impacted my yard fence in 2 areas. I have the standard 6' privacy fence around my backyard. However, we aren't convinced the builders used concrete for the 4x4 posts because Levi has pushed 2 of the posts to the point that the fence was leaning and had to be braced back upright. Couldn't have done that if they were set in concrete, right??

One post is behind a bench by the firepit. It's a well shaded area during the summer and he likes to rest there on hot days. When he sees he coming into the yard, I'm coming in from the gate directly across from him. So, he turns around to come get me and the turning around wedges him between the fence and the bottom brace of the bench. He has now pushed the post and bent the fence because of it.
The other post is along my neighbors yard and my concrete patio. I placed planter beds along my concrete so I could have a "turtle free" zone on my patio. In his efforts to get around the planter box to get to me, he would push up against the fence post. He successfully knocked it over to the point that the entire section of fence became wobbly my neighbor asked me what happened. We ended up bracing the fence against a post on her patio to fix it.

Sooooo, fence pickets definitely have their limits. So do sprinklers, fire pits, 2x10's & human ankles.