Chava's enclosure

[ethan508]

Last year I had a 6 panel plastic pet gate that I used as an outdoor enclosure. With some patio improvements complete, I've been able to put up a permanent wall that expands the space and incorporate it into the landscape. With a few rainy weekends in the mix, I also constructed a heated house so that the tortoise can stay outside during marginal months with a warm place to go (even if I am the one that has to put her in there a few evening).

I've got a few things left to do like adding hide holes for cool spots in the summer, adding some rocks here and there for interest/obstacle, and adding perennials both inside in elevated pots and outside of the wall so it blends into the landscape. Lots of work but it is fun work.

Here are before images:


This next photo is during the patio construction (we had to shrink the run just a little bit to facilitate laying road base). The trench running in the background is where the wall sits now.



Here are after pictures (for size perspective the little stump in the middle has not moved from the old to the new layouts):






Below are a few close up details of the house I built. It was built using plywood, 2x2s, a few pieces of glass, screws, asphalt shingles, and paint. To keep it warm I added a CHE in a ceramic lamp fixture, an Inkbird temperature controller, and a couple Styrofoam panels to insulate the ceiling. The foundation, feeding area, and water area are left over patio pavers, with the water dish itself being a cap from an 8" diameter PVC pipe (about 1.5" deep).


Chava catching a little sun through the window.


Front Door view:

Here is the CHE and Controller. I used fence wire to attach the fixture to a 2x2 screwed to the walls. Other screws and wires were used to keep the rest of the wires out of the way of the tortoise, and a distance away from the hot fixture.

 

[Pearly]

Love it!!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

You've done a very nice job. I love the bricks and the pavers. Depending upon how hot your summers are, you might want to double check how warm it gets inside the house and if it gets too warm you may have to plant a bush to shade the house.

 

[ethan508]

Depending upon how hot your summers are, you might want to double check how warm it gets inside the house and if it gets too warm you may have to plant a bush to shade the house.

Our summers are pretty hot, and without a fan I'd imagine the house being above 100°F regularly. It is a weird balance, I need a place that get and stays warm for the spring and fall and a second place that stays cool in the summer. To achieve both I'm thinking I'll be better served and have the space for two separate types of hide-outs. I didn't imagine the tortoise using the house then in the summer, and I plan to makes some hides/cave using 8" PVC conduits cut in half and covered with dirt. .

Will the tortoise be smart enough to avoid the house if it is getting supper hot or will I need to close it off (or remove it altogether when summer rolls around)?

 

[K8E K]

Our summers are pretty hot, and without a fan I'd imagine the house being above 100°F regularly. It is a weird balance, I need a place that get and stays warm for the spring and fall and a second place that stays cool in the summer. To achieve both I'm thinking I'll be better served and have the space for two separate types of hide-outs. I didn't imagine the tortoise using the house then in the summer, and I plan to makes some hides/cave using 8" PVC conduits cut in half and covered with dirt. .

Will the tortoise be smart enough to avoid the house if it is getting supper hot or will I need to close it off (or remove it altogether when summer rolls around)?

Unless they're trapped in an environment that is *all* unsuitable, in my experience they are quite good at moving to where conditions are best. The trick is having a gradient of "good"; both with hiding spots and temperature (temp being king)- sounds like you do. If they're stuck without any ideal spot in their habitat that's where they get in trouble, and since that has to happen for all weather at all times, the gradient is huge.

If that house gets super hot I would expect them to move, they're pretty great at meeting their needs (as long as it's available, of course) effectively as far as temp and environment is concerned. I don't think you'll need to close off the house when it does get hot, if you have some really cool evenings even on those hot days they'll probably use it in the AM or evening when it starts to cool. Also, the substrate in the house will hold some heat longer than the air, so that could be useful if it starts to get too cool or if you have a cold rain or something mid-summer.

I try to err on the side of a wide gradient of "suitable", and it seems like that house would be useful even when it's too hot to use it regularly. The biggest thing is probably just to have the information specific to your habitat- exactly how hot does it get in there, and where? Where does the tortoise like to hang out (and at what temperature), for basking? for sleeping? for just hanging out? It will all change depending on weather, of course, but if you observe for a while you can usually rummage around to make things more and more ideal. I just ran into an issue with one of mine (different species) hanging out in a spot I thought was way to cold, and I kept being tempted to move her closer to the CHE- then I got out the temp gun (duh) and realized that the substrate was way warmer than the reading I was getting on my "resident" thermometer (measuring mostly air temp). *facepalm*. You might find the inside of that house is way hotter or cooler than you expect, unless you get out that temp gun, that could help make a decision on whether you want it in there, too

That was way too long a response for basically what I meant to say: it's probably fine, maybe helpful, especially with a size-able enclosure.

 

[K8E K]

I should add that I do totally think you should make sure you DO have an extra "summer" hide, just so you have that range of options...sounds like you're on it though