Enclosures and predators

[Rasheed]

I have a russian tortoise and I am planning to build an outdoor enclosure for her in my backyard. After I complete it, I am wondering if I need to worry about predators. My yard is fenced, however, we have raccoons, hawks, cats, and even unverified reports of eagles in the area. Should I be concerned? And would leaving her out overnight be a bad idea?

 

[Jacqui]

Leaving her outside overnight is a great thing...if she can be safe. Yes you should worry. Coons especially love torts. They are also pretty clever at getting into pens. Cats are normally nothing that will harm a Russian. Most common bad thing about a cat, is they often use the pen as a big litter box.

BTW welcome to the forum!

 

[T-P]

Well, i would never leave my tortoises outdoors.
But if you do make sure the enclosure is:
Predator proof
Escape Proof
And Lock Proof.
nothing gets in nothings gets out

 

[Vegas Chad]

Dont forget to cover the top with some sort of mesh...

 

[Iluvemturts]

Hi Rasheed Welcome to the site...yes be worried about coons and eagles cuz they will get your tort. I worry about 2 legged preditors...humans too.

 

[Crazy1]

Welcome Rasheed,
I leave my Greeks out from spring to winter and I have predater proofed their encloser. I built them a 8x8 foot encloser with fenced sides and a chicken wire top. I too have reports of eagles, owls, coons, possoms and cats not to mention a few two leged pedaters. I have used those springloaded locking things you put your keys on. and heavey pinch clips and the door does have a lock. Maybe overkill but I feel they are safe. Good luck.

 

[Rasheed]

Thanks everyone, I think I have a good idea of how I need to approach putting the enclosure together now.

 

[Jacqui]

Maybe overkill but I feel they are safe. Good luck.

Some days it seems like there is no such thing as overkill when it comes to protecting the torts.

 

[Jacqui]

Thanks everyone, I think I have a good idea of how I need to approach putting the enclosure together now.

You welcome. Be sure to post back and let us know how you built your pen...pictures are always loved.

 

[halfnelson]

I have a russian tortoise and I am planning to build an outdoor enclosure for her in my backyard. After I complete it, I am wondering if I need to worry about predators. My yard is fenced, however, we have raccoons, hawks, cats, and even unverified reports of eagles in the area. Should I be concerned? And would leaving her out overnight be a bad idea?

I would recommend sidewalls of cement block or 2X6 lumber and a lid of chain link bolted to 2X6s that can be padlocked shut. A strand of electified barbed wire around the enclosure would be ideal, but then, I'm dealing with bears.

 

[Josh]

electrified barbed wire?!
i love bears, but jesus.....

 

[halfnelson]

I've grown to hate the bears. They've allowed them to over populate the area and now dogs aren't even safe, much less turtles.

Electric barbed wire is an excellent human deterrent as well...

 

[Josh]

where do you live?

 

[Jacqui]

Actually the electrified part is a pretty good line of defense for dogs, coons and other more common pests too. Had been thinking about it for my chicken pen. So far that's the only place the coons have hit. Key part with coons, is the "so far".

Just glad I don't have to deal with bears...or lions and tigers oh my!

 

[halfnelson]

I'm in Anchorage Alaska. We don't have racoons or skunks but I think the electric wire would work on them as well. If I build an outdoor enclosure I wouldn't leave my turts out at night and so would not make it so bear proof. I would only take them out if I was going to be there. Moose will try to lay down in any water they can find and I don't want my turts squished. Eagles might take them too so the pen will have a wire lid of some kind but it would have to be stronger than chickenwire.
I am currently building new indoor enclosures and followed links to here looking for ideas. I don't actually have tortoises, just box turtles but I hope you don't mind me lurking on the enclosure thread?

 

[Josh]

any and all tortoise and turtles lovers are welcome here!

 

[Vegas Chad]

I'm in Anchorage Alaska. We don't have racoons or skunks but I think the electric wire would work on them as well. If I build an outdoor enclosure I wouldn't leave my turts out at night and so would not make it so bear proof. I would only take them out if I was going to be there. Moose will try to lay down in any water they can find and I don't want my turts squished. Eagles might take them too so the pen will have a wire lid of some kind but it would have to be stronger than chickenwire.
I am currently building new indoor enclosures and followed links to here looking for ideas. I don't actually have tortoises, just box turtles but I hope you don't mind me lurking on the enclosure thread?

Sheesh... I am lucky here in Vegas, I have a back yard which I dont have to really worry about anything, ~maybe~ a big bird?. id crap a cobb if I came home to find a moose sleeping on a tort, an eagle swoop'n in and hauling one away or a bear having a tort lunch... Always have wanted to come to Alaska and fish, perhaps a bit of hunting. The weather will be a real challange for keeping torts outside.

 

[Jacqui]

You don't qualify as a lurker any how, because you have come out of the dark shadows and into the light of posting.

I think you could give us some wonderful comments and thoughts on how it is to have turtles/torts in Alaska. Like even thinking about bears and moose would never have crossed my mind...not many of them here in Nebraska.

Lurkers are not bad, they may not share with us, but they take information from the posts of others which may make them better turtle/tort keepers. Isn't that the main goal after all? Improving the lives of these fascinating shelled wonders we share our world with? Lurk all ya want.:shy:

 

[halfnelson]

Outside enclosures for any tortoise would be a challange here. First snow is early October and breakup is April/May. You definitely couldn't let them hibernate outside. Even in summer you would need extra heat, our soil temp is pretty low. The interior has hotter summers so it would be slightly different there but still too cold for too long. A climate controlled greenhouse would rock but you would still have to either bring them in for at least 4 months in the winter or spend a fortune heating the greenhouse.

 

[halfnelson]

Actually the electrified part is a pretty good line of defense for dogs, coons and other more common pests too. Had been thinking about it for my chicken pen. So far that's the only place the coons have hit. Key part with coons, is the "so far".

Just glad I don't have to deal with bears...or lions and tigers oh my!

A strand of electric wire 3 inches above the ground around the pen and another strand 3 inches above the top of the fence will stop most predators, if the fence is at least 5 feet tall that is, and the wire has to be barbed wire to stop bear. That setup will stop dogs from digging under the fence or jumping over. I'm thinking it would stop racoons too.