Hi I'm new- help with tortoise enclosure

[Maya Syak]

Hi , as an extended project in school I have built a tortoise enclosure in North-East England. I have followed advise from various books and websites on tortoise health and well being and have created the structure shown in the attached pictures. As part of my project I have been asked to get feedback on my structure. So could you please reply and give me some tips on what I might like to include or change including plants suitable for tortoises to eat that can be grown in the UK.
Many Thanks,
Maya

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Maya: I really like your enclosure. It's a good start, however it still needs more.

It could use two hiding places, a few edible plants, a rough, flat piece of cement to eat off of, a plant saucer sunk into the ground for water and more edible plants. Did I mention, there should be some plants in there?

You did a nice job. I'm a little worried about the end towards the building where there's no cement border. Any tortoise worth his salt will dig out there and escape.

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome to TFO from Kent in South East England

What species of tortoise are you building a home for?

You might find this useful that I wrote about keeping a tortoise outdoors in the UK
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Maya

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Maya; and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
This is useful for what is good to feed. (or not).
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

 

[Maya Syak]

Hi Maya: I really like your enclosure. It's a good start, however it still needs more.

It could use two hiding places, a few edible plants, a rough, flat piece of cement to eat off of, a plant saucer sunk into the ground for water and more edible plants. Did I mention, there should be some plants in there?

You did a nice job. I'm a little worried about the end towards the building where there's no cement border. Any tortoise worth his salt will dig out there and escape.

Hi Yvonne,
Thank you for your reply. I have put a plant pot on the left hand side and an underground space made of bricks and a paving slab on the right as hiding spaces, is this suitable.
I have dug out the soil of the enclosure and lined up to 30cm deep with chicken wire to stop the tortoise digging out. I then filled the space up with gravel, sand and soil.
Thank you for the advice about the flat piece of cement to eat off and the plant saucer. Can you tell me some suitable plants to grow, I have a list of edible plants but would like some practical advise.
Many thanks,
Maya

 

[Maya Syak]

Hello and welcome to TFO from Kent in South East England

What species of tortoise are you building a home for?

You might find this useful that I wrote about keeping a tortoise outdoors in the UK
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

Hello and thank you for your welcome,
I am building a home for a Horsefield Tortoise.
Your link has been a useful, do you have any other advise?
thanks for your help,
Maya

 

[Maya Syak]

Hi Maya
View attachment 221752

Hello!
Thank you for the welcome,
Maya

 

[Maya Syak]

Hello, Maya; and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
This is useful for what is good to feed. (or not).
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

Hello,
Thank you for the welcome and the link it has been very helpful!
Do you have any other ideas of things I need to add to the enclosure.
Thanks for the help,
Maya

 

[teresaf]

Your enclosure would work for one tortoise but don't buy them in pairs. Tortoises don't do well in pairs. If you know the sex of your tortoises and you find three females they would work together females are less dominant than males. Notice I said three either buy one or get a group that way one is not being picked on. In a group one that's picking on another tortoise will pick on all the tortoises and spread the bullying around. One male and two or three females sometimes works... But when you have multiples of any kind you tend to have to separate them sometimes and unless you have room for a second enclosure...that's a pain.
The clay plant saucer Yvonne was mentioning should be big enough for the tortoise to get in and soak or bigger. You'll need thermometers that work in humid environments I'll attach one that I use. Make sure the temperatures don't get too hot using all that plexiglass. But neither do you want it too cold. I don't have horsefields so I don't know the exact temperatures to keep them at...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Yvonne,
Thank you for your reply. I have put a plant pot on the left hand side and an underground space made of bricks and a paving slab on the right as hiding spaces, is this suitable.
I have dug out the soil of the enclosure and lined up to 30cm deep with chicken wire to stop the tortoise digging out. I then filled the space up with gravel, sand and soil.
Thank you for the advice about the flat piece of cement to eat off and the plant saucer. Can you tell me some suitable plants to grow, I have a list of edible plants but would like some practical advise.
Many thanks,
Maya

Yes, the two hiding places is fine. I missed seeing them on my first go round.

Anything in the pansy/viola family is good, also hosta, rose of sharon, squash plants, dichondra, maybe a clump of some sort of clump grass to hide under.

 

[teresaf]

You can grow a oppotunia cactus or two inside and give out a pad here and there...torts love em...

 

[Maya Syak]

Your enclosure would work for one tortoise but don't buy them in pairs. Tortoises don't do well in pairs. If you know the sex of your tortoises and you find three females they would work together females are less dominant than males. Notice I said three either buy one or get a group that way one is not being picked on. In a group one that's picking on another tortoise will pick on all the tortoises and spread the bullying around. One male and two or three females sometimes works... But when you have multiples of any kind you tend to have to separate them sometimes and unless you have room for a second enclosure...that's a pain.
The clay plant saucer Yvonne was mentioning should be big enough for the tortoise to get in and soak or bigger. You'll need thermometers that work in humid environments I'll attach one that I use. Make sure the temperatures don't get too hot using all that plexiglass. But neither do you want it too cold. I don't have horsefields so I don't know the exact temperatures to keep them at...

Thank you for your advise, I have bought a thermometer to install in the enclosure and researched about what temperature a horsefield tortoise should be kept at. I own one female horsefield and have taken your advise about buying others into consideration. For now I will keep just the one that I have and in the future possible purchase others to create a group.
Thanks again for your advise,
Maya

 

[Maya Syak]

Yes, the two hiding places is fine. I missed seeing them on my first go round.

Anything in the pansy/viola family is good, also hosta, rose of sharon, squash plants, dichondra, maybe a clump of some sort of clump grass to hide under.

I have bought fake grass to put over one of the hiding places, should I replace it with real grass instead? Also should I grow the plants in pots or straight out of the ground I am just worried that if I plant them in the ground the tortoise will eat them before they are fully grown.

 

[JoesMum]

I have bought fake grass to put over one of the hiding places, should I replace it with real grass instead? Also should I grow the plants in pots or straight out of the ground I am just worried that if I plant them in the ground the tortoise will eat them before they are fully grown.

Grass doesn’t grow well in an enclosure and there’s no place for fake grass.

Grow plants in pots and sink the pot into the substrate with the rim showing to help prevent trampling. They grow better in pots and are easier to swap out when they get eaten or die.