I'm working on my first outside tortoisetortoise yard...

[teresaf]

I've had areas outside like in a little pool or baby yard but I've never designated a part of the yard for my tortoises. The first one I'm doing is for my leopard tortoise who's over a foot long now and almost six years old... I'm not quite finished yet. we had a lot of stuff to do before I could start to make this happen. Our 3 extra lots were totally wooded. Here in Florida 'totally wooded' means you can't walk through it.. :/

So after getting somebody out here to totally clear everything under the trees with this cool machine that ground everything up we had a big privacy fence put all the way around it. Now I can work on enclosures!

I'm unsure of what kind of weeds I can allow to grow in this enclosure or if I should try and get them all out of there and start new. I have done that but they just grew back again.

anybody know of some of the weeds that are dangerous for tortoises that might grow down here in Florida so I can look out for them?

I have a fence up now and water dish in the ground his doghouse is in there with a ramp but it's not finished I have to fix it. It needs some shingles removed and replaced, the ramp installed and boards put up on the bottom legs so that he can't get underneath it. I think I'll be pretty much done then and have to fix things as I find them if I have issues. What do you guys think? Did I forget anything? Any suggestions on anything that'll make him safer?

 

[teresaf]

The house is supposed to look like this. I lost quite a few shingles getting it home and have altered the ramp so it's not as steep and it now has rails so he can't fall off it. The left side is a big door for easy cleaning.

Would you believe I called about it on Craigslist hoping that they would take less than the $200 they were asking and the owner said I could have it for free if I came that day to get it? AWE-SOME!

 

[teresaf]

Update. Mostly finished now. Diesels in his new enclosure full time now. Still need to put post around fence to hold it up better, repair roof of tortoise house, put plastic strips on door and put his heater in house.

 

[teresaf]

 

[janevicki]

Love your Leopard tort yard, that hut is adorable and the area so so awesomely huge!

 

[teresaf]

It's not as huge as I would have liked. But it's about 400 square feet...

 

[teresaf]

Love your Leopard tort yard, that hut is adorable and the area so so awesomely huge!

Yeah I think I mentioned above that I actually got that house for free. I saw iton Craigslist for 200 and asked about it only because I thought maybe I could talk him down. I didn't have 200 to spend on a tortoise house they said if I came and got it that day I could have it for free! So lucky!

I would make the leopard tortoise pen bigger except I have four dogs and two Burmese Black Mountain tortoises that I have to have the rest of the yard for.

The Burmese Black Mountain tortoises are going to be so happy with their enclosures. I have the perfect spot picked out for them! I'll leave that for the next thread though because I still have to build it. It's going to take a lot more time since they require humidity so I'm going to have to hook up a sprinkler system on a timer above them... Heck I still have to clear that area it's a mess of vines and debris

 

[janevicki]

Yeah I think I mentioned above that I actually got that house for free. I saw iton Craigslist for 200 and asked about it only because I thought maybe I could talk him down. I didn't have 200 to spend on a tortoise house they said if I came and got it that day I could have it for free! So lucky!

I would make the leopard tortoise pen bigger except I have four dogs and two Burmese Black Mountain tortoises that I have to have the rest of the yard for.

The Burmese Black Mountain tortoises are going to be so happy with their enclosures. I have the perfect spot picked out for them! I'll leave that for the next thread though because I still have to build it. It's going to take a lot more time since they require humidity so I'm going to have to hook up a sprinkler system on a timer above them... Heck I still have to clear that area it's a mess of vines and debris

LOL you totally scored on the hut! Best wishes on making your BMT enclosure, we are watering the BMTs 3-4 times a day. during our heat spell in So Cal. I need to get an automatic water system for their pen! (Ha Ha .....One more thing to do) ...

 

[teresaf]

LOL you totally scored on the hut! Best wishes on making your BMT enclosure, we are watering the BMTs 3-4 times a day. during our heat spell in So Cal. I need to get an automatic water system for their pen! (Ha Ha .....One more thing to do) ...

Funny you're near Disneyland which I've been to but I'm near Disneyworld which I haven't.
My BMT yard is going to be huge! I am constantly looking for more BMTs. I only have two but I want at least 3 more 3-6 year olds. maybe older...Keep an eye out for me? LOL Oh, and feel free to add me to your will! LMAO! ; )
How many do you have?

 

[Link]

Are tortoises like tattoos ...you can never stop with just one?

 

[teresaf]

Are tortoises like tattoos ...you can never stop with just one?

You would think so...not many on this forum only have one....lol
However, I only have one tattoo.... : )

 

[janevicki]

Funny you're near Disneyland which I've been to but I'm near Disneyworld which I haven't.
My BMT yard is going to be huge! I am constantly looking for more BMTs. I only have two but I want at least 3 more 3-6 year olds. maybe older...Keep an eye out for me? LOL Oh, and feel free to add me to your will! LMAO! ; )
How many do you have?

I have two... and of course I want more also! You are closer than I to the largest breeder of Burmese mountain torts, Vic Morgan in St. Augustine. Give him a call to get more. If I could go to Florida, I would go there to see his collection and get a few more.

 

[teresaf]

I don't want babies though. : ( I did ask him and he said he didn't have anything older available. So here's to hoping somebody gets bored with theirs or dies ; ) lol