Is a wire fence good enough for leopard enclosure?

[teresaf]

I'm making my first outside enclosure. I'm just a girl and don't have a lot of strength so I figured instead of cinder block I'd use a couple fold up wire fence pet yards I found on Craigslist. Leopards don't dig, right? But will he try to go through it? It's going to be a pretty big yard for him(about 400 sq ft). Thoughts?

 

[JoesMum]

I don't like wire for torts. If they can see through then they always try to get out and spend the day with their head and one leg stuck through the wire trying to force their way through.

Add to that the fact that a Leopard is pretty rapidly going to grow into something that wire won't contain.

Organise a barbecue. Have all your friends round for a block-moving party. Payment in food and drink should get it sorted quickly

 

[teresaf]

I don't like wire for torts. If they can see through then they always try to get out and spend the day with their head and one leg stuck through the wire trying to force their way through.

Add to that the fact that a Leopard is pretty rapidly going to grow into something that wire won't contain.

Organise a barbecue. Have all your friends round for a block-moving party. Payment in food and drink should get it sorted quickly

Just moved here from Ohio so we don't have friends here : ( however, I may be able to put a 1x10 on the inside bottom... Would that work?

 

[JoesMum]

Yes that would work.

 

[Lyn W]

I'm making my first outside enclosure. I'm just a girl and don't have a lot of strength so I figured instead of cinder block I'd use a couple fold up wire fence pet yards I found on Craigslist. Leopards don't dig, right? But will he try to go through it? It's going to be a pretty big yard for him(about 400 sq ft). Thoughts?

My leopard will keep trying to get through the smallest gap in his enclosure if he can see through it, so yes site barriers are a good idea.

 

[shelledfrens]

I'd recommend wood, myself. And, like, the other people commented, they will try to get out.

 

[wellington]

My leopards can see thru their fence on one side. Once in a while they try to get thru it, most of the time they don't bother. So it really depends on what your tort does and gets over doing. Sight barriers can always be added later.

 

[jaizei]

I'm pretty sure @Jacqui has posted pics showing enclosures made with wire, with maybe a board at the bottom.

Or she'll tell me i'm wrong.

 

[Jacqui]

I'm pretty sure @Jacqui has posted pics showing enclosures made with wire, with maybe a board at the bottom.

Or she'll tell me i'm wrong.

You are very correct, I do have many wired wall enclosures.

When I first got involved with online tortoise groups, they were all saying how bad wire was because the tortoises would be constantly trying to get out because they could see out. I started pulling out my old wire enclosures. Then I noticed that the solid walled enclosures I had, were getting the same amount of pacing and trying to escape as the wire.

I currently have wire, metal roofing, cement blocks, and wood walls in various enclosures with many different species. Each has their own issues, but more important is what you have set-up INSIDE the enclosure.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Cyclone fence buried at least a foot in the ground(good SOLID earth)should be OK. ANY tortoise CAN dig whether they will or do is another matter but always a danger. Wood fence will rot especially if buried and cement will abrade/grind away their shell if not pretty smooth. A wood fence with the cyclone to block the view out and in might not be a bad idea. Better safe than sorry.