Is this tortoise proof?

[LaLaP]

Hi Friends!

After 2 escapes I am re- doing my Russian tortoises outdoor enclosure and spend a lot of time wondering "Is this tortoise proof?" My Diego is a strong, fearless, explorer and escape artist. I could use some opinions on this one border of his space. It is a retaining wall and I'm wondering if it possible for him to scale up it. It's nearly 2 feet high but there are tiny ledges and the blocks are textured. Check out this pic and let me know what you think. Thanks a million!

 

[ascott]

Hi Friends!

After 2 escapes I am re- doing my Russian tortoises outdoor enclosure and spend a lot of time wondering "Is this tortoise proof?" My Diego is a strong, fearless, explorer and escape artist. I could use some opinions on this one border of his space. It is a retaining wall and I'm wondering if it possible for him to scale up it. It's nearly 2 feet high but there are tiny ledges and the blocks are textured. Check out this pic and let me know what you think. Thanks a million!

Oh yes, that is a climbing wall for certain ....especially for this species...they can climb vertical with little effort....they are literally the Spiderman of the tortoise world....you will want to cap the tops of any walls and corners.....

 

[Maro2Bear]

I was thinking the same as Angela - a climbing wall. You might want to add one more layer of capstones that creates an overhang protruding out over your existing ring of pavers. With an overhang, it pretty much is close to impossible to escape...

Good luck!

 

[Tom]

I agree. If you lay some 12x12" pavers all along the top with about 4" of overhang, it should prevent escape.

 

[Yvonne G]

Because the bricks are off-set, each layer is a foot hold. If they were off set the OTHER way, leaning in rather than away, he wouldn't be able to climb it. In my mind's eye, I don't like the look of some sort of over hang so when he reaches the top he can't get past the over hang, but that's what you would need to do.

 

[LaLaP]

Thank you guys for your replys. I was afraid that might be the case. Capping this wall seems tricky. I'm not finding the proper blocks to do it because the wall has a curve. So I'm thinking now of some kind of metal or plastic sheeting that I can bury a few inches deep and have it sticking up how ever high necessary (8inches? Is that heigh enough?). Something flexible that I can bend around the curve of the wall. Any advice or material suggestions would be great. I do understand that I have to cap all corners. I haven't quite figured out a good material for that either.
I'll take a trip to the hardware store today to look around. Thanks all!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Thank you guys for your replys. I was afraid that might be the case. Capping this wall seems tricky. I'm not finding the proper blocks to do it because the wall has a curve. So I'm thinking now of some kind of metal or plastic sheeting that I can bury a few inches deep and have it sticking up how ever high necessary (8inches? Is that heigh enough?). Something flexible that I can bend around the curve of the wall. Any advice or material suggestions would be great. I do understand that I have to cap all corners. I haven't quite figured out a good material for that either.
I'll take a trip to the hardware store today to look around. Thanks all!

Just simple paver stones like attached place around the edge but overhanging should look and work nicely. Not too expensive either.

 

[LaLaP]

Just simple paver stones like attached place around the edge but overhanging should look and work nicely. Not too expensive either.

View attachment 243599

Maybe I'm being a bit dense but I can't imagine how to make pavers like that work on a curved wall. The wall arcs a big round 90 degrees and then straightens out for a few feet. If I placed pavers they'd just stick out like flower petals with a tortoise size gap between them, right? Or am I missing something?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Maybe I'm being a bit dense but I can't imagine how to make pavers like that work on a curved wall. The wall arcs a big round 90 degrees and then straightens out for a few feet. If I placed pavers they'd just stick out like flower petals with a tortoise size gap between them, right? Or am I missing something?

Instead of placing the long 10 inch side along the top, place the shorter 7 inch side as the overhang. You would end up needing more blocks, but it works. You could have about 5 inches hanging over, and 5 sitting firmly on your current wall.

I’ll see if i can recreate and send a pix...

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hey again...

I didnt have time to recreat exactly what you have. But took a few pix to demo.

Instead of laying the pavers on the long side like this below:




You can place the short side as the front. You can theneasily make a slow bend and have a sizeable overhang that should prevent your tort from climbing up and out.