Hello, I am planning to update and enlarge my Russian tortoise's outdoor enclosure this spring. It is currently 4x10 ft rectangle. I have seen some suggestions of an L shaped pen. What is the theory behind and advantages of an L shqpe? Thank you for any info you may have.
L shaped enclosure?
- Thread starter leigti
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Welcome...I don't know what the theory would be behind an L shape enclosure...I could see advantages to a circular enclosure but not really an L shape?????
northernturtleman
New Member
i think it would be okay for space conservation, however, for your turtle the more open surface area the better.
Thank you for the replies. I wanted to add another 5 feet to the enclosure so do you guys think it would be better to just add the 5 feet onto one and or put a 5 foot leg on one side of it to make it an L-shaped?
The true answer will depend on the shape of your room; but why limit your tort to just another 5 feet. Plywood comes in 8 foot lengths. Why not add a entire 4 feet to the 10 foot length and extend the 8 foot portion as an L into your room.
The advantage of an L shape for me is the fact that it fits nicely into the corner of a room and yet allow the keeper to reach into all parts of the enclosure to make it easy for cleaning and to reach the tortoise for soaks and other needs. Of course, if you have plenty of room go ahead and make a C shape or an H shape.
I even considered putting a square shape into a room but getting into the middle would involve too much stooping and crawling. You could design a maze for your tortoise to roam. Putting in sight walls to restrict the torts ability to see his entire empire will give him more wall area to patrol.
The bigger the better but don't forget to add sight blocks and other things of interest to your tort.
The advantage of an L shape for me is the fact that it fits nicely into the corner of a room and yet allow the keeper to reach into all parts of the enclosure to make it easy for cleaning and to reach the tortoise for soaks and other needs. Of course, if you have plenty of room go ahead and make a C shape or an H shape.
I even considered putting a square shape into a room but getting into the middle would involve too much stooping and crawling. You could design a maze for your tortoise to roam. Putting in sight walls to restrict the torts ability to see his entire empire will give him more wall area to patrol.
The bigger the better but don't forget to add sight blocks and other things of interest to your tort.
Re: RE: L shaped enclosure?
I've heard the L shape breaks up the line of sight. Mr. Turtle can't see his whole world from one spot like he could in a plain rectangle. Using an L shape (or any odd shape) with other sight barriers can help stimulate your tortoise to explore his territory.
Hope this helps!
ascott said:
I've heard the L shape breaks up the line of sight. Mr. Turtle can't see his whole world from one spot like he could in a plain rectangle. Using an L shape (or any odd shape) with other sight barriers can help stimulate your tortoise to explore his territory.
Hope this helps!
Thank you everybody all this information is helpful. I should give a little bit of my background, I am legally blind so I have to make an enclosure that works for both me and the tortoise. I cannot see my tortoise when I am standing up so in his outdoor enclosure I have to get down on my hands and knees to look for him. This involves me having to be able to reach every bit of the enclosure. The neighbor kids laugh at me when they see me crawling around looking for Yurik but sometimes he actually comes out when I call him. But that's okay. I know where most of his hiding places are but if he's not in one of those places then it takes me a while to find him, I swear I'm going to put a bell around his neck ha ha. The indoor enclosure is easy because it is only 6 x 2' and up on a table so I can reach everything easily and actually see him too. I think I will try for the L-shaped and I may be able to even work in to possibly a C shape. Thank you for all the help.
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Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ
First off all, shame on the little brats that laugh, a good set of kids would come help....let me get off of that now....good grief.
With what you have described, forget the circle shape...that would be not pleasant for your needs....the little bugger would just run in circles on ya...
I bet that if you make a habit of makeing a noise (you say your voice sometimes works---but you could also have a thick rubber flip flop shoe that you smack against the ground, like a beaver does to communicate) that also offers a vibration, and also have a favorite treat as a reward for when the tort arrives and do this over and over I wonder if your tort will begin to come to you instead of you going to him...
I do this with the CDTs here, especially the one that has the really deep natural dug burrow....I simply use the flip flop as a type of door knocker to let him know to come on out....I have done it enough times and offered a treat that he comes on out when I know....there is no way, without tearing into his burrow that I could reach him otherwise...
Just a suggestion...
With what you have described, forget the circle shape...that would be not pleasant for your needs....the little bugger would just run in circles on ya...
I bet that if you make a habit of makeing a noise (you say your voice sometimes works---but you could also have a thick rubber flip flop shoe that you smack against the ground, like a beaver does to communicate) that also offers a vibration, and also have a favorite treat as a reward for when the tort arrives and do this over and over I wonder if your tort will begin to come to you instead of you going to him...
I do this with the CDTs here, especially the one that has the really deep natural dug burrow....I simply use the flip flop as a type of door knocker to let him know to come on out....I have done it enough times and offered a treat that he comes on out when I know....there is no way, without tearing into his burrow that I could reach him otherwise...
Just a suggestion...
I like the flip-flop idea. I will have to try that, thanks. The neighbor kids are good-natured the have helped me find him when I let him loose in the yard and he gets farther away than I expected him too. He lmoves much quicker than I expect. My dog will also pointing out if I ask her to.
Have you ever thought of a tortoise table outside? You can have some one make it long and narrow enough for you reach across. Then you can walk along the side looking for your tortoise verses crawling and it will be harder for your tortoise hide.
An "L" shape will give a since of exploration as the tortoise will be unable to see around the corner and will travel there to explore. Once there s/he will be unable to see around the corner and will travel ther to explore... see where this is going. Also, if you have more than one this will break the line of site and give them the opportunity to get away from each other. I wish I could do one in an "L" shape. Plus it would look nice if it "wrapped" around a corner or was in the corner of a back fence. An "L" shape also provides more sq footage and still stays thin enough and gives more access to the whole area without having to move around in there.
When I feed my babies I knock on my indoor table and the sulcatas come running. The leopards couldn't care less and I often have to fish them out of the far corners to put them near their food or the the one that hangs out by the food rock will eat it all. The sullys run around like little puppies when I knock. They know, at least I choose to believe they know, the difference between a feeding vist, when I knock, and a visit visit because I do not knock. So, yeah, I believe that they can and do learn. They also know my face and react differently towards me than other people. They will move to the back of the table and not come forward when other people look in on them.
ascott said:
When I feed my babies I knock on my indoor table and the sulcatas come running. The leopards couldn't care less and I often have to fish them out of the far corners to put them near their food or the the one that hangs out by the food rock will eat it all. The sullys run around like little puppies when I knock. They know, at least I choose to believe they know, the difference between a feeding vist, when I knock, and a visit visit because I do not knock. So, yeah, I believe that they can and do learn. They also know my face and react differently towards me than other people. They will move to the back of the table and not come forward when other people look in on them.
Thanks for the suggestions everybody! When the snow clears up I will have to get started on that enclosure, I think I will go for an L or maybe even a sea shape. I will go ahead and keep it on the ground because that's where the existing one is right now. I have noticed that Yurik does come out if I sprayed enclosure down with the garden hose on hot days and indoors he comes out when I start playing around with his food dish. They definitely know when it's food time and if I don't feed him he sits and stares at his dish longingly, it's actually pretty cute. Last year I over planted the outdoor enclosure it was more like a rain forest in there and I could not find him to save my life! So this year I will have fewer plants in there and it will be a little bit easier. I will also make sure he has lots of site barriers Hills logs etc. so that he does not get bored, maybe I will change them up in the middle of the season just to give him something new.
So my outdoor enclosure for my russians is an L shape. This was more motivated by me wanting to enlarge it without it becoming “unsightly" for my wife. “Happy wife, happy life" and all. I have a permanent garden shed and originally the enclosure just ran the length of the back. Then I enlarged it to take in the back of the shed and the length of the garage. My russians stay out there 24/7 for 3 seasons, only coming in for winter storage, as it were. I'm very happy with the arrangement because they can always choose sun or shade. I'd go take a picture, but we're having rain/snow showers right now and the house is just too warm and dry. I have an older picture before I fully opened it up. 
Now it extends down the left of the picture.
Now it extends down the left of the picture.
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That is a nice big pen. Do you have problems with predators? Here we have raccoon and possum, hawks, and all bunch of neighbor cats. My enclosure has hardware cloth under ground and on top.
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Predators! Ha ha ha Cow boy Ken is the predator .
He probably does handle a gun better than I do! I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with the cannonball from more than 10 yards. So I guess the hardware cloth will have to do it's job. It has so far anyway.
It's not in that earlier picture, but I have a hotline tape that runs along the top boarder about 2"-3" off the top. This is the regular setting for keeping the horses on the pasture. Critters don't hit that line more than once, and they retreat fast after the first time.
Yes, that would be very effective!
I will post a picture of the updated enclosure when I get it done this spring. Thank you everybody for your suggestions.
