My out side enclosure

[bsr8129]

Well my out side enclosure is almost complete, 25 bucks and a little bit of time, not the prettiest but it works. I still need to add some plants, got some seeds growing but they wont last long, and still need to build some hides to go in it. 2 African spurs are going in.

 

[Millerlite]

screen i think filters out uvb rays well a lot of the uvb rays, i would go with chicken wire

 

[desertsss]

I also heard that screens block the rays which is the whole point of them going outside...that and the grazing. I was told of hardware cloth or hardwood cloth, I can never remember. I was told it is a great enclosure top that still allows the uv rays through to the torts. Very nice job though. I have been slacking on my outdoor enclosure, got discouraged when everything I was doing was getting dug up by my cats.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

that's exactly right. The screen will also screen out UVB rays. It also looks dense enough to prevent the sun itself from penetrating...Needs to be more open...

 

[Yvonne G]

Aside from the screen, I like it. The lids open for easy access on both sides. Good job! Just trade out the screen for either chicken wire or hardware cloth and you're good to go!

Yvonne

 

[bsr8129]

Thanks for the advice i will be changing the screen to chicken wire,

 

[chadk]

Personally, I'd go with the hardwire cloth. Much easier to work with. Chicken wire often starts sagging. It also allows in mice and medium sized rats.

Another issue with the screen is that it just isn't predator proof. Any cat, mouse, rat, dog, raccoon, possum, etc could get in no problemo!

 

[bsr8129]

where can i get hardwire cloth? no issues with mice or rats, or any real preditors where i live, once in a blue moon a possum might be spotted, and no cats our dogs keep them away, and the dogs dont care about the tortoise's; they have been out in the yard with them and sniff and leave them alone as we have a DT that roams the yard.

 

[Crazy1]

bsr8129, I can't tell you the amount of times I have heard 'My dogs aren't interested in my tort" only to hear that that very dog chewed up the tort. Please do not take the chance with your dogs around your torts. It only takes once. And I do not know of a place where mice if not rats are not around. They will chew on torts also. we have even had them were a pet rat chewed to the bone.
Hardware cloth is like a wire screen type similar to chicken wire but the wire is thicker and the holes are smaller, they usually come in 1/4 and 1/2 inch openings. I use this on my hatchling pens. you can get it at most hardware stores like Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[bsr8129]

I'll have to go to lowes and check on the hardwire cloth.

Thanks for your concerns on the dogs, but i can say 100% my dogs wont do anything with the torts, they are small to medium size dogs, not like that matters, but they are both well trained and have 0 interest in the torts, the torts are allowed sometimes to roam around in thier room of the house, the dogs will be in there laying down and dont pay any attention to them, nor did they when they were roaming around the yard.

 

[Meg90]

And I will say it again. All of the cases in which a dog chewed a tortoise came to be because the owners had the same thought as you do. And it might have been true, until that one fateful day that the dog thinks, "Hey! I can chase this thing! Hey! I can chew on it!"

And then you have a tragedy on your hands.

Because if you think about it, who would knowingly mix their torts with dogs if they knew the dog had a problem with it? I'd be careful if I were you.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...Hate to sound like a broken record, but I have 3 turtles & 2 tortoises that I am rehabbing for my vet who got chewed by dogs. (The turts & torts, not the vet!) They will eventually heal most likely, but it takes a really long time.
It isn't that hard to make sure your dog can't get into the tortoise area. Please listen to the experienced.
Good luck
Patsy