Need advise on first outdoor enclosure

[newtortoisemom]

We just adopted a 4 yr old female Russian tortoise. My husband started building her an outdoor enclosure (to surprise me). Well I'm worried it won't work for her with how he is building it (he thinks it's good). He first built 2 frames a top and bottom then between those 2 frames he attached small chicken wire. Of course we will have a top n all. But I'm worried about not having a solid wall around and she will keep thinking she can get out and hit or claw the wire. My husband did it that way thinking it'd help with air circulation. Thoughts???? Need some advice on whether or not to step in and put the project on hold. Thank you

 

[expo tort]

Sorry your description lost me please post pics.

 

[EKLC]

Is there any way to fill that gap with wood?

 

[JoesMum]

Solid walls work better as torts tend to assume they can get out through anything they can see through. Planks of wood make good walls.

You do need chicken wire as a roof to keep out predators... and to foil your Russian's escape plans. Russians are brilliant climbers!

 

[Laurie]

I agree with JoesMum, solid walls will be better. Chicken wire walls will not keep a dog out.

 

[Eweezyfosheezy]

Chicken wire really does suck for tortoises. Russians especially can climb it like its nothing and they could possibly get stuck in it and die.

 

[Sulcataman]

I would eliminate the chicken wire, build the walls with wood, and with a router, cut small slots along the top of the wall. That should help with air circulation, but a vented lid with chicken wire is sufficient.

 

[lynnedit]

If your husband already built his idea, you add treated boards or 1/2" plywood cut into 16" pieces lengthwise (one 4x8' will make 3 pieces) as a solid base.
Or concrete blocks.
Mount what you described on top and add a hinged lid.
This base +wire cage will give you height so plants can grow. It will also create a solid wall at the bottom so the tortoise won't claw at the wire.
Russians are very good burrowers and diggers:
You need to line the bottom with plastic fencing stapled on to the base, or under the blocks, and then you can back fill 6" with soil.
If you have a med to large dog, chicken wire won't keep them out. It will keep birds out.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Solid walls work better as torts tend to assume they can get out through anything they can see through. Planks of wood make good walls.

You do need chicken wire as a roof to keep out predators... and to foil your Russian's escape plans. Russians are brilliant climbers!

 

[newtortoisemom]

Thank you for all the great suggestions! Since then we started from scratch again and rebuilt a very nice enclosure (chicken wire free only on the lid).

Not related to this at all...but for some reason my email notifications from this forum are ending up in my spam folder. That is why such a delayed replies
Ideas of how to remove from spam folder?

 

[Yvonne G]

You just have to "teach" your computer that it isn't spam. Go to the spam folder, click on the forum message, then click the button that says something like "not spam."

But you don't have to wait for notifications. You can read your replies without getting a notification.