Need help, outdoor enclosure

[Rover15]

So I have built my outdoor enclosure minus adding some plants, and a more perminante water situation. I just need to add a roof (for lack of a better term)

My enclosure is 6ft by 8ft, and i was going to do a butterfly top with two 3ft by 8ft doors on hinges that open towards each other. I was going to use chicken wire, i have skunks, cats, racoons maybe a hawk as preditors. I was searching the form looking to see some ideas of how others built theirs and I read that Chicken wire is bad, but i dont understand why its bad.

My questions are why is chicken wire bad?

And do you have tips for how i can close off the top and still have access?

 

[Cali~jenn]

My husband built an 8x8 enclosure for our torts also with a top like you r describing. He did use chicken wire on the top to make sure nothing can get in and hurt them. If you want i can get pictures to kinda show how it turned out.

 

[TechnoCheese]

My husband built an 8x8 enclosure for our torts also with a top like you r describing. He did use chicken wire on the top to make sure nothing can get in and hurt them. If you want i can get pictures to kinda show how it turned out.

Pictures would be great

 

[Rover15]

My husband built an 8x8 enclosure for our torts also with a top like you r describing. He did use chicken wire on the top to make sure nothing can get in and hurt them. If you want i can get pictures to kinda show how it turned out.

Yes please do.

It is my wife who wants them to hinge and open if it was me id build one large lid and put laches on each corner im strong enough to lift it, but she is the boss and wants to access it as well lol

 

[Cali~jenn]

Yes please do.

It is my wife who wants them to hinge and open if it was me id build one large lid and put laches on each corner im strong enough to lift it, but she is the boss and wants to access it as well lol

I am sure there r other ways to build it but these doors r heavy enough built this way. My husband wanted to make 1 big door which would have been a pain in the end. My kids can help with it this way at least.

 

[Cali~jenn]

He added the locks although i dont use them much really. The other side has handles and a latch as well.

He made the left side attach to the kids trampoline since it couldnt open enough to just rest like the other side does.

Excuse all my baby plants in there. I just replanted it all (not done yet) and needs to grow in a lot.

 

[Rover15]

View attachment 236749
He added the locks although i dont use them much really. The other side has handles and a latch as well.
View attachment 236750
He made the left side attach to the kids trampoline since it couldnt open enough to just rest like the other side does.
View attachment 236751 View attachment 236752
Excuse all my baby plants in there. I just replanted it all (not done yet) and needs to grow in a lot.
View attachment 236753 View attachment 236754

Looks great mine looks very raw as ove just planted seeds and my original plan for water wont work because its too hard for my box turtle to get out of.

But i want my doors to open opposite yours, right now your doors open from the middle out i want my to open towards the middle, it will prevent the issue you have with the trampoline however ill only be able to open one at a time.

How did you attach the chicken wire to the wood?? Staples?

 

[Cali~jenn]

Looks great mine looks very raw as ove just planted seeds and my original plan for water wont work because its too hard for my box turtle to get out of.

But i want my doors to open opposite yours, right now your doors open from the middle out i want my to open towards the middle, it will prevent the issue you have with the trampoline however ill only be able to open one at a time.

How did you attach the chicken wire to the wood?? Staples?

Ohhh i see. Yeah would only be able to open 1 side at a time your way unless you can think of a way to latch them to something in the center....
Wish we would have used a staple gun we hammered in the u shaped tack type of things. Sorry i dont know what they r called but there were a pain in the rear. Haha then hubby took mousing wire i think it is called to kinda stitch the 2 layers together so there is no opening wher it overlaps.

 

[Rover15]

Ohhh i see. Yeah would only be able to open 1 side at a time your way unless you can think of a way to latch them to something in the center....
Wish we would have used a staple gun we hammered in the u shaped tack type of things. Sorry i dont know what they r called but there were a pain in the rear. Haha then hubby took mousing wire i think it is called to kinda stitch the 2 layers together so there is no opening wher it overlaps.

do you have a closer picture? Did you use two different types of wire? chicken and mouse wire?

 

[Rover15]

are you referring the overlap of the chicken wire? I won't have that because I'm buying the length of each lid so it will fit with no overlap

 

[Cali~jenn]

are you referring the overlap of the chicken wire? I won't have that because I'm buying the length of each lid so it will fit with no overlap

Yes, thats what i meant. He kinda sewed the 2 pieces together with the wire.

 

[AJK Aquaria]

Hardware cloth 1/2" is the better option, IMO.

 

[Rover15]

Hardware cloth 1/2" is the better option, IMO.

I might go this route, i dont have enough chicken wire to double up both doors/lids so if i have to go and buy some ill buy the hardware cloth, then i dont have to double up. Also i think i might open it from the middle out instead of butter fly doors

 

[AJK Aquaria]

I did something similar, but smaller scale-

 

[Cali~jenn]

Hardware cloth 1/2" is the better option, IMO.

Is something wrong with chicken wire? I am all for changing ours out if need be...

 

[AJK Aquaria]

I have heard or read that chicken wire is inferior to hardware cloth. Stronger, smaller openings, etc. Can't say I've used chicken wire for any reptile enclosures, so no personal experience.

 

[Rover15]

I did something similar, but smaller scale-

Have you closed off your large box turtle enclosure in this video??

 

[AJK Aquaria]

No. No tops. I use an electric wire. Although this video is not current, nothing has changed concerning security. I am considering adding yard sentinel.

 

[Rover15]

No. No tops. I use an electric wire. Although this video is not current, nothing has changed concerning security. I am considering adding yard sentinel.

Right on, unfortunately i cant do the electric fence as my kids would be the ones touching it lol.

How deep is your pond? Do you find the turtles swiming? Or just using the shallow ends? Also how do you filter it i seen a pump is that all you need for the pond?

 

[AJK Aquaria]

I believe I went about 27-30" at the deepest section. They bobb around in there. Mostly the shallow sections. Some more than others. Some have attempted to hibernate underwater, but I have been artificially brumating them in a dedicated fridge. No filtration. The bottom is some soil and leaves. Pump is soley for creating surface agitation and circulation. Just a biological watering hole. I will be adding a few dozen minnows to control mosquito larvae. They also become a food source if they die. Insect larvae and snails are also on the menu.