Need secure enclosure ideas

[jeffbens0n]

I had posted a while back about wanting to have a permanent outdoor enclosure for my russian and leopard ready this spring. Well spring is almost upon us and I cannot decide what I want to do.

I had originally planned cinder block, two high, dug into the ground several inches. My main problem is security. I do have foxes and raccoons in the area and whatever I decide must have a secure top. For this reason I had planned on going no more than 6 feet wide with the cinder blocks just so I will be able to cover it with wire framed within 2x4's. I had also thought about a used dog run, something that is maybe 10x10, but that would need a top as well.

Does anyone have any ideas for reasonably priced secure enclosures? I would like to give each tort at least 10x10, but with the cinder blocks, I feel as if I would need to go longer rather than wide to get 100sq feet or so. Thanks!

 

[68merc]

Costco sells a 10x10 dog kennel for $399. It has a top. Would make a good tortoise home.

 

[Yvonne G]

Usually the type of marauders that would hunt out your tortoises are night time creatures. If you make a secure night time house with a locking door, you don't have to worry so much about making the whole pen secure.

Just pick up any un-eaten food when you go around in the evening to lock everyone up and you should be ok.

 

[NEtorts]

I use an electric fence atop the fence of my torts pen, i just started using it last year. I would pick up the torts that didnt already go inside on there own, each night before bed but as my enclosure got bigger and bigger, i found it was taking me 20-30 sometimes 40 minutes to find all of them!! in parts of my enclosure the grass gets tall and i have well over a dozen tunnels for them to hide in....so i started noticing tracks from racoons around my pen and they were getting into my garden which is right next to the pen...so I installed an electric wire fence on the top of the fence, as you can see in the pic. the fence is about 2 feet tall, any racoon, or skunk would have to grab the top of the fence to climb over it and well, ZAPPO! I did put a cut off switch out side next to it so i can shut it off if needed and I installed a timer so it only comes on after 10pm and shuts off at about 530 am so my kids dont get zapped! works for me...

 

[N2TORTS]

Here was an enclosure I built for the redfoots at one time. If ya look close, there is black chicken wire that covers the entire structure. I used regualr lath wire" and when still packaged in a roll I hit it with some black paint to make it less visable. This particular enclosure also had locking 8' doors as the entrance.

AND OF COURSE....A SHOT OF THE 'HIDE'
( this completly folds up and can be locked as well" )

HAPPY Tort~N
JD~

 

[yagyujubei]

Why not just bring them in at night. That's what I do, it's a small pain, but cheaper than building a raccoon proof pen.

 

[jeffbens0n]

Thanks for the ideas, JD, I love your electric fence idea. After some thought i think what i might do is two 10x10 wooden enclosures, each buried a couple inches. 1x6's for the walls, either 3 or 4 high, then have a couple electric fence lines running across the top with a solar powered unit and a timer to turn on at night only. I would make it so it could be moved as well, not nailed together, probably with brackets so it could be taken apart, moved, or expanded upon. Any thoughts on this?

 

[N2TORTS]

Thanks for the ideas, JD, I love your electric fence idea. After some thought i think what i might do is two 10x10 wooden enclosures, each buried a couple inches. 1x6's for the walls, either 3 or 4 high, then have a couple electric fence lines running across the top with a solar powered unit and a timer to turn on at night only. I would make it so it could be moved as well, not nailed together, probably with brackets so it could be taken apart, moved, or expanded upon. Any thoughts on this?

Ummm... NeTorts uses the elec fence...I dont need those extremes....
JD~

 

[NEtorts]

sounds good, i dont know about the "making it portable" i have no need to...I expand mine by makeing acut through the fence and just continuing on.... one of my expantions i made a door so i could keep certain destructive torts out...how big is your Leo? and will he be in the same enclosure? i see you have a diamond back terrapin Jeff... that must be cool< they are beautiful!! what kind of setup do you have him in?

---

then have a couple electric fence lines running across the top with a solar powered unit and a timer to turn on at night only.

i thought of the solar too but decided the one time i would have trouble with critters would be the 3 day cloudy stretch and the fence would have no JUICE!! just be careful and plan for that....

 

[jeffbens0n]

Thanks for the ideas, JD, I love your electric fence idea. After some thought i think what i might do is two 10x10 wooden enclosures, each buried a couple inches. 1x6's for the walls, either 3 or 4 high, then have a couple electric fence lines running across the top with a solar powered unit and a timer to turn on at night only. I would make it so it could be moved as well, not nailed together, probably with brackets so it could be taken apart, moved, or expanded upon. Any thoughts on this?

Ummm... NeTorts uses the elec fence...I dont need those extremes....
JD~

My apologies to you both, I must have confused your two posts.

NETorts, my Leo is about 3.5 years and 6 inches, and he will be in a separate area from my russian.

Yes I do have a DBT as well, he is about 5 months old, and 2.5 inches. I have him in a 30 gallon for now, and will get a 75 gallon for him soon. I hope to eventually have him outside to in the summer in a pond.

The place where i was planning on putting the enclosure does not have any electricity near which is why I had planned on the solar powered. I am hoping that a timer set just to turn on at night will save power for those cloudy days. We have one for a horse pasture and it seems to work well.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I really like your setups, top notch!

Here was an enclosure I built for the redfoots at one time. If ya look close, there is black chicken wire that covers the entire structure. I used regualr lath wire" and when still packaged in a roll I hit it with some black paint to make it less visable. This particular enclosure also had locking 8' doors as the entrance.

AND OF COURSE....A SHOT OF THE 'HIDE'
( this completly folds up and can be locked as well" )

HAPPY Tort~N
JD~

 

[N2TORTS]

Why thank ya Greg....aka Mr. Aldaman..." as I call ya"

Jeff here are a couple other ideas and enclosures i built .....

this was for the larger sullies I use to keep ...

it too .. could fold up and lock " tight"

or in the covered area I divided it up for different types of habitats, one included a large dog loo ( to the left in pic) buried 4' down then large lava rocks were stacked ontop the loo' to make it look pure natural' .. while in essence .. was a complete " dry " cave.

JD~

 

[jeffbens0n]

I really like that lava rock cave JD. I love your shed as well, I would like to eventually have something large like that but for now I am starting off small. Where are you located? Is your shed heated?

 

[N2TORTS]

I really like that lava rock cave JD. I love your shed as well, I would like to eventually have something large like that but for now I am starting off small. Where are you located? Is your shed heated?

Iam in So CAL ... near the ocean. I keep most my torts outside year round. All the " hides" are heated .. even the cave! For now ...I only keep my Red's N cherrys along with a few other specialty torts... . I actually broke down and bought a store made" shed ( looks like a little house, I tricked it out of course with elec. and a full mist system..ect..) for the reds, one I can stand in while working and the torts can come and go as they please.... funny is this year and last all the torts have nested/laid in there while they have complete access to the outside...
( go figure) .

Happy Tort~N ....

,,,,Think Small ... GO BIG!!!!

JD~

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Wow, they just keep getting better. You for sure spend a lot of time and effort into your setups, outstanding!