Here is the pen, it is divided into 5 sub-pens. I spent all my spare time in December and the first part of January remodeling the previous smaller pen and it's original pond (now in pen 5).
I'm thinking max occupancy is probably a 1:4 group in each pen. Each pen has a pond, with flowing water starting in pen 1, flowing successively into each pen. After pen 5, the water is pumped out, through a biological filter, and then a uv sterilyzer filter, and then back into pen 1. I ended up putting 1/4 inch wire mesh at each spillway to keep leaves from collecting and obstructing the flow.
1/2 inch sprinkler hose runs around the perimeter, under the edge of the wall, and 1/4 hose runs along the top of each wire fence, so I can put sprinkler nozzles in wherever I need to.
Outside the pen is the Golden Greek pen, which along with the dog kennel occupies the rest of our house's north side.
Water comes through the wall to water the Golden Greek's rock water bowls. The drippers run everytime the sprinklers come on in the box turtle pen.
Pen 1 is 3.5 feet wide.
Pen 2 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 3 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 4 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 5 is the biggest.
A dry creek bed of large cobbles gives me access to the pens without trampling things. Strawberries are planted on either side of the path. I find they fill out nicely and give humid vegetation to hide under as well as a supply of strawberries all season.
The food bowls are along the front. Eventually the front will be shaded all summer as the plants grow.
The food plates (plant pot saucers) are double stacked, so the bottom bowl holds water, with the gap big enough to keep ants from reaching the upper bowl and the food it will hold. At least that's what I hope for. Ants are pretty smart at figuring out how to get food.
The wood rails are for the shade cloth roller. The shade cloth is stapled to two loose 2x4's. One side can be rolled up, (rolled up mostly in the pic) and slid to where I want them on the slider rails. This way I can shade it in the hot summer, but still access it for cleaning or during the winter when I might want more light.
Each pen has 2 hides. One is in the front in the shade, and one in the back in the sun. Each hide is depressed into the ground a little, and will be kept mostly full of leaf litter to allow the turtles more natural humidity and security.
Time will tell whether I keep leaves just in the hide or in front as well. Also, I don't know how much of a leaf stockpile I'll have to store each fall to keep these supplied. Emmy is the only turtle up right now. The others that came up a couple weeks ago went back under the leaf piles.
Also, so far it takes about a single day's efforts for them to get used to the 2x3 inch vinyl coated wire fencing. I hope all of them learn to see it as a permanent barrier quickly. I'll know in the next few weeks as it warms up.
Steve
I'm thinking max occupancy is probably a 1:4 group in each pen. Each pen has a pond, with flowing water starting in pen 1, flowing successively into each pen. After pen 5, the water is pumped out, through a biological filter, and then a uv sterilyzer filter, and then back into pen 1. I ended up putting 1/4 inch wire mesh at each spillway to keep leaves from collecting and obstructing the flow.
1/2 inch sprinkler hose runs around the perimeter, under the edge of the wall, and 1/4 hose runs along the top of each wire fence, so I can put sprinkler nozzles in wherever I need to.
Outside the pen is the Golden Greek pen, which along with the dog kennel occupies the rest of our house's north side.
Water comes through the wall to water the Golden Greek's rock water bowls. The drippers run everytime the sprinklers come on in the box turtle pen.
Pen 1 is 3.5 feet wide.
Pen 2 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 3 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 4 is 3 feet wide.
Pen 5 is the biggest.
A dry creek bed of large cobbles gives me access to the pens without trampling things. Strawberries are planted on either side of the path. I find they fill out nicely and give humid vegetation to hide under as well as a supply of strawberries all season.
The food bowls are along the front. Eventually the front will be shaded all summer as the plants grow.
The food plates (plant pot saucers) are double stacked, so the bottom bowl holds water, with the gap big enough to keep ants from reaching the upper bowl and the food it will hold. At least that's what I hope for. Ants are pretty smart at figuring out how to get food.
The wood rails are for the shade cloth roller. The shade cloth is stapled to two loose 2x4's. One side can be rolled up, (rolled up mostly in the pic) and slid to where I want them on the slider rails. This way I can shade it in the hot summer, but still access it for cleaning or during the winter when I might want more light.
Each pen has 2 hides. One is in the front in the shade, and one in the back in the sun. Each hide is depressed into the ground a little, and will be kept mostly full of leaf litter to allow the turtles more natural humidity and security.
Time will tell whether I keep leaves just in the hide or in front as well. Also, I don't know how much of a leaf stockpile I'll have to store each fall to keep these supplied. Emmy is the only turtle up right now. The others that came up a couple weeks ago went back under the leaf piles.
Also, so far it takes about a single day's efforts for them to get used to the 2x3 inch vinyl coated wire fencing. I hope all of them learn to see it as a permanent barrier quickly. I'll know in the next few weeks as it warms up.
Steve
