New outside enclosure for a RT

[Alan RF]

As fellow RT forum members are aware I obtained my RT by a neighbour who found him in the middle of a road I've had 'Mo' over 5 weeks now and decided he is definitely an outside tortoise! He loves it when he's out and about so this weekend we've spent time (and a lot of money!) to build him an outside enclosure. I've put the pics in order from start to where we are now....

We've dug bricks into the ground to stop him from escaping because he loves to dig!
The house bit and left hand side will be covered in clear Perspex and the frame that lifts up will have chicken wire on it. This is to prevent anything getting to him. It's 2.4m x 1.2m and I've designed it to extend it in a years time when I know for sure the owner doesn't want him. What do you think? Any suggestions? I know when it's in place its going to need areas etc ...

 

[LeopardTortLover]

I think its brilliant! Is it going to be an all-year round enclosure? If so, are you going to heat it? The wood looks really sturdy, nice job!

 

[Teodora'sDAD]

Looks great!

 

[Alan RF]

Good question! I'm in the UK so the weather is unpredictable but I think this enclosure offers Mo undercover when it rains, natural UVB and light. His house part height is 38cm and I'm thinking about putting a ceramic heat emitter bulb in there?? Then if he's cold he can go in there but I'm worried it'd get to hot? So it might just need a thermometer cut off temperature thing in it ??

Chicken wire has been stapled on!

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couldn't resist buying the tortoise stake!

 

[lynnedit]

Good grief, you people are efficient building machines! Love the little stake.

That looks very good. Over time, you might consider removing a good part of the grass inside and replacing with areas of gravel (25%) and soil (75%). Then you can seed with a tortoise friendly mix from T-Lady.
http://www.tlady.clara.net/herbiseed.htm
Maybe a couple of basking stones.
Inside your very WONDERFUL hut/coldframe, a basking tile or slate and more soil.
(sorry if you were already planning these changes, lol)

In our variable type climates, background heat and basking heat are the two issues.
CHE's are great, but what about just a plain basking light (not necessarily UVB since he can get outside)? This would provide both light and heat over the basking area in the hut. Sounds like you have the height to get it at least 12" from the tortoise's shell.
(one you know he is permanent, this could be on a timer, and even also a thermostat with a probe at the basking area to keep temps from getting above, say, 35c.)
This is helpful in Spring and Fall; mine warm up, then go outside for awhile. The set up allows you to keep the tortoise outside for longer periods.

Once you are sure you are keeping him, in the UK you have tubular heaters with little guards for background heat, set on a thermostat to avoid temps getting below a certain level.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

WOW this is really nice. I wish I could make an outdoor enclosure for my tortoises BUT it gets VERY VERY cold here Mass. So I have to have him indoors all the time. But I do bring my tortoises outside during the summer time. Let them roam around where ever they want and they love it.

 

[Alan RF]

Good grief, you people are efficient building machines! Love the little stake.

That looks very good. Over time, you might consider removing a good part of the grass inside and replacing with areas of gravel (25%) and soil (75%). Then you can seed with a tortoise friendly mix from T-Lady.
http://www.tlady.clara.net/herbiseed.htm
Maybe a couple of basking stones.
Inside your very WONDERFUL hut/coldframe, a basking tile or slate and more soil.
(sorry if you were already planning these changes, lol)

In our variable type climates, background heat and basking heat are the two issues.
CHE's are great, but what about just a plain basking light (not necessarily UVB since he can get outside)? This would provide both light and heat over the basking area in the hut. Sounds like you have the height to get it at least 12" from the tortoise's shell.
(one you know he is permanent, this could be on a timer, and even also a thermostat with a probe at the basking area to keep temps from getting above, say, 35c.)
This is helpful in Spring and Fall; mine warm up, then go outside for awhile. The set up allows you to keep the tortoise outside for longer periods.

Once you are sure you are keeping him, in the UK you have tubular heaters with little guards for background heat, set on a thermostat to avoid temps getting below a certain level.

Great advice thanks-questions!- gravel? What size? I'm guessing big so he doesn't eat it lol the basking light is a good idea because I can just use the one I bought him. It's do difficult not knowing if I'm going to get a message in here or a knock on the door claiming him back my husband thinks he's been let free along time ago because of the way he is in the garden. I keep saying its a Russian tortoise and its in their nature to want to escape lol!!

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WOW this is really nice. I wish I could make an outdoor enclosure for my tortoises BUT it gets VERY VERY cold here Mass. So I have to have him indoors all the time. But I do bring my tortoises outside during the summer time. Let them roam around where ever they want and they love it.

Thank you! It's difficult when you live in a cold country! The UK has strange weather patterns so this enclosure I'm trying to design for any eventuality when I return to work in September!

 

[lynnedit]

Great advice thanks-questions!- gravel? What size? I'm guessing big so he doesn't eat it lol

I just use the gravel they call three quarter minus here. I don't worry about them eating gravel, because you just can't get it all out of the soil. Unless you see him avidly searching out gravel now, I wouldn't worry. You want gravel that is good for drainage. I can buy it in 5 gal buckets at a gravel supply place.

View attachment 51880

For the amount you need, you can also use bagged river rock or similar stones; we can find the variety where the stones are a bit bigger. In the UK you can also get limestone chippings (by the bag?). These are great because they are full of calcium carbonate.

Just something that absorbs heat, and provides a drier surface for him to hang out on (as opposed to grass).

 

[Irish]

Great design! What type of wood did you use? My wife is impressed and wants me to make something as beautiful as yours. . I love the hide and plexi glass.

 

[Alan RF]

The wood is decking? We used this because in the UK BnQ are selling it at £3.49 a strip. It looks decorative and adds weight. All together its cost £165 to build with the Perspex

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Great design! What type of wood did you use? My wife is impressed and wants me to make something as beautiful as yours. . I love the hide and plexi glass.

Meant to quote this with the above! Lol thanks for the compliment and its 2.4m x 1.2m but my plan is to later put a hole at one end and extend!

 

[Alan RF]

Great advice thanks-questions!- gravel? What size? I'm guessing big so he doesn't eat it lol

I just use the gravel they call three quarter minus here. I don't worry about them eating gravel, because you just can't get it all out of the soil. Unless you see him avidly searching out gravel now, I wouldn't worry. You want gravel that is good for drainage. I can buy it in 5 gal buckets at a gravel supply place.



For the amount you need, you can also use bagged river rock or similar stones; we can find the variety where the stones are a bit bigger. In the UK you can also get limestone chippings (by the bag?). These are great because they are full of calcium carbonate.

Just something that absorbs heat, and provides a drier surface for him to hang out on (as opposed to grass).

I'm on with the gravel hunt today!! And I think I'm going to do the basking light in his hut like you said thank you so much for the advice x

 

[hlim18]

As fellow RT forum members are aware I obtained my RT by a neighbour who found him in the middle of a road I've had 'Mo' over 5 weeks now and decided he is definitely an outside tortoise! He loves it when he's out and about so this weekend we've spent time (and a lot of money!) to build him an outside enclosure. I've put the pics in order from start to where we are now....

We've dug bricks into the ground to stop him from escaping because he loves to dig!
The house bit and left hand side will be covered in clear Perspex and the frame that lifts up will have chicken wire on it. This is to prevent anything getting to him. It's 2.4m x 1.2m and I've designed it to extend it in a years time when I know for sure the owner doesn't want him. What do you think? Any suggestions? I know when it's in place its going to need areas etc ...

It looks very neat and clean, that is a brilliant outdoor cage

 

[Jabuticaba]

That's awesome!!! This gives me lots of ideas! Thanks for sharing your pictures!

 

[Alan RF]

That's awesome!!! This gives me lots of ideas! Thanks for sharing your pictures!

Glad there giving people ideas. He looks lost in it today!

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As fellow RT forum members are aware I obtained my RT by a neighbour who found him in the middle of a road I've had 'Mo' over 5 weeks now and decided he is definitely an outside tortoise! He loves it when he's out and about so this weekend we've spent time (and a lot of money!) to build him an outside enclosure. I've put the pics in order from start to where we are now....

We've dug bricks into the ground to stop him from escaping because he loves to dig!
The house bit and left hand side will be covered in clear Perspex and the frame that lifts up will have chicken wire on it. This is to prevent anything getting to him. It's 2.4m x 1.2m and I've designed it to extend it in a years time when I know for sure the owner doesn't want him. What do you think? Any suggestions? I know when it's in place its going to need areas etc ...

It looks very neat and clean, that is a brilliant outdoor cage

Thank you

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Great advice thanks-questions!- gravel? What size? I'm guessing big so he doesn't eat it lol

I just use the gravel they call three quarter minus here. I don't worry about them eating gravel, because you just can't get it all out of the soil. Unless you see him avidly searching out gravel now, I wouldn't worry. You want gravel that is good for drainage. I can buy it in 5 gal buckets at a gravel supply place.



For the amount you need, you can also use bagged river rock or similar stones; we can find the variety where the stones are a bit bigger. In the UK you can also get limestone chippings (by the bag?). These are great because they are full of calcium carbonate.

Just something that absorbs heat, and provides a drier surface for him to hang out on (as opposed to grass).

I've put some limestone chips in what do you think?

I'm looking for a small slate or basking stones at the moment!
This is what I found for outside the hut!

Mo already loves it and I know the pot is too small ha ha

 

[lynnedit]

I like it, that looks perfect. Love the basking area.
Apparently Mo doesn't think the pot is too small
(if you get a bigger one, submerge it 50% into the ground and backfill with soil so he can burrow in).

 

[Alan RF]

I like it, that looks perfect. Love the basking area.
Apparently Mo doesn't think the pot is too small
(if you get a bigger one, submerge it 50% into the ground and backfill with soil so he can burrow in).

Funnily enough I've got a bigger one at hand! Lol I'm just waiting for my hubby to crack it in half then I'm going to submerge slightly then put some soil and turf over?!
This is what I've done so far

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

VERY nice. Looks GREAT

 

[lynnedit]

Yes,better and better. Half a pot a bit submerged is perfect.

 

[Irwin4530]

Wow! That looks fantastic!

 

[Alan RF]

VERY nice. Looks GREAT

Thank you!

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Yes,better and better. Half a pot a bit submerged is perfect.

Will put on the submerged pot tomorrow! Mo loves it! Every time I did something he went over to inspect it lol

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Wow! That looks fantastic!

Thank you! Must give the structure compliments to my hubby but the inside is my baby!