New sulcata pen

[Maggie3fan]

We will look forward to you visit!!! In and out is just ten miles from my house we will get burgers and go tortoise watching haha

I will look forward to that. An excellent burger and watching tortoises simply sounds like heaven

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

I will look forward to that. An excellent burger and watching tortoises simply sounds like heaven

My kind of heaven!!!!

 

[Tom]

Tom Alfalfa? That has an awful lot of protien, I've avoided it for years

Yes. Alfalfa is a great tortoise food. I avoided it for years too when we all thought protein was bad for tortoises. It isn't. Elevated protein intake can be detrimental over the long term for tortoise suffering from dehydration. Plant based protein as part of a varied diet is excellent for tortoises. They need it. Been feeding it to mine for years.

One of the top producers of sulcatas in the world feeds them almost exclusively on alfalfa hay. He puts bales in and the tortoises just eat it all the time. He has 100s of adults and produces many thousands of babies annually. I don't agree with the practice, but his tortoises are alive and well.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Yes. Alfalfa is a great tortoise food. I avoided it for years too when we all thought protein was bad for tortoises. It isn't. Elevated protein intake can be detrimental over the long term for tortoise suffering from dehydration. Plant based protein as part of a varied diet is excellent for tortoises. They need it. Been feeding it to mine for years.

One of the top producers of sulcatas in the world feeds them almost exclusively on alfalfa hay. He puts bales in and the tortoises just eat it all the time. He has 100s of adults and produces many thousands of babies annually. I don't agree with the practice, but his tortoises are alive and well.
View attachment 314955

I am interested because hay is so much easier to feed all winter, and I have made an effort to avoid alfalfa...

 

[Tom]

I am interested because hay is so much easier to feed all winter, and I have made an effort to avoid alfalfa...

I don't like the stems in alfalfa hay. Adults can obviously handle it, as seen in the pic, but it bothers me. I grow fresh alfalfa for my tortoises. If I needed it for winter, I'd get the pellets, soak them, and mix them in with the other food for the day.

 

[EllieMay]

More picture of the walls going in and the tortoise house moved to it location. I have thought long and hard about what to build the walls out of. I have used many things in the past that have worked nicely but I was looking for something more this time. With these “pots” I will be able to grow lots of tortoise food right at the pen. ( please excuse the smoky pictures it was a very smoke filled summer)View attachment 314191View attachment 314192View attachment 314193View attachment 314194View attachment 314195View attachment 314196

Dude... that’s really smart!! Luv it

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

So it has been decided we need a few more pens a little faster then I had planed. So.. the tractors came back for a visit and we broke ground on a few more pens.
We worked late
Next morning the power and water are were we need them

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Next we started building walls
Now I’ve got to go after more barrels

 

[Mrs.Jennifer]

Next we started building walls View attachment 315134View attachment 315136View attachment 315135
Now I’ve got to go after more barrels

No moat??

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Next we started building walls View attachment 315134View attachment 315136View attachment 315135
Now I’ve got to go after more barrels

please.... don’t forget.... I’d like MY barrels to be pink ?
I can be there in .... a week! ?☺️

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

please.... don’t forget.... I’d like MY barrels to be pink ?
I can be there in .... a week! ?☺

I’ll keep an eye out for pink ones haha

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Mark clued me into this thread, Thanks Mark. This is all very interesting. I have used pallets held in place with T posts for the adult Manouria. I can't use them for planters though, that's a great utility added feature. Thanks for posting all the photos, it makes it al very clear to see.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Next we started building walls View attachment 315134View attachment 315136View attachment 315135
Now I’ve got to go after more barrels

Dude.. im freaken getting exhausted just looking at the pics lol

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Dude.. im freaken getting exhausted just looking at the pics lol

It’s a big job for sure haha

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

It’s a big job for sure haha

Looking bada$$ tho.. nice job man

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Mid week update more dirt came in

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Looking bada$$ tho.. nice job man

Thanks!!

 

[KarenSoCal]

Mid week update more dirt came in View attachment 315247

How many barrels will that pile fill?

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

How many barrels will that pile fill?

There are 232 pots or 116 barrels in these new pens that is more then enough dirt to full them. The dirt is sold by weight rather them volume so I am not able to calculate exactly so I make sure to get plenty

 

[Tes]

It looks amazing!