newbie...outdoor enclosure

[desertsss]

So, my DT's are still very small and in recovery from a neglectful home. I am in the process of making their indoor home the best it can be, but I want them to be able to be outdoors for a while every day to get that natural sunlight and real grass. I have a planter beside me home that I just realized would be ideal to make into outdoor enclosure. It has been neglected almost like my torts, but I wanted to post some pics to see if anyone had any good ideas to turn it into a fun place for my little Gordo and Twitch. I have to dig up the ground to make it even and pull some of the plants and weeds out, but maybe I can plant some better grass and throw some better substrate in there to make it ideal. Let me know what you think. Summer's approaching and I want to get these guys out and about.
Also, does this plant look like something healthy for them to eat?

 

[terryo]

It looks like clover to me. I know that my Cherry Head eats clover outside.

 

[Jentortmom]

I agree it looks like clover to me which would be fine for them to eat. I don't know how big your two are but I would worry about them climbing over the sides. Also you would need to think about something to go over the top for security. And make sure they have a shaded area to retreat to. It's a good start/idea to use this planter, and there are a lot of safe food items you can put in there. My DT's love hibiscus and it would provide some shade as well. Or holyhock, it is a vine you can lay on the ground or stake it up, grape vines, there is a bunch. Robyn I believe has a safe plant list or I go off of russiantortoise.org's website, they have a big list of safe plants etc. Good Luck and I can't wait to see the final project. By the way where are you located?? Also I would make sure there is water dishes in there, I don't know how big it is but usually I have 2-4 water dishes in an enclosure, just because it evaporates so quickly in the summers.

 

[desertsss]

I am located in Sacramento. I have not put any effort yet into making this their outdoor home, but I think it has the potential to be perfect for now. My little buggers are about 3 in and 2.5 inches long. They are still very small. I am going to deweed it a bit, dig up the dirt (I think it is a bit hard), level it out, put in some water dishes and a hideout and then use some kind of screen to cover the top when I am not right there. Due to my location and the way the sun hits our house they would only be starting out at maybe 2-3 hours a day outside. I can't wait until I can build them a real nice one by hand. I need more experience though so I think this is a great place for me to start. Thanks for your input and help guys. I can't wait to hear more.

 

[Crazy1]

desertss, Careful with what looks like clover it could be oxialis or sour grass if it gets yellow flowers it is toxic to your little ones. I use 1/4 inch hardware cloth as a top this is thicker than screen and allows more UV rays to enter. You can plant some spider plants for shade for them to hide under as well as california poppys which they will love to eat. some mallow would work well as well as clover (make sure it is really clover)and some daylilys would also work well for that area. maybe even a catus pad or two to root. And the nice thing about the harware cloth is that you can bend it into an A frame to help with the growing of the plants. I'll be looking forward to seeing it when it is completed.

 

[Yvonne G]

Robyn's correct in that the plant IS oxalis. Its pretty hard to get rid of because it has millions of tiny seeds in pods that develop almost as soon as the plant breaks through the ground. But do the best you can then til and smooth the soil. Once you get something else growing in there it should be fairly easy to keep pulling up the oxalis. Also, you'll need to make the walls higher and a spot of shade for them to hide.

Yvonne

 

[DAC8671]

Um, is oxalis toxic to all torts? My sully eats this on my grass (or at least I think it's this). Once you mentioned the little yellow flowers I freaked. They also have the small round burrs in it. He's eaten it before and he's never shown any symptoms. What should I look for?

Here are a few pics from the other day....

 

[Yvonne G]

No, your guy is eating what is known as burr clover. Its not toxic, however it doesn't really taste all that great. Here is what oxalis looks like:

http://images.google.com/images?cli...en&q=oxalis&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=

Yvonne

 

[desertsss]

Glad I know about that. The clover I had was oxalis. Well, after much deweeding and stirring up the ground a bit, this is where I am at.
I plan on planting a small row of poppies along the back by the house, and also a small plant of thyme in one corner. Other than that, when they are outside I am just going to be giving them the same kind of greens and stuff they are having inside.

I just watered the area to moisten it up a little bit, but then tomorrow I was going to plant what I just mentioned. I was thinking about throwing down some of the play sand in there as well and mix it up with the soil.
Is that a good idea. It just doesn't make sense to me to have them walking around on all dirt. I am not going to plant grass, mostly just because I do not plan on living here for more than a year.

On the pics I kind of drew my ideas for what I am planning.
lol, let me know what you think.

 

[Laura]

putting a top on it?

 

[desertsss]

Yes, I will be putting a top on it. As of now my ideas have been thwarted due to rain that won't stop til this weekend.
I am still debating what to use as a top though. I was just going to use some old bug screen that I have but that won't allow the uv rays to go through. Somebody mentioned some hardwood cloth or hardware cloth.
When I went to Lowe's the guy looked at me like I was silly. I must have misread something...or the guy was just not being the most helpful. I have been just bringing them outside (when sunny) in a shallow box with water and food and I sit right next to them for half an hour to an hour.
Not ideal but best I can do for now. As soon as I am able to continue my work I will be posting more pics.
I did see on some past posts outside homes that you can buy through certain companies online. Does anyone know of any inexpensive already built outdoor homes? Would definitely be safer. My neighborhood doesn't have that many wild animals but a lot of cats.

---

Forgot to add that when I take them outside in the box I am constantly turning it to make sure that half of the box is shaded.

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...that is much better than anything you can buy...none of them are inexpensive. At Lowes & Home Depot they have a roll of wire that has holes that are 1/2". It is a fairly stiff wire that can be easily stapled to a wood frame made of 2" x 2"s. I would add a 2" x 4" board on top of the rectangle that is already there. Secure the 2 x 4 boards with corner posts (2" x 2") hammered into the ground. These corner posts will also hold the wire lid up.
Hope this helps.
Good luck
Patsy

 

[Yvonne G]

Somebody mentioned some hardwood cloth or hardware cloth.
When I went to Lowe's the guy looked at me like I was silly. I must have misread something...or the guy was just not being the most helpful.

Hardware cloth is actually not cloth at all...its galvanized wire about 1/2 inch squares.

Yvonne