Our possible new enclosure for our Cherryhead Dale

[Candy]

My husband and I are already looking to start Dale's (my sons Cherryhead) enclosure outside so it will be ready around May or so for him to go in to it. We live in California so it should be warm enough then. Anyway, I would like some feedback on what we're thinking about. I've seen some of the enclosures here, but we were actually looking at a dog run that's 7'x13' because we have a Labrador and we defintely want to protect Dale from her at all times and we feel it would give Dale the room he needs to roam about. I know that we would have to put either some sort of slats through the wire or some kind of barrier so Dale doesn't continue to try to get out. And I've also thought that he needs some sun so you couldn't put the slats all the way up or it would block out the sun. Anyway if anyone has any opinions on this can you please let us know so we can take it in account when we start to set up his new home.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have used redwood 1"x12" boards along the bottom of see through fences. You can bolt them along the inside of the dog run. As a temporary measure I have even pounded wooden stakes in the ground to hold the boards up along the bottom of the fence. Someone here on the forum posted a group of pictures showing their dog run while in progress and after it was planted. I believe it was for a redfoot. I hope someone can come up with the link, because it is just what you are looking for.

Yvonne

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I surely do hope you appreciate this. I looked through post after post (wiping sweat off my brow!) and found you the link:

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-3180.html


Yvonne

 

[Candy]

Thank you so much for taking the time to find these photos for me. It's going to help a lot with Dale's new home. We had went to Lowes to get the moss for his tank and my husband had found the dog run and asked me what I thought. I'm just happy that a thought came into my head that the best place to find out if this could work would be on this site with all the experience people here. One more question though....What is that substrate that he was using and could I just use natural grass and some moss to keep the humidity up? Thank you again and when we're done we will defintely post photos of Dale. Candy

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Candy: Seems to me it was some sort of bark on the floor of that habitat. You really don't want any kind of grass, because grass will quickly become a nuisance because they don't eat grass. If you want to plant a broad-leaf ground cover, that would be ok. I have Shepherd's Purse on the floor of my rain forest. It spreads quickly and my tortoises eat it. Also, you want to leave any leaf litter and garden trash on the ground for them. That holds in the moisture too. Looking forward to seeing your project when its completed.

Yvonne

 

[Candy]

I just got through posting on another thread that I had posted about cats. And it came to my mind that I've never consider the fruit rats that are outside near our property. My cat usually kills them (if I'm not saving them first). We actually got our cat so that nature could control this population that we were getting of fruit rats and it has. But I still know that there are fruit rats near so maybe a dog run would not be the best thing for Dale to be put into unless we were to get chicken wire and secure it that way. What do you think have you ever had to deal with something like this? Candy

 

[Jentortmom]

I don't have to worry about rats at my house, but maybe lining it with wire that has even less gaps then chicken wire. Another thing to consider would be how you would keep him from digging out, or something trying to dig in. Can't wait to see your final setup.