- Joined
- Aug 27, 2007
- Messages
- 135
Attached are pictures of our Tortoise enclosure that I promised many of you I would take.
We live in the Los Angeles area, so our climate is great!
The enclosure is about 4 years old. Originally we had California Desert Tortoises, but now we have moved on to the bigger beasts.......Sulcatas. The Enclosure is in the corner of the yard, and the gate can be closed off when we have other kids in the yard. Our kids know that any torotise has the right of way in the yard. It is their yard, and they let the kids play in it.
As you can see from the photos, the grass is pretty green. The grass in the middle is actually artificial grass. The Sulcatas learned their first day here, that the darn grass won't pull out of the ground. They quickly learned that the real grass in the planters and in the perimeter of the yard is the good stuff. We have no issues with the torts and the fake grass. As you can see from the photos, they love their hibiscus treat. We have access to some neighbors yards that also have hibiscus, so we can give them branches every 3-5 days, along with flowers.
The tortoise house is a Extra Large Doggloo. It is lined with Bermuda Grass, and thermostat controlled heat lamp in the winter. A Malibu Light lights up the inside when the mailibu lights are on in the yard. Lights out at 9 PM. The inside temperture is watched wirelessly from the Doggloo to the inside of our house, so we can watch the temperture inside their house, along with humidity. (Oregon Scientific Weather Reader, Wal-mart or Target) Heavy rains, or extreme cold weather, Torts can go in the garage in the corner, with Heat emitters providing warmth.
Enclosure is completely cleaned out once a week. Water saucers (2) in the enclosure are equipped to refill themselves two times a day, by automated sprinkler system.
Thanks for letting me share. Alot of research went into the enclosure before we built it, and we are always looking for ways to improve it. The brick walls actually go down in the ground about 24 inches, so they can never dig out the enclosure or the yard.
When we first started off with Tortoises, we loved seeing the enclosures that people had built. I hope posting this will help others in their planning.
David
We live in the Los Angeles area, so our climate is great!
The enclosure is about 4 years old. Originally we had California Desert Tortoises, but now we have moved on to the bigger beasts.......Sulcatas. The Enclosure is in the corner of the yard, and the gate can be closed off when we have other kids in the yard. Our kids know that any torotise has the right of way in the yard. It is their yard, and they let the kids play in it.
As you can see from the photos, the grass is pretty green. The grass in the middle is actually artificial grass. The Sulcatas learned their first day here, that the darn grass won't pull out of the ground. They quickly learned that the real grass in the planters and in the perimeter of the yard is the good stuff. We have no issues with the torts and the fake grass. As you can see from the photos, they love their hibiscus treat. We have access to some neighbors yards that also have hibiscus, so we can give them branches every 3-5 days, along with flowers.
The tortoise house is a Extra Large Doggloo. It is lined with Bermuda Grass, and thermostat controlled heat lamp in the winter. A Malibu Light lights up the inside when the mailibu lights are on in the yard. Lights out at 9 PM. The inside temperture is watched wirelessly from the Doggloo to the inside of our house, so we can watch the temperture inside their house, along with humidity. (Oregon Scientific Weather Reader, Wal-mart or Target) Heavy rains, or extreme cold weather, Torts can go in the garage in the corner, with Heat emitters providing warmth.
Enclosure is completely cleaned out once a week. Water saucers (2) in the enclosure are equipped to refill themselves two times a day, by automated sprinkler system.
Thanks for letting me share. Alot of research went into the enclosure before we built it, and we are always looking for ways to improve it. The brick walls actually go down in the ground about 24 inches, so they can never dig out the enclosure or the yard.
When we first started off with Tortoises, we loved seeing the enclosures that people had built. I hope posting this will help others in their planning.
David