how large is the space? do you have any shade, like a large tree that shades the area? even with the 1/2 dog house.. that can get quiet hot if in full sun. but looks good.. oh and water dish
The two first ones are of one of the above ground hides I did for Ghamara....he did enjoy the hide but later elected to construct his own natural burrow--this guy was tort that had been ripped from the desert out in Barstow area by a whack job that had illegally removed many, so this poor guy was not allowed to be released back to his wildland...so likely he still had the strong desire for his own burrow design vs my hide offering--although he did attempt to brumate on his own in there until the week long freezing temps and freezing rain saturated him and his entire area so I had to dig him out and continue his brumation indoors..but a great retreat for all months outside of winter.
I believe the third one was of Herman, this is when he use to be hosted by prior caregiver--who was a prior boss of mine, we constructed this set up and then later had to tear down when he moved out of state and Herman and Humphry came to live at our place...
I believe the fourth one is of Hermans butt going into the half barrel entrance to his mountain I put together in what I thought was going to be his temp home--but then later found out he was going to reside her for good (so this next year I will be constructing a forever location for him as this enclosure for him alone is 10x10x6 and to me that is too small for an adult CDT for a long term set up)
The fifth one (I think) is the butt of Haus chillin in the entrance of his hide--this is constructed with half barrell and half concrete culvert pipe that came out of an old irrigation pipe repair--so the two together made a nice long hide and then all was enclosed under/within a mountain of earth--similar to Hermans...and Haus was actually able to brumate in this set up as it did not flood nor did it get wet inside--however winter before last when it was prolonged temps of under 20 degrees here and freezing rain he began to stir one day and tried to dig in further--so I snatched him up and he too finished off that brumation indoors...
The sixth one is Ghamara's natural burrow--this is the one he dug as I previously mentioned....and once he did it, he no longer paces like crazy--found that to be cool and interesting...
The last one should be Herman on the outside of his earth mountain munching on some Apricot Mallow bush that I had trimmed from a plant on the property and he loves this plant...
I searched and searched and do not have any far away shots of any of their yards....however, their measurements are kinda like this;
Herman--what started out as his temp enclosure, 10x10x6
Ghamara--ditto to Hermans and for the same reasons
Humphry--he is in a circular yard snugged right up near the front porch
so that if I need to I can turn the light on and get a visual on
him in a moments notice--due to his poor eyesight I kinda
worry about him during the night (my issue, as he does not
seem worried at all)
Haus--he has the first and largest yard due to he was the first tort that I
I decided to keep forever and was the first one here on a
permanent basis--so his yard is roughly 50x60x4
Eventually by next year they should all have a yard approximately 40x40x4 (this is my ideal space for each since they can not be housed with one another in the same yard space)..I also have some cutie Redfoot torts here that will need permanent yards set up next year as well completely on the opposite side of the yard...which will likely be at or about the same size....
I hope that this is helpful in some way to your designing mind You will of course do what works for your location/space available and your tort needs....
I do have one consideration to offer up to you though, perhaps you may want to enlarge the square footage for your tort if you are going to house them in those yards long term/forever....
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention....on the two first pics...they were topped with old metal street signs and then those metal street signs were topped with a cut and sized piece of 3/4 plywood and then that was covered with about 8 inches of dirt and formed a slope for him to bask on...which he did....apologies for forgetting on other post.....