Outdoor Leopard Tortoise Pen

Status
Not open for further replies.

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
I have finally finished my new leopard tortoise pen. My husband did the cutting and assembling, I designed it and painted it. (still have some touch up painting to do!)

It measures 17' long. 8' at one end and 4' at the opposite end. The walls are 12" tall with a 4" lip around the entire perimeter to prevent escape.

My leopard tortoise is 1 year next month and 4" in length. It's alot of room but he enjoys every inch of the space.

9jd1xc.jpg


here you can see my russian tortoise pen (similar design) in the backround
2uzw6ld.jpg


one of the 2 flower pot hides. It's buried under the dirt so the tortoise can walk over it completely.
2vadywy.jpg

2nr24ck.jpg


this pen doesn't have a night box because I still bring in the leopard to sleep in a humid indoor enclosure.

I use a glazed terra cotta saucer for the water dish.
14u9yqt.jpg


the second flower pot hide is behind the old yucca tree stump. it is also buried so the tortoise can walk over safely.
2uqd5ol.jpg


cruising through a white clover patch
f280h.jpg


a favorite place to settle in, a leaf pile at the base of the yucca tree stump.
2myu345.jpg


I still have LOTS of growing to do in this pen.
So far I have a few different grasses, white clovers, half a dozen different local weeds, 3 different succulents, red and green lettuces, squash plant, green bean, dandelion and plantain starting to grow in...but I like variety and will add to that list. I look forward to spring time when it is very well planted :)

Hope this helps give some tips/ideas for you!

Thanks for looking :)
 

DesertGrandma

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,131
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Great job Heather. Lots of room. We had to cover ours due to the large birds and potential other predators.
 

MasterOogway

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
528
Beautiful! This is getting me excited to build mine . I love the color green paint you choose.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
That is a fantastic pen. You guys did a great job. I love the stump in there. Make sure Jacqui sees this to add to her outdoor enclosure thread.
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
wellington said:
That is a fantastic pen. You guys did a great job. I love the stump in there. Make sure Jacqui sees this to add to her outdoor enclosure thread.

Thanks Barb! ...and that would be the biggest compliment :D
 

Zamric

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Messages
3,301
Location (City and/or State)
The Crystal Unicorn
Very Nice!

I've been pondering on what to do with Eros and Gaias outside enclosures. I've got a couple of hides (x4), 2 water dishes (8" terra cotta saucers) and 2 long shelters to protect from large birds, these are stilted to allow passage under the side wires, makinging it one very large enclosure, 3' wide with 2 legs running a total of about 32' long, with 2, 8' long "shelter areas".

Problem is, that is ALOT of area for the minimal amount of hides. The surface is bermuda grass and when Summer hits it will start growing at a rate of a little under 2 inches a week. I want to carve paths thru the carpet of grass down to the dirt and put in a few stepping stones then sprinkle a few packets of weed seed through out the whole thing. I just dont know how well bermuda grass will handle paths being cut thru it.

I like your overall floorplan.... I think I need to find some old roots and tree pieces....;)
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
When we moved in, there were 2 HUGE yucca trees in this spot. They were so big and full of spiders. yuck!

So when we cut it down we specifically left the stumps knowing that someday they would make good sight barriers ;) Well, the big one is obvious but there is another stump on the other end of the pen I lined with rocks.. not so much a sight barrier but it does give a different level to walk on.


Zamric said:
Very Nice!
I want to carve paths thru the carpet of grass down to the dirt and put in a few stepping stones then sprinkle a few packets of weed seed through out the whole thing.

Thank you!

And the "mosaic walkway" is new to my pens. I have it in my Russian pen also. I wanted to break it up so it didn't just look like a big weed patch! Plus, on sunny days this can make for a good basking spot and it can be a dinner plate if needed :)
 

Yellow Turtle

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
1,608
Location (City and/or State)
Indonesia
I like your enclosure, it's big enough for you to watch him grow for pretty long time as well.

Waiting to see pictures of future improvement as well. I'd really like to see it to be covered more with plants and grass.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC!!!

It's excellent. I love it.
 

laney

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
803
Location (City and/or State)
Aberdeen, Scotland
I love how natural you have made it for them, you are going to have some super happy torts :)
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
Yellow Turtle said:
I like your enclosure, it's big enough for you to watch him grow for pretty long time as well.

Waiting to see pictures of future improvement as well. I'd really like to see it to be covered more with plants and grass.

Thank you!

I, too can't wait till its covered in plants. ;)


Tom said:
FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC!!!

It's excellent. I love it.

Thank you! :) i love both of my pens so much!!

Next pen to be built, a quarantine pen.
 

lynnedit

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
5,730
Location (City and/or State)
Southwest Washington
Girl, you can build tortoise enclosures, that's all I have to say.

If I were you, I would have a nice comfy chair and spend a lot of time out there....
 

Eweezyfosheezy

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
2,365
Location (City and/or State)
Peoria, Arizona
Now that's a tortoise pen! It's too big for one tortoise though, you may have to add a few more to join him. ;)
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
lynnedit said:
Girl, you can build tortoise enclosures, that's all I have to say.

If I were you, I would have a nice comfy chair and spend a lot of time out there....

Thanks lynne!
Right now i don't have a chair but that doesn't stop me from spending hours out there, standing, watching them. A bench is definitely on my "to buy" list!


Eweezyfosheezy said:
Now that's a tortoise pen! It's too big for one tortoise though, you may have to add a few more to join him. ;)

....exactly why i am building a quarantine pen next! Hehe
 

Levi the Leopard

IXOYE
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
7,958
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Oregon
the weeds, plants and grasses have been growing in nicely!
29cueis.jpg

19kois.jpg


both hides are covered and the dirt is packed well above them. my leopard uses them regularly.
1zl431i.jpg

261156u.jpg


i think this pen needs more leopards to help eat up the food!
jhgav9.jpg
 

pspryu101

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
85
Location (City and/or State)
Left Coast :)
AMaaaaZing pen! I have a similar type like yours but bricks for sides instead of wood although yours looks more secured. If you don't mind heather, how much did everything cost you there as far as material goes? Maybe i'll build one just like yours in the near future :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top