Outdoor redfoot enclosure in a dry climate?

[justnoskill]

I'm moving to Arizona in a few weeks and want to build my redfoots an outdoor enclosure. So far we are thinking about doing a greenhouse in semi-shade with shelves to grow them food, and a moist/humid enviroment on the floor. Attached will be an outdoor pen in sunlight with more weeds and plants, and a netting to keep any predators out. Both areas will have wet and dry houses and water/wading bowls.

I've never made an outdoor enclosure before, and also never lived in a dry climate before. Is anyone here from a similar climate or have any ideas how I could make a good enclosure for my girls? I'm worried about them getting too hot and/or dried out.

 

[Tom]

You are right to worry. It is physically possible to keep any species anywhere in the world. Its just a question of time, money and effort.

I don't try to keep RFs because everyone who I see attempt it here fails. Even with a tremendous amount of work and expense they just don't do well here in SoCal. My climate is pretty similar to AZ most of the time. THey get a little hotter in summer and my nights are cooler, but still pretty close. Its just too hot and dry here. Living inside a large humid greenhouse will work, but you will need to run some serious AC to keep it cool enough in those AZ summers. Sprinklers, lots of vegetation, misters and shade cloth will help outside, but I'd keep them mostly in the greenhouse.

Personally, I would not take them to AZ. I'd leave them in a climate better suited to what they need.

 

[WillTort2]

Might want to see if someone will swap species with you. Redfoots for Leopards, perhaps.

 

[Yvonne G]

Unless your greenhouse is in full shade, it will be like a little oven once the sun hits it. Your best bet for RF tortoises in a hot climate is plants, plants and more plants. Here's what my YF yard looks like:



I have T-posts every 5' or so in a line, with drip pipe strung on them at about 5' height. The emitters I chose spray out a fine circle of water about 5' diameter. On real hot days I turn this on to keep it cooler for the tortoises. You can see the T-post system here in the Manouria rain forest:



The last picture is a shot of the canopy.

Most of our summer days here are between 95 and 100F with some days up to 105 or 6F It's not as dry here as it is in Arizona, but very hot. I've kept rain forest tortoises for about 25 years here in this climate under the canopy of trees, bushes and grasses.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Put down a substrate that will retain water and let it rain. I utilize a water misting "rain" system on timers that I use in my pens for the months that it doesn't rain here in south Florida

 

[Millerlite]

Use midterms on timers, lots of plants and lay down soil moss as the substrate. Also shade cloth helps a lot. I let everything grow out tho and have plants in my enclosire to help. And prayers go on 2x a day. I also just added shade cloth to help keep it from drying out so fast. All works well.

Kyle