Outdoor sulcata enclosure help

[bella&george]

I tried to grow some pasture grass last year while I kept the torts in a pen, but I didn't let it establish enough and it was trampled, eaten to bits, and dried up by the summer sun I beleive anything I try to plant now, other than prickly pear, will die from the heat, but I want to be prepared for when I am able to plant again (I am expecting the fall and winter).
To the right of these photos, there is a patio around the same width and the quail hutch is down past the burrow. It curves around in an L shape where there are some plants in big containers. The first picture is from last October and the second is this January, so they are old. It's completely dirt now with few weeds and they dug a burrow underneath the metal ring, so we moved it.

It looks nice at the time but now it's pretty messy with all the dirt and only a little grass

 

[bella&george]

What are some good fall/winter or desert plants that I might find for it? I was thinking some bushes or trees for shade. Also, should I block off the patio? or would it be too small then? Thank you.

 

[bella&george]

(A link to some grass seed would also be helpful, the one I had last time may not have been good for our conditions)

 

[Maro2Bear]

(A link to some grass seed would also be helpful, the one I had last time may not have been good for our conditions)

Take a look at these grasses intended for desert SW area

Warm Season Grass Seed - American Meadows

Warm Season Grasses can take the heat of summer’s scorching hot sun without losing their lush, green color. The arrival of cool weather is what inspires these grasses to go dormant.

www.americanmeadows.com

 

[bella&george]

Take a look at these grasses intended for desert SW area

Warm Season Grass Seed - American Meadows

Warm Season Grasses can take the heat of summer’s scorching hot sun without losing their lush, green color. The arrival of cool weather is what inspires these grasses to go dormant.

www.americanmeadows.com

Thanks

 

[Tom]

I tried to grow some pasture grass last year while I kept the torts in a pen, but I didn't let it establish enough and it was trampled, eaten to bits, and dried up by the summer sun I beleive anything I try to plant now, other than prickly pear, will die from the heat, but I want to be prepared for when I am able to plant again (I am expecting the fall and winter). View attachment 347720View attachment 347721
To the right of these photos, there is a patio around the same width and the quail hutch is down past the burrow. It curves around in an L shape where there are some plants in big containers. The first picture is from last October and the second is this January, so they are old. It's completely dirt now with few weeds and they dug a burrow underneath the metal ring, so we moved it.

It looks nice at the time but now it's pretty messy with all the dirt and only a little grass

Unfortunately, nothing is going to stand up to the abuse form a sulcata in a small area like that. You can plant grape vines and mulberry trees, but they will have to be protected by barriers from the sulcata. You'd need upwards of a 1/2 acre with heavy irrigation to grow enough to not be eaten and trampled by a sulcata.

Your best bet will be to grow the grass elsewhere and then cut and feed it to your tortoise, or to make closed off sections where you grow the grass, and let the sulcata have access to one section while the other sections are closed off to re-grow after being mowed down by your living lawn mower..

While growing live grass is excellent and the best way to go, most people end up using dry grass hay like orchard grass hay or Bermuda grass hay to feed their large grass eaters. I highly recommend planting lots of spineless opuntia as a food source too. The wet slimy pads are a great adjunct to a diet of primarily dry hay.

 

[bella&george]

Thank you for the information
Luckily our Moringa trees have survived and we are able to feed it to them often! (Covered by a wire ring)
I will keep your advice in mind.

 

[William Lee Kohler]

That's the furriest tortoise I've ever seen. As to the grass that tends to happen unless they have a very big area to roam around in. A bigger area would likely solve the problem. Unless of course you don't have one.😜