Planted enclosure

[Tjbemis]

Hi there... We're in the process of building a larger enclosure for our almost year old dalmatian tortoise. We'd like to plant safe plants (we're good with the edibles, we know what's safe), but how do you keep the little guy from just plowing through it all? It just seems logical to me, since they're grazers , that he'll just eat whatever he can reach right off the bat, and be left with a bunch of stumps that need to grow out again.

Thanks!

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[ascott]

You can use little fences of some type to block off sections while they grow and then rotate the fenced in areas to allow for those areas to regrow...

 

[peasinapod]

I'm in the same process as you right now!
I wouldn't plant his favourite plants inside his enclosure. Unless you have a really huge enclosire he'll murder them in a second. If you want something that lasts for a bit, plants things he likes, but won't eat as readily. And you just have to accept the fact that maybe some plants won't survive because of your mini-bulldozer (I lost a really nice lavender to my tortoise ).

And fences really are your best friend in this case.

Just try different things and see what works best.

 

[Jabuticaba]

I'm planning my summer enclosure, too, and was thinking the same. I have Hermannis, so I thought I'd build an inner wall on one side of the enclosure and use the wall as as flowerbed. This inner wall would be lower, but still high enough that the torts can't climb up. This way the plants cascade down and they can eat the tips they're able to reach, but they won't be able to plough thru the plants. Then, for backup, I'll also plant different varieties in planter boxes/pots that I can remove from the enclosure to allow for regrowth.

May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

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You can use little fences of some type to block off sections while they grow and then rotate the fenced in areas to allow for those areas to regrow...

Great idea! I'll have to keep that in mind.

May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

 

[Tjbemis]

Great ideas, thanks so much! We're rooting plants in water, then will probably replant as he plows. The fence idea will be useful too!

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[Jacqui]

I'm planning my summer enclosure, too, and was thinking the same. I have Hermannis, so I thought I'd build an inner wall on one side of the enclosure and use the wall as as flowerbed. This inner wall would be lower, but still high enough that the torts can't climb up. This way the plants cascade down and they can eat the tips they're able to reach, but they won't be able to plough thru the plants. Then, for backup, I'll also plant different varieties in planter boxes/pots that I can remove from the enclosure to allow for regrowth.

I do that and it works very well.

You can also plant the item on the outisde of the enclosure and let it grow and darpe over into the enclosure. This is an easy to see example where that is done with a grape vine...

Another thing and I am sorry I don't have any pictures taken of examples from my yard, is to actually pot things on the walls. You can hang one of those shoe organizer things that you hang on a door (can't recall what they call those bag things). Instead of putting a pair of shoes in each compartment, you put soil in and then you plant in them.

Hanging baskets along the walls, from the freestanding plant hooks in the yard itself, along roof braces or if you have a tree in the enclosure hang from those branches. Once more I need to go out and get some pictures taken from my yard to show these things. If you look closely at the top of this picture, behind the log and sorta above where the bird sits, you can see two spider/airplane plants which are on branches hanging down into the enclosure.

This is a branch over a hingeback enclosure (for most tortoises I would not put a wishbone/torenia plant into their enclosure which is thepot on the right)

People use the horizontal ground space well, but fail to see the blank and usable vertical or upper horitzontal spaces.

 

[Tjbemis]

Re: RE: Planted enclosure

I'm planning my summer enclosure, too, and was thinking the same. I have Hermannis, so I thought I'd build an inner wall on one side of the enclosure and use the wall as as flowerbed. This inner wall would be lower, but still high enough that the torts can't climb up. This way the plants cascade down and they can eat the tips they're able to reach, but they won't be able to plough thru the plants. Then, for backup, I'll also plant different varieties in planter boxes/pots that I can remove from the enclosure to allow for regrowth.

I do that and it works very well.

You can also plant the item on the outisde of the enclosure and let it grow and darpe over into the enclosure. This is an easy to see example where that is done with a grape vine...

Another thing and I am sorry I don't have any pictures taken of examples from my yard, is to actually pot things on the walls. You can hang one of those shoe organizer things that you hang on a door (can't recall what they call those bag things). Instead of putting a pair of shoes in each compartment, you put soil in and then you plant in them.

Hanging baskets along the walls, from the freestanding plant hooks in the yard itself, along roof braces or if you have a tree in the enclosure hang from those branches. Once more I need to go out and get some pictures taken from my yard to show these things. If you look closely at the top of this picture, behind the log and sorta above where the bird sits, you can see two spider/airplane plants which are on branches hanging down into the enclosure.

This is a branch over a hingeback enclosure (for most tortoises I would not put a wishbone/torenia plant into their enclosure which is thepot on the right)

People use the horizontal ground space well, but fail to see the blank and usable vertical or upper horitzontal spaces.

Great ideas! Thanks!
We're actually just making a bigger tortoise table, getting ready for winter. We're in Rochester, NY so we aren't comfortable leaving him (her? Sam...) outside. He'll be a year in a couple weeks, so just providing more space. (and losing MY living space lol).

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Thought I'd show Samwise off.. Taking a tubby.


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[Jabuticaba]

@ Jacqui: That's a beautiful enclosure!! I want become a tort and live there! [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

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Hello, Sam!! Darwin & Wallace say hi. [TURTLE][TURTLE][SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

 

[Tjbemis]

Re: RE: Planted enclosure

@ Jacqui: That's a beautiful enclosure!! I want become a tort and live there! [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

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Hello, Sam!! Darwin & Wallace say hi. [TURTLE][TURTLE][SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)

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Sam says hi back!

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[peasinapod]

Aw, Sam is cute!

There's an advantage to your situation. Your tortoise is still a baby, this means it won't be able to kill fully grown plants simply by walking over them. Furthermore you probably are going to upgrade the enclosure regularly as he grows, tjat way you can always plant the new part beforehand and let the plants grow some nice strong roots before you let the little lawnmower in.