Redoing Enclosure

[Millerlite]

I am redoing my outdoor enclosure, my old one was 7x3.5 feet big, the new one after being done is going to be 7x4x7x4 feet, its a weird design but its way bigger. (My mountain tortoises are about 4-5 inches and i have 4)

Question: i was wondering if it would be a good idea to put like a mound of dirt for them to climb over, i know they naturally live in the mountains but what do you think? hill or just flat?

I also am putting a heat hide for cooler nights, a mini pond with a filter so they can have clean water all the time, a big cool hide on one end, and a bunch of smaller hides through out.

Also what else could i add to make it more natural?

Im going to take pictures as i go, so far i pulled up all the old boards from the last enclosure, tilled the future enclosure area leveled it. Tomorrow i plan to put the borders up.

Thats all for now.

 

[Az tortoise compound]

A mound or hill is a good idea. They will like the view from the top and it can't hurt in regards to exercise. I always say the more plants the better! It also cuts down on the feed bill

 

[Millerlite]

yeah that's what i was thinking. I plan on adding lots of plants, if anyone recommends any i would greatly appreciate it considering im no green thumb, lol also plan on putting mini water dishes around so they have other sources of water, and of course im redoing my misting/sprinkler system. Should be fun

 

[Yvonne G]

I had three chunks of mortared brick sections just laying around and I wanted to use them in my rain forest, so I mounded up some dirt, put the chunks on one side as if it were a brick wall that had fallen into disrepair. It is a favored spot for the Mep to climb and bask. The chunks are 3 bricks tall and nine times out of 10 the tortoises "fall" off the brick side instead of backing up and walking down the slope.

 

[Millerlite]

Thanks for the idea Yvonne, I'm trying to make it creative and interesting for them. My old enclosure was just a plain rectangle, with plants and dishes, The new one should be interesting to set up. Here is the area

 

[Millerlite]

here are some updated pictures:

The first picture is of t he borders going up, half way done.

This is when all the borders are up. and screwed together.

I do have other pictures, The very back wall (the cinderblock wall) is where the mound is. I still need to get a water dish, soil, and plants but progress progress.

Side note: it was 70-80 degrees here all last week, now its 60 and raining, california weather this year is up and down. So it will be a week before i can update it.

 

[Millerlite]

I decided to just finish it up, or most of it up. The tortoises are actually living in there as of an hour ago, lol. here are pictures.

I still need to do little things, and it still has to grow out, but over all its done.

Kyle

 

[jensgotfaith]

I love all the different hides and it looks like they love the pond. Great job!

 

[Yvonne G]

They're so cute! The new yard looks great. You've done a real nice job. That's some rich, black dirt. Must be imported, huh?

 

[RianSeeking]

Very nice!

 

[Millerlite]

Thanks everyone, The dirt is just dirt and soil mixed. But we do have really good dirt in our yard, seems like everything i put in it grows like crazy, lol. I still want to add plants, but going to wait till spring, should be interesting when it grows out though.

kyle

 

[Becki]

Love the water bottles hides! Good job!

 

[TKCARDANDCOIN]

Great job!I also love the water bottle "greenhouse hide!"Great idea...

 

[Jacqui]

I love the waterbottle usage! I will have to borrow it for future use myself. It's funny as an empty enclosure, it sure didn't look it's size. Once you added the "furniture" and those cute little guys, it really took on it's size and looks awesome. I too was impressed with how good your dirt looks. Could you tell us what all the plants are your using in there?

 

[Millerlite]

Yeah the waterbottle idea was a fast greenhouse type thing i made, I actually had a wooden frame below it just so they cant see out but got rid of it. As far as the plants let me figure out what they are, i have a list somewhere,

 

[Millerlite]

Sidenote: I found that with the filter in the water dish not only is it clear clean water, but the sound of the water fall seems to let them know where the water is. I find them in the water a lot more, a lot more since i put it in;

 

[terryo]

Your enclosure is fabulous. You are so lucky to have that black wonderful soil, and of course the water bottle hide...wow!..Love it. Did you cut out the bottom, or just bury it up to the openings? I put lots of hosta's in my garden, because the attract slugs, which mine love and they also sit under them for shade.

 

[Millerlite]

I ended up cutting the top of it off, then cutting it long way down the middle, and connected the two ends so its long and put doors on it. there is no bottom on it. And i had hosta in my old enclosure but it got tilled up in the process im going to get more in the spring. Im waiting for it to grow out with grass and such, so far though the tortoises are out and about. Today its been raining all day, one tortoises was still out walking around.

 

[ISTortoiseLover]

very nice! Always envious of owners with a yard for their torts! Cute mountain tortoises too, they look like mudpie from a distance. hahah

 

[Millerlite]

lol, thanks, Its been raining here in so. cali. for the pass few days. they are loving it, all 4 been coming out walking around in the rain. The new enclosure also has good drainage, i was a little worried about flooding or puddling, but its handling all this rain, no signs of puddles or flooding.