Tortoise house with bricks

[Gabriel Luna]

Hello:

I'm going to do a mini house for my DTs.

But I was thinking that bricks is not the best material to do it.

My idea is, doing a 80x60cms mini house only with bricks. The roof is going to be a sheet of foam and a piece of plywood. Obviously is going to have an entrance to my DTs. I was thinking in doing it below ground, like 10cms below ground. And when the mini house is finished, cover with dirt or soil, to help with temperature. With this, I hope my tortoise can live outside, and they can choose if go out or in off the house.

Anyone have a burrow, hide, house, etc for your tortoise with this material?

 

[Beeivis]

Hi Gabriel, I can tell you that for my family a brick house worked. It was in a south/west corner of our backyard and pretty much shaded all day long because of a tree and bushes. It was ABOVE ground level, maybe about 6 inches with a ramp going up just made of dirt. The house itself was about 16-18" wide and about 24" deep, about 16" tall. 2 desert tortoises lived and hibernated in there very happily for over 35 years until my mother finally passed away. My dad would always put a board in front of the doorway during hibernation to keep other animals out, & protect from draft. Not tight - they could always push it down when they came out in spring. Up inside the house they had sand and dirt, and would only dig down a little to burrow themselves in. The roof was a sheet of metal that was then coated in cement--it was very sturdy we kids would always stand on it. Anyways that worked for us, they were happy to go in there, always. Hope that is helpful info for you!

 

[Yvonne G]

My desert and Texas tortoises' houses are cinderblocks. I put down a layer of stepping stones (masonry caps) to make a floor, then I stacked up the cinder blocks, two high. I put a piece of plywood as the roof. These structures are under a large mulberry tree, and shaded all the time. I also rake up all the leaves in both yards and pile them on the structures. It is cool for them in the summer, and they also hibernate in it (with the door blocked).

 

[Gabriel Luna]

Thanks @Beeivis and @Yvonne G

Great info!

 

[Tom]

I would line the inside with plywood to prevent long term abrasion.

 

[Gabriel Luna]

It should be in a shaded area and cover with dirt and soil.

I'll try to cover with plywood the inside.

I hope I can built it before new year's.