Tory- pool question.

[mary t]

hey guys!! my sulcata ( Willie) is about 50 pounds. he has out grown his bird bath well a while back - anyway. I'm not able to give him a mud hole so I'd like to form him a concrete pool. my question is how big should I go: depth and circumstance??? any input would be wonderful. thanks in advance

 

[Jodie]

I am getting ready to do this as well. My guy, also about 50 pounds, currently has a kiddie pool that is about 4 feet across and 8 inches or so deep. I am going to go a bit bigger.

 

[JoesMum]

I am getting ready to do this as well. My guy, also about 50 pounds, currently has a kiddie pool that is about 4 feet across and 8 inches or so deep. I am going to go a bit bigger.

That sounds very small for such a large tortoise. That's only 12.5 square feet! Even a Russian needs a minimum of 32 square feet.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

That sounds very small for such a large tortoise. That's only 12.5 square feet! Even a Russian needs a minimum of 32 square feet.

I think Jodie meant that's how big his watering hole is - not enclosure.

 

[JoesMum]

I think Jodie meant that's how big his watering hole is - not enclosure.

Ah that makes more sense

 

[mary t]

I am getting ready to do this as well. My guy, also about 50 pounds, currently has a kiddie pool that is about 4 feet across and 8 inches or so deep. I am going to go a bit bigger.

how does your guy get in and out of the kiddie pool. I'm still freaked out Willie will flip over. lol!! the only thing that worries me with a concrete pool is cleaning it out. ideas???

 

[Jodie]

I cut is to make it shallow enough he can walk in and out. I have a concrete pool for my leopards. I use a broom to sweep it out and just spray it out. I add water daily to keep it fresh, and clean it only every other week or so.

 

[wellington]

When I did a concert one a few years back for my leopard, I buried a pvc pipe that a sink drain with a pop up stop in it would fit tightly into. Then I poured the cement to come just to the edge of the drain. I would just pop up or push down on the drain stopper. The only thing I forgot to do was to drop an air tube into the pvc pipe so the water would drain faster.

 

[mary t]

wow. great ideas. I'm going to copy a little from each of you. maybe a French drain under the drain. my dad is helping me and I'm sure he will engineer something. he loves his grand-tort as he calls him. I'll keep you guys up dated!!! thanks again.

 

[Lilyloveslettuse]

Big enough so he can't see out and big enough he can walk around comfortably.

 

[Big Charlie]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you build. I've been meaning to build a pool for Charlie this year too but I haven't figured out exactly how I want to do it.

 

[Jodie]

Just did this to get rid of the kiddie pool.