Yellow Foot and Sulcatta Owner

[macdeezy]

So far just the brick house, and I wanna see if I can get a mini pond for him to climb inside! I would also like to build a framed roof a few feet over it with that same greenhouse material, just so noone can see him, and try to steal him (I have nosey neighbors) .... I wanna try and build it so it can be removable whenever I wanna hang out with the big boy! I was also thinking about some plants for him to much on and maybe a log for him to push around.... I dont really know whatelse to put in there! So if anyone has any ideas, Pease chime in!

Ohh, and I am having a blast here! There are seriously TONS of topics and threads to look through! Its deffinitely keeping me busy.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome Deezy. First of all I am so glad that turtle and tortoise found their way to you. Second of all, I'm glad you found and decided to join us!

We are all full of it here.... oh uhh... I mean full of suggestions.

I have a suggestion for you. Turtles and tortoises need a lot of room to roam around. Sulcatas especially really need some space. I'm looking at that last picture of you standing in the pond and that big giant area behind you would be PERFECT for a sulcata pen. He would graze it down for you and all that grass is the best diet ever for him. I use slumpstone blocks to contain mine, but cinderblocks or wood would work too. That pond is a little too small for an already big and ever growing boy like your new sulcata, but it will be an EXCELLENT enclosure for your box turtle. All the stuff you are doing is great for a boxie. Boxies also come from temperate areas, somewhat similar to where you are and they really do well outside. Here is what I did for a night box for my sulcatas. You would not need anything this big for just one, but I would go big enough to last him for at least a few years. I have a 75 pounder who does great in a 4x4'x24"tall one.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-The-Mother-of-All-Tortoise-Boxes#axzz1rM4hEzy5

Anyhow, at his size and age he doesn't need a lot of humidity and you don't want him to get damp and cold at the same time, which is a concern living outside in CA. And you do realize how big he will eventually get, right? About 4 times what he is now...

Here is what my enclosure looks like now so you can see what I mean by the slumpstone block wall. My friends call it "Tom's great wall of China..."
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Enclosure-Expansion#axzz1rM4hEzy5

I wish you the best of luck and hope we can all help you!

 

[macdeezy]

WOW! Tom, those 2 links you sent me are AWESOME!! I love all the work you have put into your torts! I really like the tort house you built! I want to build one, I just gota wait till we finish remodeling our bathroom, so I can use the wood that is not used! There is ALWAYS projects going on in my house (my grandparents own 5 houses, and 4 apartments). so We always have wood, and extra building materials!
I do fully understand how big the tort is gonna get, and I am totally ready to take on all the care that it is gonna take! I have 5 ferrets, 3 hedgehogs, 2 chinchillas, a Bufo Alvarius toad, and 2 Short Tailed Opossums, so I am taking care of animals ALL DAY!! It has just become a part of life for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

I also want to build a brick wall around my backyard (we have about an acre of land) but I have just been scared that he might dig a big hole, and escape or me just lose him! Is that something I should worry about... cuz I have read that they can dig holes as deep as 20ft, or is that not a realistic thing to worry about if he has lots of room to roam, and a nice hut for him to go into?
Also how big will the box turtle get? You mentioned that the pond would be a good size for him, but isn't that too big?? I don't really know, so ANY and ALL help you can give me I will gladly take!

And thank you VERY much for all the info you have given me already! My brain is turning with ideas you have given me, and from reading your other posts!

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[tortoisemissy2012]

Hi... I have a greenhouse that I built for growing my vegetables, but the plans I got for building this dome greenhouse, it showed examples of building a smaller prototype version that might work for your "greenhouse roof".

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi... I have a greenhouse that I built for growing my vegetables, but the plans I got for building this dome greenhouse, it showed examples of building a smaller prototype version that might work for your "greenhouse roof".

Hi tortoisemissy2012: Won't you take a few moments to start a new thread in the "introductions" section and tell us a bit about yourself?