Outdoor housing

[SCiARA]

i've seen some great outdoor enclosures on this forum and has given me some ideas for my own.

one thing that does spring to mind is alot of them had big open spaces (probably due to no other pets), now, i dont own cats or dogs either but i get the odd cat come into the garden, so i'm worried about whether to add a wire net type top?

do you guys have the same problem but are fine with the odd cat popping in, is it safe after a tort hits a certain age to let them free in the garden? will lois lane ever find out supermans secret......?

PS i will be getting two 2yr old Hermanns

[veebee]

Hi Sciara, I have two small dogs who used to pop in and out my torties enclosure for a sniff, I have now covered my horsfield outdoor enclosure with 'crop netting' from Wilkinsons £2.99, and they havnt been in it since. My baby spur thigh enclosure is a converted cold frame, I have put a chicken wire mess lid on, because she is more vunerable to cats and dogs and birds!!

Here is a picture of the enclosures (without the covers)

Vivienne

i rally think all torts should be protected in some way

can evn a big tort fight a big dog or cat??

interested to read your replies


personally i will not take the chance

ask around some of the guys on here have great setups that would deter most preditors

linda

[Puncture.uk]

Hi,

On the subject of netting / protection I really would consider using a rigid covering like chicken wire or high-tensile steel grill than any kind of nylon stuff (like garden netting) as this is very hard to see and cats get get caught up in it and die if say you were away for the week and it went unseen. Although you might have aced the torts from attack; I wouldn't like to have to explain to a neighbour why their cats dead!
This sounds a bit cheeky but if you have a local supermarket then you could go around the back of the store (I would ask first though) to where they chuck all there nackered trolleys away. If you can spot an old cargo-trolley (the 6 foot high things) then I should imagine just the door of this would be ideal. They are very sturdy and rust-proof and above all, free!
You can easily avoid nosey cats by putting a bird-table at the opposite end of the garden - You'll find they will spend all of their time down there bird-watching and leave your torts well-alone!

My enclosure doesn't need netting, its got high fences, and cats and birds don't go near it- it keeps my dog out, and my dog also keeps cats away.

Heres a pic of the fencing

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