outdoor enclosure advice pls

[goldblend]

please skip to the end finished pictures are now there


Hi there , my husband has built me a solid walk in enclosure about 6ft X6ft (frame & roof with heavy duty mesh and door with padlock) for my 2 hermanns tortoises who are both nearly 3 years old.
up until now they have been kept indoors in a 3ft X 3ft table but we thought they might like to be outside for the summer.

I intend to re-landscape this enclosure and have seen a wooden rabbit house with ramp and lift up lid that i was thinkin as a sleep area with perhaps readi grass inside as bedding or what else can i use inside ?
I am going to add a little shallow walk in pond in one corner and some removable trays embedded with the seeds i bought from shelled warriors (ie clover etc)
I have some clay flowerpots that im going to inbed and some slate for sun-bathin area

My main question/worry is when will the be ok at there 24/7 and when is the right time to move them there, when will they need come back in .... ?
I dont want to do anything that is going to be a shock to thier system and they are used to baskin under the heat lamp so will the be warm enough ?

My reason for this total enclosure is we get foxes at night and didnt want them being able to get to my torts hence the roof but sun can get through as only mesh, should i put some cover over one side in case it rains ? perhaps the side house is on ?.

Thanks for all your advice in advance and i will post piccies once complete

[ME SHELL]

Hi Michelle
Do you have any pics? Sometimes it is easier to suggest something when we can see pics, and of course I want a nosey

[goldblend]

Hi Me Shell,
yes got piccies,hope these are ok , this was just after we finished building and hasnt been landscaped yet and the daisies need to go ..... will prob dig over and re turf area then sow seed trays . I also realised my description of walk in isnt quite correct unless your a dwarf ... its about 4ft high but i can go inside was my point .. lol.





all suggestions welcome

[Alan1]

It would be best if you didn't re-turf it as they get dampness from grass. Soil would be best. You probably don't want a sleeping hut too big as you will lose space for them to roam about the enclosure. A raised coldframe for them to go under is good

[ME SHELL]

Well done it is a brilliant sturdy looking enclosure. I wouldn't bother returfing either. The soil heats up quicker than the grass. A few members have them little houses and find it nice to look them up in the night, but your enclosure is pretty secure so a cold frame should be suffice. Some plants in there would be good, to give them some shade and somewhere to hide. Would you be able to put some type of border around it. You will find that because they can see out they will try their very best to get to the other side. Grass is always greener
Well done I can't wait to see it all finished

[Alan1]

I'm sure Sandy leaves them out from beginning of May and she is in Kent too. If there are foxes they might be able to dig under (and torts will be able to dig out too) so you will need a barrier like wire netting under the soil.. or paving slabs all the way round. Just a shelter from rain will be okay, coldframe or one of those sun tunnels from B&Q

[goldblend]

Originally Posted by ME SHELL

Well done it is a brilliant sturdy looking enclosure. I wouldn't bother returfing either. The soil heats up quicker than the grass. A few members have them little houses and find it nice to look them up in the night, but your enclosure is pretty secure so a cold frame should be suffice. Some plants in there would be good, to give them some shade and somewhere to hide. Would you be able to put some type of border around it. You will find that because they can see out they will try their very best to get to the other side. Grass is always greener
Well done I can't wait to see it all finished

Yes my hubby did suggest puttin kick boards all the way around so they cant see out, so i will take him up on this offer ,.

I will also start looking around for a small cold frame or buy the sun tunnel suggested as i prefer the idea they can dig down should i put anything inside it for bedding like readi grass or is deep soil enough ?

So i think best thing i can do is dig down a few inches , lay mesh, refill with top soil and sand, add my seeds, pond and coldframe, plus few other bits lol and should be ready to go ............

I am ordering a mixture of plant seeds from shelled warriors (my second order now , I have some growing in a big tub as well for winter.

I want try have some low rise sections with like clover type plants and a thicker area for shade so they can hide in , any suggestions ?? so by the time i get this all sorted and seeds sown they should be able to go out there by late may .. early june

[goldblend]

Originally Posted by caledonia

I'm sure Sandy leaves them out from beginning of May and she is in Kent too. If there are foxes they might be able to dig under (and torts will be able to dig out too) so you will need a barrier like wire netting under the soil.. or paving slabs all the way round. Just a shelter from rain will be okay, coldframe or one of those sun tunnels from B&Q

thanks caledonia for the link , those sun tunnels look a great idea and not too expensive either.....

[ME SHELL]

I have hebe's in mine Michelle she can eat it if she wanted, but never has and when it gets bigger will be great shelter. I also have lavendar, she loved to dig under that and it smells so lovely. I have pansys, mimulus, campanula and Ice plant in there too, plus the weed seeds.

[16 shells]

Hi Michelle, looking good, i noticed your shed, if ok you can build a small box type sleeping area, with lid, cut opening into enclosure, also i would add 3 or 4 pathers in your enclosure, good to feed off, keeps beak trim, and walk on, keeps nails trim.
Paul