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Old 22-12-2014, 11:38 PM   #1
veggie86
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Default Outdoor enclosure progress

By spring, when the sun comes out, the muddy patch at the end of the garden will be a beautiful tortoise haven Hopefully...

This is the area they will be having:



Top bit from the side:


The top bit from the path along to the dead looking rose bush 6x4ft ish), and a similar sized patch of the 'lawn' in front of it. I plan to put the wall of slabs back up except the far right one which can be an access slope to the bottom part of the enclosure.

Today I picked up a second hand rabbit run, 6ft by 3ft, (£10!! bargain!)which will cover the bottom part of the enclosure. It has mesh on the bottom so that part will be dig-proof. The top part is walled in by concrete back and one side, so I just need to make the other side side more secure and I can leave that deep soil for them. Mesh over the top might be interesting because it'll have to involve the tree, but that's the sunniest corner so I'll figure something out

Also that tree is going to get a good trim so it won't be blocking the sun.

I'll keep you posted with updates, any tips/ideas along the way would be great
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Old 23-12-2014, 08:39 AM   #2
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just watch that there's no 'corners' or areas that they can use something to climb ie between the tree and wall, my old male Ibera used to climb a tree to get over to the female, and they are very capable of climbing rough surfaces such as concrete. They sort of wedge themselves between objects and climb like a human does going up what they call a chimney on a rock face.
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Old 23-12-2014, 04:19 PM   #3
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Hehe, yeah Pickles has done that in his table before. It's going to have to have some kind of mesh lid anyway to keep the dogs out, I'm just not sure exactly how it's going to work yet...I'll have to have a play. I'm planning to get that wall done this week, it's really mild down here, just right for a bit of landscaping
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Old 23-12-2014, 08:47 PM   #4
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Love the roots on your ash tree looks like a person sat in the soil
or am i seeing thing because i have had a small drink
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Old 24-12-2014, 09:06 AM   #5
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Looks perfect for them, I really enjoyed planning and creating my torts gardens and they love it outside x
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Old 26-12-2014, 10:51 AM   #6
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Lucky torties
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Old 26-12-2014, 05:51 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURNIP View Post
Love the roots on your ash tree looks like a person sat in the soil
or am i seeing thing because i have had a small drink
Haha no, you are right. I thought the torts would enjoy basking on it's lap

Well, after me being all keen to dig up the garden it was all frosty and cold an wet today so I chickened out Will have to do it next week.
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Old 05-01-2015, 04:05 PM   #8
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Phase 2 done!! I put the slab 'wall' back up and pushed it back a bit. Run in place and lower branches of the tree chopped off so the sun will get through.





I cut a piece out of the side of the run to allow access between the top and bottom levels:


There is a raised 'bedroom' area at one end of the run, I was planing on replacing the wooden lid with clear perspex to make a greenhouse type section. I'm not sure whether to leave the bedroom in and make a ramp up, they can get underneath the bedroom too. Or take it out and getting a little house for the upper level?



I've chucked some seeds down. The base of the run is mesh, I'll be getting a load of topsoil in there to cover it, and because the garden soil is like clay and I think it might be too damp? I'll also be putting log roll or something to cover the mesh sides. I now need to make an enclosure for the top section and then I can decorate

What do you think?
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Old 15-01-2015, 10:58 PM   #9
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Nearly killed myself trying to carry a pallet from the car to the garden in a gale today lol. I've managed to get hold of some mesh covered panels from an old rabbit run (love freecycle!) so this weekend will be spent making the top half of the enclosure escape proof. Top soil is on it's way next week, then I can start getting some fun bits to decorate
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Old 16-01-2015, 12:23 AM   #10
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Wow, it's coming on really well!! x
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