Help needed for my new outdoor incloser for my 6 yellowfoots

At the moment my yellowfoots are living in an indoor incloser that I carry outside daily, me and my husband this afternoon have demolished my over grown rocker garden so as you can imagine we are starting from scratch.
The size of the incloser will be in the shape of a triangle the width of the triangle I would say is about 9foot by about 18foot tapering off to a point, (its hard to explain)
What im trying to ask u is what is a good depth to dig down?. what is the best thing to put into the incloser to stop them from burrowing away? also what is a good height to have the outer edges, we had a good look in B and Q this evening but didnt seem to see anything that would work, could you great guys out there give me some idea what you use.
Thanks in advance
Lynn

[Eire_Ade]

Hi Lynn,

I am not too sure myself as I only keep Med Tortoises.

But I have read that if you bury wire meshing this stops them escaping, I would myself consider digging 10 to 12 inches down which is probably the depth they would dig themselves for laying egss etc... but hold me to that, there will certainly be more experienced people on here to adise you more.

As for the sides I think I would use some kind of blocks or bricks and disguise them with some of those rocks you got from dismanteling the rockery garden.
You don't have to go very high with the blocks just high enough so that the enclosure is strong enough to contain them, then you can always use timber and wire mesh higher up if you are thinking of a walk in enclosure.

Hope this helps a little.

Ade

Thankyou Ade for your reply where did you buy your wire mesh from or do you know where I could buy some from?
I have added some pictures of the area I am using for the incloser, I was thinking of using the area behind the metal shed to make some kind of indoor living area, what is the best kind of structer to use for this? any kind of advice would be greatfully received.

[Henry-flash]

Well I dont keep yellows but it looks like an area wiht great potential you have there. Remember to include lots of edible plants for them to graze from and hide in. Also include lots of hides and things for them to explore to keep them occupied but at the same time felling secure. You can buy mesh from Garden centres/diy shops etc. For the shelter how about a smalle greenhouse?

[sandy]

Chicken wire or rabbit hutch wire can be used for those speices that dig down.
I dont know a lot about yellowfoots, but would imagine they need a lot of cover, so the sun
can filtre down through.
Do they dig down that far?
Or do they just bury down to escape the heat?

[Eire_Ade]

Lynn, you will find the chicken wire as they call it in most diy stores eg B&Q, Wickes etc... it comes on a roll and there are different sized holes, I think I would be inclined to use the smaller hole one.

Ade

I was thinking about the chicken wire but will it not rust in time?

Im thinking about a warm living area for my torts in winter, I do have the space to build/buy a greenhouse to house them in connecting to the outside, what do you guys house your torts in outside?

[Eire_Ade]

It shouldn't rust as its coated / galvenised.

Ade

[Pussygalore]

I have mine in a greenhouse (see 1st pic in competition) they have the the whole floor and I can still use the benches, I have a wired door to put over the doorway when it is open (to stop predators etc) the paving slabs are for me to walk on as I can't always spot them on the ground.I find that all sorts of plants can be planted in the substrate and I have a large weed growing area that provided it is well watered is doing very well they have access to everywhere all the time and will bury themselves at night or use their house which has hemp in.