Wegehaupt's outdoor enclosure

Habranthus · 06-08-2011, 11:14 PM

Has anyone attempted to duplicate the sort of outdoor enclosure Wolfgang Wegehaupt describes in his book, Naturalistic Keeping and Breeding of Hermann's Tortoises? I'm in the process of building a new enclosure and I'm planning on replacing most of the soil in it with with sand and some form of crushed limestone (still need to source this), since the loam in my garden is really fertile. Just wondered what lengths other people have gone to in order to improve the soil/ growing conditions in their outdoor tortoise enclosures?

Ozric Jonathan · 06-08-2011, 11:28 PM

Kirkie has applied some of the ideas and hopefully he'l be along at some point to explain.

Limestone chippings can be had from some garden centre type places and he has used them.

What I did was to remove the soil in the enclosure and replace it with a light soil that was 50% horticultural sand. The point there was drainage. I also removed all the grass and a lot of my enclosure has weedblock laid over bare soil with layers of gravel and rocks on top. I have planted some mediterranean plants through the weedblock.

Some of my food plant beds are soil that I have treated with wood ash for alkalinity and added gravel.

kkenny · 07-08-2011, 10:27 AM

Yes I have! Love that book.
I got limestone chippings from Wicks mixed with a little playsand, no grass just weeds growing in limestone powder enriched soil.

I have bark/wood pieces to climb on and a couple of little hides to escape the rain.
here's mine-
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...6/IMG_4268.jpg
It has a wire lid now since the photo.

Best of luck.

**16 shells** · 07-08-2011, 11:33 AM

Alway's had sandy soil with pure Gypsom and chalk as the under mix and drainage for the sub base, rock's, stones, plant's ect, no grassed area for Med's in the enclosure's

Habranthus · 07-08-2011, 03:01 PM

I've seen limestone chippings, but I'm finding the crushed limestone a bit harder to source.

kkenny · 12-08-2011, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habranthus

I've seen limestone chippings, but I'm finding the crushed limestone a bit harder to source.

Yes, definately, so that why I have chippings and even those were found on my 8th shopping visit.

Good luck

Habranthus · 12-08-2011, 12:08 PM

Thanks, am building the brick walls and base for the cold frame right now. Will post photos when I'm done.

06-08-2011, 11:14 PM	#1
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	Wegehaupt's outdoor enclosure Has anyone attempted to duplicate the sort of outdoor enclosure Wolfgang Wegehaupt describes in his book, Naturalistic Keeping and Breeding of Hermann's Tortoises? I'm in the process of building a new enclosure and I'm planning on replacing most of the soil in it with with sand and some form of crushed limestone (still need to source this), since the loam in my garden is really fertile. Just wondered what lengths other people have gone to in order to improve the soil/ growing conditions in their outdoor tortoise enclosures? __________________ 0.0.4 Testudo hermanni hermanni

06-08-2011, 11:28 PM	#2
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	Kirkie has applied some of the ideas and hopefully he'l be along at some point to explain. Limestone chippings can be had from some garden centre type places and he has used them. What I did was to remove the soil in the enclosure and replace it with a light soil that was 50% horticultural sand. The point there was drainage. I also removed all the grass and a lot of my enclosure has weedblock laid over bare soil with layers of gravel and rocks on top. I have planted some mediterranean plants through the weedblock. Some of my food plant beds are soil that I have treated with wood ash for alkalinity and added gravel. __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

07-08-2011, 10:27 AM	#3
kkenny Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Warwick Posts: 1,303	Yes I have! Love that book. I got limestone chippings from Wicks mixed with a little playsand, no grass just weeds growing in limestone powder enriched soil. I have bark/wood pieces to climb on and a couple of little hides to escape the rain. here's mine- http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...6/IMG_4268.jpg It has a wire lid now since the photo. Best of luck. __________________ Karin Spartacus, THB, March 2013 Henry, THB, July 2008

07-08-2011, 11:33 AM	#4
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	Alway's had sandy soil with pure Gypsom and chalk as the under mix and drainage for the sub base, rock's, stones, plant's ect, no grassed area for Med's in the enclosure's __________________ Paul.

07-08-2011, 03:01 PM	#5
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	I've seen limestone chippings, but I'm finding the crushed limestone a bit harder to source. __________________ 0.0.4 Testudo hermanni hermanni

12-08-2011, 12:08 PM	#7
Habranthus Member Incubating Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 140	Thanks, am building the brick walls and base for the cold frame right now. Will post photos when I'm done. __________________ 0.0.4 Testudo hermanni hermanni

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