Pond - converted into tortoise run.

[tortie]

Last year I promised myself that I'd treat myself to a Tortoise and a Pond, and as a result started to construct a pond.

After starting to research tortoises I have come to find that they need more care and attention/space than I first imagined.

This is not a put-off for me, infact exactly the opposite, and am getting more and more excited about the prospect of keeping tortoises as the days roll on. So much so that I have hijacked the pond construction and am now developing it into a Tortoise run.

The size of the construction is 6ft x 8ft, and will hopefully house 1/2 tortoises during the summer months, I'll be installing a concrete base + drainage and then a dash of landscape gardening inside once the initial base is constructed. I will also be creating some sort of roof/wire mesh to stop any preditors getting in.

Here are the first pictures - more to follow as the construction develops

[XoxOriptideOxoX]

what torts would you be getting? you dont need to concreat the floor =p and you will need and inside part with a heat sorce =] looks pritty kl tbh =p

[yorkshiretyker]

Originally Posted by XoxOriptideOxoX

what torts would you be getting? you dont need to concreat the floor =p and you will need and inside part with a heat sorce =] looks pritty kl tbh =p

Yeh - indoor enclosure and heating is also on the cards - all the electrics are there due to the construction starting its life as a pond - this is why it was an ideal opportunity to hijack the project - and convert it into an outdoor tortoise pen.

Tortoises - horsefields probabablly (they dig - and wouldn't want them to dig thier way out!) although I'm looking into none-hibernating species before I make my final decision.

[XoxOriptideOxoX]

Originally Posted by yorkshiretyker

Yeh - indoor enclosure and heating is also on the cards - all the electrics are there due to the construction starting its life as a pond - this is why it was an ideal opportunity to hijack the project - and convert it into an outdoor tortoise pen.

Tortoises - horsefields probabablly (they dig - and wouldn't want them to dig thier way out!) although I'm looking into none-hibernating species before I make my final decision.

o ok, so over the concreat you would put topsoil or what ever you will be using?

[tortie]

Originally Posted by XoxOriptideOxoX

o ok, so over the concreat you would put topsoil or what ever you will be using?

yeah, and plants (That aren't poisonous) etc. :o)

[XoxOriptideOxoX]

Originally Posted by tortie

yeah, and plants (That aren't poisonous) etc. :o)

got ya lol xD it sounds fab xD

[ragged]

Yeh you may want to concrete the bottom as you said we have 2 horsfields that love to dig and fast aswel! i may be wrong but i think if warm enough you dont need to hibernate all species of torts we have 2 hermans and 2 horsfields and we dont hibernate atall, aslong as in the winter or colder nights they are moved inside and have enough heat they will be happy to stay awake!

[tortoise_dude]

Originally Posted by ragged

Yeh you may want to concrete the bottom as you said we have 2 horsfields that love to dig and fast aswel! i may be wrong but i think if warm enough you dont need to hibernate all species of torts we have 2 hermans and 2 horsfields and we dont hibernate atall, aslong as in the winter or colder nights they are moved inside and have enough heat they will be happy to stay awake!

Hermanns and Russians are hibernating species and if not allowed to do so will suffer serious problems in the future. Russians especially will get accelerated growth, because in the wild they would only be eating for something like a third of the year or less.

[tortie]

If I did go for hibernating torts, (hermens, horsfield) then I would definetley allow them to go into hibernation, it seems wrong to do anything different although it would send me around the twist worrrying about them - which is why I'm considering perhaps red-foots. I'd love to keep leps, but I'm not sure my facilities are big enough. (I'm also creating a 5ft x 3ft indoor enclosure)

[tortoise_dude]

what sized outdoor enclosure would they have?