lay into me... what have I not thought of?

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Posted by nathan on May 24, 2002 at 08:42:46:

My wife and I are within 2 weeks of moving to our new house (might be done building today! see pictures at www.aileo.com) We are going to be on about 2 acres, and have already planned a privacy fenced area of at least 50'x100' to build my dream eden for all the box turtles and aquatics. Inside it I plan on a few pens for juvenile boxies/woods, and indoors will have tanks for hatchling/juvenile aquatics. I'd also like to build a pen for a sulcata. We are in central North Carolina. The location is on top of a hill, with excellent drainage, no trees blocking sun (we will be planting what we need).

I will be able to expand the pen as necessary, to provide a grazing area of size not much limited (can do 50'x50' if I need to, or even larger). We should be there for the next 10-15 years before buying a larger piece of land and building our "dream house". Within 3 years we plan on adding a 25'x12' greenhouse/sunroom, which the sulcata will have free access to via a "tortoise door".

Until that is built, we plan on having an indoor enclosure for the day time, most likely something like Niki's indoor housing for Teddy. That would be built this winter, using a rubbermaid until then.

While small (until sunroom is built) the tortoise will be outside during the day in good weather, and I'll either get a doghouse to raise off the ground, or build a box (teddy's and tofu's inspirational homes) for protection during possible inclemental weather when we are stuck at work or something.

I believe I've thought of most of the housing issues. I can expand size of a pen (concrete walls, either block or poured) basically unlimited... I'm not worried about burrowing, as I won't have anything "destroyable" that I care about in the pen. The only real limitation is the winter housing when it is large, the 12x25 sunroom. I'm hoping it is "smart" like grahamUK's torts and some other folks I've emailed with, and will learn to come in from the cold if it needs to, once the sunroom is up.

Dietary, we plan on planting grazing foods throughout the pen, and will also have grape vines, mulberry, fig, and hibiscus growing throughout our property. I expect that when possible, this will be the sole diet, with occasional additions of carrot, yellow squash, and such vegetables, dusted with suppliment. Cuttlebone will be available at all times, if not used, an occasional leafy green treat with dust.

Winters we will attempt to grow trays of whatever possible in the house, and the lawns generally stay green if waterred through winter here, so the grazing area outdoors can have clippings brought in. We will also suppliment with store greens, baled hays, and possibly prepared diet such as mazuri.

natural sunlight outdoors, uvb powersun and reptisun types indoors/winter.

Soaking schedule, something on the order of every 2-3 days as a baby, 3-4 as a juvenile, and less as an adult.

We are still a ways away from purchasing the sulcata. We have to move, build the turtle yard and pens, and then build the yard pen for it before we can consider it, so we've been debating back and forth and trying to poke holes in our plans now, so we are less surprised later.

Any suggestions? Ideas? Let me have it!

Follow Ups:

nathan...have you considered adopting a sulcata later... Niki 05/25/02 (1)
- Re: nathan...have you considered adopting a sulcata later... nathan 05/28/02 (0)
Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Phil Smith 05/24/02 (1)
- Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? nathan 05/24/02 (0)
Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Opuntia n/p Terry 05/24/02 (3)
- Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Opuntia n/p nathan 05/24/02 (2)
  - Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Opuntia n/p Terry 05/24/02 (1)
    - Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Opuntia n/p nathan 05/24/02 (0)
Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? Dave Ennis 05/24/02 (3)
- Re: lay into me... what have I not thought of? nathan 05/24/02 (2)
  - excellent,how 'bout cranes...more Dave Ennis 05/24/02 (1)
    - Re: excellent,how 'bout cranes...more nathan 05/24/02 (0)

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: My wife and I are within 2 weeks of moving to our new house (might be done building today! see pictures at www.aileo.com) We are going to be on about 2 acres, and have already planned a privacy fenced area of at least 50'x100' to build my dream eden for all the box turtles and aquatics. Inside it I plan on a few pens for juvenile boxies/woods, and indoors will have tanks for hatchling/juvenile aquatics. I'd also like to build a pen for a sulcata. We are in central North Carolina. The location is on top of a hill, with excellent drainage, no trees blocking sun (we will be planting what we need). : I will be able to expand the pen as necessary, to provide a grazing area of size not much limited (can do 50'x50' if I need to, or even larger). We should be there for the next 10-15 years before buying a larger piece of land and building our "dream house". Within 3 years we plan on adding a 25'x12' greenhouse/sunroom, which the sulcata will have free access to via a "tortoise door". : Until that is built, we plan on having an indoor enclosure for the day time, most likely something like Niki's indoor housing for Teddy. That would be built this winter, using a rubbermaid until then. : While small (until sunroom is built) the tortoise will be outside during the day in good weather, and I'll either get a doghouse to raise off the ground, or build a box (teddy's and tofu's inspirational homes) for protection during possible inclemental weather when we are stuck at work or something. : I believe I've thought of most of the housing issues. I can expand size of a pen (concrete walls, either block or poured) basically unlimited... I'm not worried about burrowing, as I won't have anything "destroyable" that I care about in the pen. The only real limitation is the winter housing when it is large, the 12x25 sunroom. I'm hoping it is "smart" like grahamUK's torts and some other folks I've emailed with, and will learn to come in from the cold if it needs to, once the sunroom is up. : Dietary, we plan on planting grazing foods throughout the pen, and will also have grape vines, mulberry, fig, and hibiscus growing throughout our property. I expect that when possible, this will be the sole diet, with occasional additions of carrot, yellow squash, and such vegetables, dusted with suppliment. Cuttlebone will be available at all times, if not used, an occasional leafy green treat with dust. : Winters we will attempt to grow trays of whatever possible in the house, and the lawns generally stay green if waterred through winter here, so the grazing area outdoors can have clippings brought in. We will also suppliment with store greens, baled hays, and possibly prepared diet such as mazuri. : natural sunlight outdoors, uvb powersun and reptisun types indoors/winter. : Soaking schedule, something on the order of every 2-3 days as a baby, 3-4 as a juvenile, and less as an adult. : We are still a ways away from purchasing the sulcata. We have to move, build the turtle yard and pens, and then build the yard pen for it before we can consider it, so we've been debating back and forth and trying to poke holes in our plans now, so we are less surprised later. : Any suggestions? Ideas? Let me have it!

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