Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello I am looking for ideas on an outdoor tortoise pen. I rent so I can't really build a permanent structure, I was more things of a portable wire pen that I can stick into the ground, like a wire guinea pig cage without a bottom that sticks into the ground a little and secured with tent spikes. This would only be used when I'm home and could be moved around the yard to new grass places (we don't use pesticides). It would kinda be an outdoor play pen I could setup for my Herman's tortoise.

What do you all think?
Does anyone have a portable tortoise pen they've made? Experiences?

Hello, This may be 30 year old advice but it worked for me for 20 years. I made a pen for my redfoot which exactly as you describe I moved around the yard to new grass each day. The sides were 1 foot tall and 4 feet long and all made from 1*2 firring strip. Top and bottom rail and "pickets" up and down between them. The corners each had two hinges so when I wasn't using it the 4 sections folded up to one flat 4 foot long piece about 6 inches thick. You need to remove the pin from one set of hinges to do that. Along the bottom I hammered in long finishing nails every 2 inches. This way when I put the pen down these would stick in the ground even if it was slightly uneven and it kept my guy from pushing the pen around or getting under it. (redfoots do not dig much.) He did escape once or twice as he got bigger. He managed to get partly under it and like a wedge lift it up. a few tent stakes like you suggest would have stopped that. My solution at the time was a 3 foot yellow ribbon that was taped to his shell. This way when he escaped he was easier to find. Much easier to spot a 3 foot yellow ribbon in the bushes.
Tom