Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Original post: forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1039158,1039477
I recently got to go home and visit with The Boss and our tortoises. I thought I would post some of the upgrades we have made since the pictures in the first thread.
We added a lift-out door so that we don't have to lift them over the wall any more:

It is framed up with 2X4 so the torts can't get to the sharp edges of metal where I cut the pool wall.
We made their "shed" sturdier and added an insulated roof:

When I get home later this year, I intend to suspend a pig blanket from the roof of the shed so that they can stay out all winter in their shed.
They have additional hiding spots in the pen, including an old water softener salt bin and a "dog house":

Apparently they like their accomodations well enough. The smallest female started digging her second nest of the year while I was at home:

It looks like the larger female is offering encouragement while the male basks in the background.
I am not sure how many eggs she laid:


She covered them up when she was done:

And The Boss marked the nest location, date and "mother's initial":

Since we let the adult tortoises roam the back yard during the daytime, casually mowing the lawn, we thought maybe we ought to prevent the possible babies from leaving the pen. So, I installed a 3" step which should keep them in long enough to be discovered and collected:

Hope you enjoyed the show,
Karl H. Betz & The Boss

Very impressive! It's given me lots of ideas for my outdoor pen, which is currently cinder blocks against a fence.

I certainly did enjoy the show. That's just great.

I've been looking around for old pools since I saw your first posted photos a few weeks ago, but so far I've only found 2 & both were too small. I'll keep looking or we'll go with the original plan soon.
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PHRatz

As an alternative to a used pool, a lot of hardware stores sell rolls of tin in various heights at very reasonable prices. You could use that for the wall, set your own height by burying it (I recommend putting in a "footer" of concrete to prevent digging out) and shore up the outside base of the sides with the cinder blocks (or just about anything weighty).
Just a thought,
Karl

>>As an alternative to a used pool, a lot of hardware stores sell rolls of tin in various heights at very reasonable prices. You could use that for the wall, set your own height by burying it (I recommend putting in a "footer" of concrete to prevent digging out) and shore up the outside base of the sides with the cinder blocks (or just about anything weighty).
>>Just a thought,
>>Karl

Actually we have the cinder blocks to make the pen because they're left overs from having a cinder block fence built last year. Like the fence if we use the blocks for a pen there will be a concrete base underneath it.. it's just that I like the pool so much better. LOL
It looks so good I want that instead. We can alway use this stack of blocks for a different project if I could find a used pool.
It's not about needing the materials, it's about me turning into a whining spoiled brat because I want a set up like yours.
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PHRatz