Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I planning on building an ornate BT enclosure in April. I've got an area planned that is 4.5' X 17'. I have 8 ornate boxies 2 adults 2 babies (hatched last year) and 4 sub-adults. I have a block wall fence in my yard. The block fence will be one side of my enclosure.

How deep should I bury the wood posts? Cedar, redwood or treated pine? How high should the posts stick out of the ground? Do I need to worry about them burrowing out of the enclosure? Any tips on wheres a good place to buy the wood posts?

I'd love to see some of your enclosures. Please post pics.
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I'd like to see some of your ideas...........
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

If you do a search on this forum you will see tons of examples of peoples set-ups and there are several posters with similar set ups to the one you have proposed, so hopefully they will post examples here as well, but this site isn't as active right now as it is in the summer. Generally cedar and redwood are not advised for use with reptiles, due to the toxins that naturally occur in those aromatic woods, which is probably more important in an indoor inclosure, not sure that would have a big impact when just used as an outer wall outside, but arsenic free treated pine (which most treated pine posts are now arsenic free), would be the safest bet and should last a very long time, you can find treated pine post at big box hardware or lumber stores, like Lowes and Menards, ect. how deep you place them probably depends a lot on your soil composition and how heavy and dense it is ie, if clay not as deep as sandy or loam, and think Tess Cook recomends in her book; "Box Turtles", and on her web site that they be at least several boxies high 16-20" and having them lean slightly inward and/or having an inward facing cap on top of the wall, preventing climbing escapes, which make perfect sense if you think about it, maybe she will chime in as she has a lot of experience with that type of set-up, as do others, I do not, but just wanted to help get you started looking, researching, and thinking the right direction.
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Jeff Benfer
1.0 cinnamon pastel Python regius
1.1 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.3 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.3 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
2.0 66% het snow Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.2 flame Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 butter p.h. stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 carmel stripe p.h. amel Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 amelanistic p.h. carmel,stripe Pantherophis guttatus

I did a search on Tess Cooks site and found a wealth on info on the subject. We have some very tough soil here in NM and I think I can get away with burying the post about a foot deep and have the posts stick up 16-18 inches and be in good shape. I still have a couple of other backyard projects to get finished before I can start on the turtle enclosure. I have no problems with dog or other feral animals that can get to them so I really dont need the cap. They currently roam in my backyard with a secure gate I just want to keep them in one area so that I can more closely monitor them and give them regular feedings. I'm pretty sure I only have one adult male so I don't foresee have to build a second holding pen to separate males. I'll post pics later on as I start working on the project
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

Mine is laso about 2 feet high and the timbers are buried and the corners covered with a board. In areas where it is not longer 2 feet-as mulch builds up-I have addes a lenght of wood that leans into the pen. You can see the whole pen on YouTube at boxturtlefriend.

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Tess Cook
www.boxturtlesite.info

I checked out your site and severals others too. I still have about 3 or 4 weeks before I start on my enclosure. I will be burying my posts about a foot deep which will give me a 21 inch high border. It will be just shy of 2 feet and I doubt they can scale that.

I have already got a log and some rocks that they can use for shelter. I also have a drip system that will run through their enclosure that will provide water and moisture for plants and turtles.

There is a Crepe Myrtle, a pomegranate bush and a butter fly bush in the area that the enclosure will be built I will be adding some grasses and other plants also.

I'll be posting pics as I work on the project.
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

Sounds beautiful! Be sure to post a picture for us. Tess

Hi I have Eastern box turtles. A 2 foot High enclosure is high enough. Just make sure there is nothing for them to climb on as they are great climbers if given a chance. In all the years of keeping box turtles I have never had one dig out. I did lose quite a few as a young boy because they were climbing out.

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Jack

You have a nice setup.......I wish I had that much room.
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

I made mine of untreated landscape timbers. I cut them in 32 inch sections and buried them 8 inches deep in a layer of concrete. That left most areas on the inside to have a wall of around 24 inches high. Remember with ornates that they have greater ability to scale walls, so a higher wall would probably be a good idea, as well as a cap of some kind like Jeff suggested. Good luck and post your pics. Here is a pic of mine when I built it last summer. Hoping some plantings I'm doing now will make it look a little lusher this season on the outside and inside.

Mine will look similar to yours......I hope. Nice set up.
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Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables