Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i evacuated becouse of the huricane. i had a nice permanant pen for the torts at my house but that is now about a 7 ft swimming pool, i lived in a surberb of N.O. well now im in northern L.A. and mu 3 russians are confined to a rurbermaid container in the back yard. what can i do to make them more comfortable? i had built a makeshift pen out of their hade boxes, their rubermaid, the corner of my aunts house, and a cooled but they dug undernieth the cooler and buldoized the rubermaid. what can i do for a more permanent solution.

its a pool now (below)

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1.5 Common Mud Turtles
0.0.2 R.E.S.
0.0.1 Y.B.S.
1.2 Russian Tortoises
0.1.1 Gulfcost/Three Toed Boxturtles
0.1 Eastern Box Turtle
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family
6 mud eggs in incubator

"Bulldozing" is a common reaction to stress - don't sweat it. The temporary pen isn't going to look pretty. Just use the largest container you can find right now and keep it outside as much as possible to mimic the previous conditions.

Rene

I am so sorry for your losses, but happy you were able to rescue the tortoises. You might want to purchase a kiddie pool (sometimes cheap this time of year) for the tortoises, or a livestock tank if you have the ability to move it. Both are large enough that you can offer your tortoises some choices, varying topography, shelter on the warm side or cool side, dry or humid etc. I have kept quarantine animals in big storage boxes also, they will be OK but you must be cautious about lighting etc., as they have little place to escape it it is too hot etc. Good luck through these trying times...Vic

i looked for some sort of kiddy pool and the wallmart doesn't have any. im new to this area so my resorces are limited. any other sugestions?
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1.5 Common Mud Turtles
0.0.2 R.E.S.
0.0.1 Y.B.S.
1.2 Russian Tortoises
0.1.1 Gulfcost/Three Toed Boxturtles
0.1 Eastern Box Turtle
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family
6 mud eggs in incubator

A 55 gal rubbermaid at wal-mart would would if they're in a rubbermaid that's smaller now. The livestock bins that were mention and be found at a farm supply store if you can fine one where you're at.

OK, try this for an option. Take a roll of stiff sheet metal, and place it in a 10" deep ditch that you dig. Backfill with soil, you might want to add rock to discourage digging from the tortoise inside and predators outside. You could add some wood stakes or even plastic pipe to stiffen it, the more you add, the less sagging of the metal "wall". These pens are not real pretty, however. You can make a little more aethetic by buying "reed grass", which is grass from Viet Nam that is used for visual barriers. Attach it to the outside of the metal wall, it is surprisingly attractive but only lasts a year or so. It is just tall, coarse grass held together with thin wire, available at building suppy stores. Also look for large plastic barrels and tubs that can be cut up with a saber saw or similar. (you might even find some free floating down the Hurrican ravaged rivers...) Good luck, we're all hoping life get easier for you soon. Vic

thanks for the replies, we will be renting a house up here soon so i can make something more permanint there, thanks all.
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1.5 Common Mud Turtles
0.0.2 R.E.S.
0.0.1 Y.B.S.
1.2 Russian Tortoises
0.1.1 Gulfcost/Three Toed Boxturtles
0.1 Eastern Box Turtle
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family
6 mud eggs in incubator