Outside enclosure

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Summerills
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 May 2020, 17:04

Outside enclosure

Post by Summerills » 28 Jun 2021, 15:04

Having umm’d and ahh’d about all the possibilities for a temporary outside enclosure, I decided to just go for it and dig up a border for Fergus. I have enclosed a couple of photos.
It had been full of bluebells, forget me nots, and herbs and so I spent yesterday digging up bulbs to replant elsewhere and planted up some of the herbs into the space in the wall. Bought a few more safe plants and one sedum which is apparently one of the only kinds of sedum they can’t eat (now also planted elsewhere), and he /she seems very happy. Lots of exploring and trying to eat stones.
The Perspex hide at the end still needs a top but he/she’s only staying out for the odd hour or so and only whilst one of us is outside with him/her at the moment.
There is lots of scope for extending as he/she gets bigger, including incorporating some of the wood shed at the end with an outside heat lamp and possible hibernation cubby hole.

Thanks as always for all the advice and suggestions previously and welcome any feedback on issues I have not considered.
I do also have a wooden and chicken wire frame to sit on top when we are not about.
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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by Nina » 28 Jun 2021, 16:29

Hi Nic,

That looks brilliant! Loads of interest and colour there. It's good you dug the bluebells out, as they are poisonous, and what a shame about the sedum (which one did you buy?), but what you've planted in that enclosure looks really excellent and I'm sure that Fergus will think it's a paradise. I can't see all of the detail well, because when I try and enlarge the photos they get a bit blurry, but from what I can see it looks great. Do be sure that there are no plants right next to the walls that Fergus could use as a ladder to climb out (although your lid will prevent that, so shouldn't be a problem).

Regarding a hibernation cubby hole -- I can't quite see the wooden shed at the end, but you can't hibernate a tortoise in a wooden shed unless you have a bit of supplementary heating in there, because there is the danger of tissues freezing if it gets too cold. Also it needs to be predator proof, but that is something to think about later, and in the meantime you've made a little tortie paradise, so well done!

Nina

CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by CritterMama » 28 Jun 2021, 19:01

Very nice, Summerills! All the other tortoises will be jealous!

A quick question on your comment Nina "It's good you dug the bluebells out, as they are poisonous". Which bluebell are we talking about? I spent some time this morning looking for plants that grow in the shade, are deer resistant, and are safe for both the tortoise and the bearded dragon (whew!) It's not as short a list as I thought it might be! :lol:

Anyway, on this list are numerous species of Campanula; one of these (Campanula rotundifolia) goes by a Common Name "Bluebell" or "Harebell". The Rhizomes are not safe, but I understood the leaves and flowers are. :?:

Search for "bluebell" in TT Plants Database: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... ll&x=0&y=0
Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by Nina » 28 Jun 2021, 21:17

The bluebell that I'm talking about is Hyacinthoides: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... NosZUzTWNI In the UK, that's the plant most comonly known as Bluebell.

The Campanula rotundifolia is often called Harebell, and very occasionally called the Bluebell of Scotland, but that is very confusing, because it's not a bluebell at all. It's why we sometimes hate common names, because there are lots of different plants that have the same common name, but every plant only has one Latin name, so those are much more reliable. All of the Campanulas are absolutely fine for tortoises, so yours can happily munch away.

Nina

CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by CritterMama » 29 Jun 2021, 14:54

Thank you Nina - you confirmed what I was thinking.

I do love the Latin names! So helpful when one needs to be specific about a given plant. My favorite example is "plantain" vs. "plantain" - genus "Plantago" vs. genus "Musa" - little round-leafed plant with an interesting flower stalk that grows ALL OVER my yard vs. a cooking banana! :lol:
Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by Nina » 29 Jun 2021, 15:13

Absolutely -- that's what is frustrating about common names. Another example is Rose of Sharon, which is the common name for three very different plants:
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... NspVkzTWNI
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... NspjkzTWNI
and
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... NsppUzTWNI

Common names are a minefield. Latin names, on the other hand can be very interesting. Lin just sent me this link today, to an article about plants with 'naughty/suggestive' names -- both Latin and common: https://laidbackgardener.blog/2018/07/2 ... ive-names/ I did smile at some of them!

Nina

CritterMama
Posts: 43
Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 13:43

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by CritterMama » 29 Jun 2021, 15:45

:lol: :!: :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Critter Mama

One Husband, one Bearded Dragon, one Panther Chameleon, one Labrador Retriever, and now a baby Hermann's Tortoise!

Summerills
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 May 2020, 17:04

Re: Outside enclosure

Post by Summerills » 30 Jun 2021, 20:24

Thanks Nina.
Sorry about the photos- I wasn’t able to upload them in any higher resolution.
I bought a sedum acre which now looks lovely in a pot with some other odd looking plants we inherited from the previous owner of our house.

The wooden shed is at the moment an old dilapidated log shed which is very unsuitable but I was hoping to be able to adapt to suit. Is there no way of keeping them outside to hibernate? I’m not planning on it this year as he remains quite a little tortoise but it would be god to be able to set him up outside the house if possible. If not, what would be a good suggestion?

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