Drainage and top soil

Use this forum to discuss any aspect of tortoise housing and enclosures. Upload and show pictures of your set ups (enclosures).
Post Reply
CheesyMAC
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Mar 2022, 11:48

Drainage and top soil

Post by CheesyMAC » 28 Mar 2022, 21:46

Hello,
We are currently building our outdoor enclosure to welcome our first tortoise.
We have created a 2.5 x 3m space and have been advise to use gravel for drainage and then a top soil or substrate. Could anyone please advise what's best to use?
I feel a little overwhelmed at this point and want to get it right.
Also, is it possible to buy seeds to scatter for the growing of edible weeds etc. I've never had trouble growing weeds before but this time it will be just my luck I don't get any ;)
Many thanks,
Maddy

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

Re: Drainage and top soil

Post by Nina » 28 Mar 2022, 22:24

Hi Maddy, and welcome to The Tortoise Table. And many congratulatoins on getting your first tortoise -- you're at the start of a big adventure, and it's great that you're creating a really good sized outdoor enclosure for him (or her)!

First of all, can I ask what species he is? Some tortoises require more security measures in the construction of their outdoor enclosure (for example, Horsfield tortoises are a burrowing species, so you need to make sure that they can't dig down, then under a wall, and then out). Other tortoises will also burrow down, but not to such an extent. By the way, if you tell us the species, we can send you a link to a good care sheet.

What sort of soil do you have in your garden? If it is a sandy soil then you probably don't need gravel for drainage, but if you're on heavy clay then you might want to have a layer of gravel. The soil in the enclosure can just be the soil that is already in your garden -- you don't need to buy topsoil or special substrate unless your garden soil has been contaminated with fertilizers or pesticides and needs removing.

Yes, you can buy seeds to scatter in the enclosure. The problem is that the tortoise will eat the little seedlings as soon as they come up (he won't be patient and wait until they turn into good sized plants). So you might want to buy tortoise-friendly seeds and grow them separately in seed trays and then plant them in the enclosure. You can also put some protection around edible plants, like an upturned wire hanging basket, so it protects the main part of the plant and the tortoise can just nibble the bits that grow through the wire. There are quite a few places that sell tortoise-friendly seeds, like Shelled Warriors https://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/s ... s-54-c.asp Scroll down the page to see the various tortoise mixes (and I would buy the smallest quantity to start with, to see how you get on with it).

One thing you can do is to grow the seeds in a succession of little small trays (sort of A5 size), sowing a new tray every two or three weeks. When the plants are big enough to make it worthwhile, you can put it in the enclosure and let him nibble away to his heart's content, and when that tray is eaten the next one will be ready to go in. You can also have a separate part of your garden where you grow weeds and flowers and then just pick what he needs daily and scatter it around the enclosure so that he has to go hunting for it. Does your tortoise have an indoor tortoise table with appropriate UVB lights, heat etc.? You can use the little tray of plants successfully indoors too.

I hope that helps, and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions or problems.

Nina

CheesyMAC
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Mar 2022, 11:48

Re: Drainage and top soil

Post by CheesyMAC » 28 Mar 2022, 23:14

Wow Nina, so much great info!
We are hoping to home a mature male Inera Spur Thighed tortoise as we wanted a larger more robust species.
Our garden has very dense clay based soil so drainage will be vital.
We will be setting up an indoor table with heat lamp in our garage - someone has/is kindly donating us one. Fingers crossed it wasn’t for a Herman ;)
I have added a picture of the first phase, an extra piece of wood is required to close it off but I dug down about 12cm.
Thanks, Maddy

User avatar
lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Drainage and top soil

Post by lin » 28 Mar 2022, 23:21

Hi Maddy
I can't see a photo from you. If your having problems with it do you want to send it to me at lin@thetortoisetable.org.uk and I can add it.

Lin

User avatar
lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Drainage and top soil

Post by lin » 28 Mar 2022, 23:21

Hi Maddy
I can't see a photo from you. If your having problems with it do you want to send it to me at lin@thetortoisetable.org.uk and I can add it.

Lin

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

Re: Drainage and top soil

Post by Nina » 29 Mar 2022, 09:10

Hi Maddy,

That's great to take on a mature tortoise, and Iberas are a really nice species. After you get him/her and you are ready for hibernation information, let us know as we have lots that we can send you. Really looking forward to your photos. As Lin said, if you can't upload them, send them to her and she'll reduce them in size and upload them here for you.

In the meantime, here is a link to a care sheet for Ibera tortoises.
https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... 014New.pdf

Nina

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests