How to Build an Outdoor Tortoise Pen

Basic tortoise care requires a roomy, warm and dry living space that protects them from both the sun and the cold as well as predators. Some tortoise species grow to over 150 lbs. Build an outdoor tortoise pen with a heavily fortified habitat. Include varying features depending on the tortoise's age and species.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire enclosure material
• Pressure treated landscape timbers or another type of solidly flashed material
• Tools (nails and hammer or nail or staple gun)
• Pond liner
• Appropriate non-toxic plans
• Small dog house
• Mini greenhouse
• Appropriate well drained substrate (sand, moist leaf litter, moss and crushed orchid bark)

1. Understand this specific tortoise's natural lifestyle preferences. In general, all tortoises thrive in warm climates with access to natural sunlight and need dry housing.

2. Allow an outdoor space of at least 10 square meters per average-sized tortoise inhabitant.

3. Bury the pressure treated landscape timbers or other solidly flashed surface allowing for drainage. The wire enclosure goes two times deep as the tortoise is long. Go under the ground's surface up to 3 to 4 inches above the tortoises eye level. This prevents the tortoise from seeing or digging out.

4. Affix a wire roof to prevent the tortoise from climbing out or predators climbing in the enclosure. The wire roof also allows for sunlight exposure. Make sure the roof opens for owner access.

5. Dig and line a small shallow pond with gentle sloping sides to allow for easy access in and out. The pond acts as a drinking pool and a way to regulate body temperature.

6. Furnish the pen with a small house for night-time shelter and a mini-greenhouse to maximize basking areas in dull weather. Add non-toxic plants that regulate body temperature and act as a distraction to attempted escapes.

7. Cover the bottom of the pen with the appropriate well-drained substrate material for tortoise. Desert species may prefer sand. Tropical species prefer leaf-litter, moss and crushed orchid bark.

8. Provide juvenile tortoise with low-growing vegetation which allows a tortoise to grip on and flip if it become stuck on its back. Offer egg-laying females a raised nesting site.

Tips & Warnings

• A gently rounded corner on the pen's sidewalls prevents climbing and escape.
• Check tortoises regularly in cold or hot temperatures. A tortoises may overheat if it gets stuck on it's back.
• Don't rely on temporary or old style wooden pens on a grass lawn. All pens must be predator proof. Tortoise predators include raccoons, opossums and dogs. However, even such animals as rats and crows attack juveniles.
• Beware of toxic materials used as wood treaters. Find a safer alternative.
• Check tortoises regularly in cold or hot temperatures. A tortoise may overheat if it gets stuck on its back.

Resources

• Tortoise feeding manual lists non-toxic plants safe for an outdoor pen and food for basic tortoise care.