Building a tortoise environment. Any tips ???

[Loyal Lion]

Oh well the footy's over again now. Now for the house/yard projects!

There's this space in the back yard that would be ideal for a pond/fernery etc.

Now I want to put in a pond for tortoises & fish. I'll probably keep the fish separate actually. I'm looking at fibreglass ponds or the black plastic liner.

Would like to get a filter too, not sure how this would go with tortoises though.

Has anybody on BF constructed a tortoise enclosure ???

 

[la47]

I don't think you can have tortoises in Australia

 

[What the deuce?]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to have licences or something? That sucks, because I'd love a pet turtle. They're very cool.

Anyway, I'm not sure how you'd go about building a pen, but Google is your friend. I just typed in a general search and quite a bit of info came up (e.g. http://www.klsnet.com/pen.html but I'm sure there's better).

Good luck with it, and if you do build it - please post pics!

 

[Seb]

cue CharlieG.

 

[CharlieG]

LOL.

First of all, turtles, not tortoises. In Australia we have turtles. Turtles are aquatic and are carnivores, tortoises live on land and are herbivores.

Second, a turtle will eat fish that are not too big for it to take on. I don't keep them together (as much as I'd love to, my mother would never let me put live fish in with the turtle to hone his hunting instincts), but at a guess I would think that any goldfish under five centimetres long is going to be in trouble if a turtle is in the same enclosure.

As for a turtle pond - mine is in an aquarium, but depending on where you live they will be ok outside as well. Do a bit of research about Australian turtle species (non-natives are banned unfortunately) - if their range includes your area, they will be fine. Make sure that they have access to a good basking area in the sun, as well as shaded spots.

 

[CoZi36]

Turtles have flippers, tortoises have feet. Tortoises are sold in Australia and are both legal and illegal, in some states you will need a license, in Queensland you do. I used to own a tortoise when I lived in South Australia and then discovered that I would need a licence in Queensland so I gave it away. Keep tortoises seperate from fish as it/they will eat them. Ask your local pet store for more information or google it.

 

[CharlieG]

Turtles have flippers, tortoises have feet. Tortoises are sold in Australia and are both legal and illegal, in some states you will need a license, in Queensland you do. I used to own a tortoise when I lived in South Australia and then discovered that I would need a licence in Queensland so I gave it away. Keep tortoises seperate from fish as it/they will eat them. Ask your local pet store for more information or google it.

Actually, tortoises are a specialised branch of chelonians: all of the others are turtles (including both saltwater and freshwater species). Basically, any chelonian that is at least partly aquatic is a turtle. Tortoises live on land and are herbivorous, whereas nearly all turtles are carnivorous.

You will need a license for at least some species in all states. Most states have at least one or two species that don't require a license - usually the eastern snake-necked turtle is in this group, although make sure you check with your state wildlife authorities.

Be cautious with pet shops. Some are good, others are only interested in telling you whatever you want to hear in order to make a sale.

 

[Marns]

A word of warning. One thing you cannot forget, is to put a protective netting over the top of it. Birds love long, thick worms that don't go underground...