Don's Russian Tortoise ProjectThe Project's Start - June, 2010The first step for my Russian Tortoise Project will be converting my greenhouse into a first class tortoise house of which I will refer to as the tortarium. Being a horticulturalist, I have grown plants inside greenhouses for years. I have noticed native turtles find their way into the greenhouse and seemed to do well as the plants. The greenhouse provided those guest turtles with most of their needs such as UV light, warmth, shelter, protection from predators, moisture, food, etc. My greenhouse should provide the hardy Russian Tortoise with an environment where it will thrive well as those guest native turtles.
The greenhouse pictured above is approximately 24 feet long by 13 feet wide, with a center height of 8 feet. It has both well water and electricity. The floor is concrete sloping to a drain for easy cleaning. The foundation is block embanked by soil covered with grass. Bows are 2 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe, hot bent and concreted into the block foundation. The clear covering is double wall, corrugated PVC, partially covered by a blue tarp during the summer. Being double wall and earth embanked has always kept the greenhouse above freezing even in the coldest Oklahoma winter weather. Expensive heating equipment has been unnecessary. My first modification to the greenhouse is a 9 inch tall, removable, barrier to prevent tortoise escapes should the door open unexpectedly. I have a few large plants needing to be overwintered, so being removable was a must. I have included a picture of my first Russian Tortoise who's quite an escape artist and will test the barrier!
More to come! ©2010 Russian-Tortoise.com |
