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Box Turtle Enclosure: Progression Thread

Day Eight

8:30 this morning. Ok, so these blocks have to be level and equidistant from the wall. It looks like it's going to take forever. Luckily, it's a lot easier to level stones when you're working at waist level!
 

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Two hours later, I'm halfway done. Isabel is a harsh taskmistress! It's not very hard, really, just precise. I finally get to take a break and go empty the wheelbarrow.
 

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What a great job so far Nanci. Can I ask are boxies aquatic turtles? Will they use all that pond? I don't know much about anything other than terrapins lol...
 
The pond will only be a couple inches deep. Boxies don't really swim- they just bob around. But they love sitting in the water. I'm hoping to get some aquatic plants to put in there, and it will have grasses and stuff around the edges. They just like to soak, I guess! It's so deep to hide the pump and filter and to have a big reservoir to keep the water cool and so I don't have to worry if I miss a day of topping it off. You'll see!
 
Wade, I wish you'd have been here to experience the digging! It was so fun!

Three hours later- done! This may be the most level thing I have done since I quit shoeing horses!
 

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It looks so lush and green, but really it's 83F, broiling sun, with a soil temp of 120F! The really fun part was when I had to go way out back and haul in a couple buckets of sand for leveling. I'm done till tomorrow- irrigation day! Only supposed to get up to 68F tomorrow, yay!
 

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Outstanding, Nanci. I can't believe what a wonderful job you are doing and your yard is sooooo lush and pretty. It looks like Isabelle is there, at all times, to see that you are doing a proper job of things. Did she do the drafting on the design too?
 
For those who are wondering what the boxies are going to do with all that pond: I went out to feed the boxies tonight and found Krusty walking around in his pond with his head totally underwater, looking for what, I don't know...
 
I bought a couple little decorative solar lights. They will attract insects at night for the boxies to eat. I want to put them by the pond, but for now they are in the garden.
 

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Wow!, Again!..

This thread is amazing, I'll admit I had the same question Tula had a bit ago, but you answered it for me, relating to the depth of the pond.. That's really looking great Nanci! I think you've outdone yourself this time!.. Can't wait to see the finished product!.
 
Day Nine: Last Day Of Vacation

I couldn't have timed it better! There is nothing left to do until the pond liner gets here.

Here is how I handled the on/off valves so I could run Fort Tort and (boxie pen doesn't have a name yet...) Fort Turt separately.
 

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The connections are safe from the lawnmower and weed whacker, but very easy to get to!
 

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Then I had to connect the boxie water supply to the main supply coming in from the well. See all the dug up earth? The line is buried there. I also ran out a bunch of mini-sprinklers to the rose bushes and gardenias and the jasmine vines and even the potted palms!
 

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Then I tacked down the little soaker hoses for the garden and planted four different tomatoes. I don't think they do very well in Florida- the nights don't get cold enough to set fruit, but we'll see. And when I tested the flow rate, even with both pens turned on at once, it's really soaking the garden nicely!
 

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Here's a close up of one of the little lights I bought. And you can see the mini-soaker hose- it has an emitter every 12", and I have it doubled so there will be plenty of water. I guess that's it for a while! Thanks for the kind words and encouragement!
 

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I love this thread! It is very cool to see how the enclosure progresses and in such a short time! I probably would still be trying to set up the outlining wood.

Great job and I know the boxies will love it when it is finished!
 
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