Ollie wants to play outside!

[lmb02]

So we have finally moved out of our apartment and into a house with a backyard. My little BTS loves wondering around the yard and crawling through the plants. However he does not like the dogs sniffing him or the possibility of being swooped up by a passing bird! I was wondering what would be the best way to build a secure and safe outdoor enclosure for my Olle Boo Boo! If ya'll have examples of your outdoor enclosures that would be helpful as well. Also we moved from Austin, Texas to Phoenix Arizona, so the weather so far is mostly sunny and warm! Thanks for any advice!!

[Dragontears]

There's a series of pictures of indoor and outdoor setups on the caresheet. It might be faster than waiting for someone with experience building an outdoor pit to see this thread.

[jasjmm27]

Here is one of the members pictures of their outdoor enclosure.

http://bluetongueskinks.net/forum/album ... user_id=74

I am interested in trying to figure something out as well...I am also in the Phoenix area and I think that they would enjoy a morning or afternoon in the valley of the sun.

[Fatal_S]

I'd see about getting a large bird flight cage, but one with the smaller holes in it, so the BTS can't get through. Bury the cage a bit into the ground so they can dig, and otherwise this would be a great outdoor pen. Might cost quite a bit to get it large though. Check Craigslist or Kijiji for sales?

[lmb02]

I was hoping for something more sophisticated looking than a giant bird cage buried in the ground. I want his habitat to blend in with the landscape and look like it belongs in the yard. I was wondering what kind of barriers I should put up, like mesh, wire, wood? Should it be buried? Would I need a cover? What kind of cover will still give him correct access to the sun?
I don't want to be rude but.....it seems like everytime I ask a question people just say "look at the care sheet" which is not very helpful. As wonderful and informative as the care sheet is it can never be applicable 100% of the time. Plus, I am sure there are many of you that have tried different things that may have worked better for you. I am a member of several other reptile forums and when I post questions on them people actually give me more creative answers than "read the care guide."
I am sure people will say mean or rude things to me about this but I have wanted to say it for awhile now but I kept hoping that things would change everytime I asked a new question but, I guess not. Also to some of you out there; just because I or anyone haven't owned 100 skinks over the past 30 years doesn't mean you have to talk down. I have read several posts where new owners are looking for some answers and people are either very rude or ignore their questions. Just because the answer is obvious to someone experienced doesn't mean it is not important to the one asking. I will stop here....I will be interested to see if anyone else agrees with me.

[Leigh]

I was hoping for something more sophisticated looking than a giant bird cage buried in the ground. I want his habitat to blend in with the landscape and look like it belongs in the yard. I was wondering what kind of barriers I should put up, like mesh, wire, wood? Should it be buried? Would I need a cover? What kind of cover will still give him correct access to the sun?
I don't want to be rude but.....it seems like everytime I ask a question people just say "look at the care sheet" which is not very helpful. As wonderful and informative as the care sheet is it can never be applicable 100% of the time. Plus, I am sure there are many of you that have tried different things that may have worked better for you. I am a member of several other reptile forums and when I post questions on them people actually give me more creative answers than "read the care guide."
I am sure people will say mean or rude things to me about this but I have wanted to say it for awhile now but I kept hoping that things would change everytime I asked a new question but, I guess not. Also to some of you out there; just because I or anyone haven't owned 100 skinks over the past 30 years doesn't mean you have to talk down. I have read several posts where new owners are looking for some answers and people are either very rude or ignore their questions. Just because the answer is obvious to someone experienced doesn't mean it is not important to the one asking. I will stop here....I will be interested to see if anyone else agrees with me.

There is an element of truth in your post, and your not the first to notice or think it , as to the caresheet reference, this is almost correct, its actually a section on outdoor pits/enclosures with pictures, it is worth looking at for ideas, the majority of owners/breeders on this site do not have the oportunity to have an outdoor pit so you most likely wouldn't get a massive reponse to the question you posed, you could make a big cage on wheels (so as to move it around to follow the sun)with a bottom and wheels or a pick up and resite with no floor, the spec for your own project will depend on your personal situation(money/location/size availability/ skill /asthetics) You can use wood (solid/slatted/latice) or frames with netting/wire mesh, you can choose to cover the top or not, depends on would be predetors. I prefer to spend my time keeping an eye on Blue as he free roams around my garden, the weather here can change dramatically with the introduction of a single cloud, and I dont trust him to be out unattended. I know you havent got the answers you were looking for, but this is decent site for info,even if it doesnt always appear to be so Good luck with your project and post pics along the way.

[Fatal_S]

I was hoping for something more sophisticated looking than a giant bird cage buried in the ground. I want his habitat to blend in with the landscape and look like it belongs in the yard. I was wondering what kind of barriers I should put up, like mesh, wire, wood? Should it be buried? Would I need a cover? What kind of cover will still give him correct access to the sun?

Personally I'd have my pit fully screened. A bird or cat can attack so fast, there's no way you could stop it if your not sitting right beside your BTS all the time (in which case, do you even need the pit?)

Now we have several aussies who have pits, but the pits aren't all that sophisticated looking. If you want aesthetics, I can't remember who, but there is a member who built some neat wooden pits in his/her backyard. They then had lattice over the top. It looked very nice.

You want a pit that the BTS can't get out, and predators can't get in. If you have any biting ants in your backyard, you want it raised above the ground. BTS will dig a bit to see about escape, so you'll probably want to have the edges of the pit several inches into the ground. As I said before, I would always use a cover. Any cover that lets even just beams of sunlight through is good. Glass or plastic would be bad, as they block UV and would overheat the pit. Wire and lattice work well. Just take a wander through your local hardware stores, and keep your mind open, it works.

[ROBSTA]

what sort of birds of prey and predators do you have in texas?

here in australia blueys have to contend with kookaburras,currawongs,
and foxes ,cats etc

ive had a freind come home after holiday and a dog had got in there outdoor enclosure and mauled his bluey

so i could imagine there would be different creatures over in texas that may like to get in your enclosure and sieze a poor bluey

[Shadowfax]

BEWARE OF FIRE ANTS. They will attack and strip the flesh off your bluey, so I'd be very wary of putting in an outdoor pit in TX. I lived down there for a couple of years and even I didn't want to sit on the ground. Definitely build a cover for it, blueys are MASTER escape artists.

[SailleSkinklover]

Can you check out what local wildlife might pose a risk to a ground dwelling lizards?
I think Fatal had very good advice IMO.
I personally never let my Bluey outside without supervision, pit or no pit.
But we have eagles, hawks, and all manner of other birds that could be problematic for my Bluey.
That, and he's quite fast and clever, and I would never want him escaping. Maybe check out the local zoo and see what kinds of enclosures they have or recommend?

[Celeste]

I have seen a Red-Tailed Hawk in my back yard (enormous bird!), and the local stray cats. I have also heard Owls. And then there are the raccoons and possums. But my biggest concern would be rats -- I can't even seem to keep them out of the chicken coop. They burrow under/around/and through almost anything, and gnaw through wood. I figure if I could make an enclosure *rat*-proof, that would be good enough to keep out most other predators as well. (And then you still have to watch out for those ants...)

-- Celeste

[jasjmm27]

I think the general concensus here, if you want to do as much as you can to "ensure" your blueys safety you should always keep an eye on them...Unless you live in Aus or somewhere very simliar and know of the dangers and accept them, then it is probably best not to leave blueys in outdoor pits for too long. I think that keeping them outside for a few hours when you can check up on them is wonderful and I plan to try that in the near future as well! I am in Phoenix also and need to do more research on what each type of bluey I own can "handle" in terms of heat. I am pretty sure my Indo's can't take the 110F+ heat of Phoenix midday, but should be ok in the morning when it is only 90-100F. The Northerns I am a bit confused about, still need to read up more on them.

In terms of "bad animals" in Phoenix area...unless you are rural, like Queen Creek or even Southeast Phoenix (Ahwahtukee), then you probably won't have to worry about a whole lot other then the odd Harrison's hawk, Red Tail, Rattler (and other snakes), scorpions, and the normal cats and dogs. I think a good double/triple/quadruple small hole chicken wire coup should be good for a bluey to wander around in for a few hours a day. I am unsure about rats in the my area, though I know they DO live in the attics of many a home around the valley...so that is another concern.

It is a GREAT idea that I plan to do myself, but just make sure you are aware that there are many dangers that COULD affect your bluey...

I know your bluey will relish the ability to wander around in the glorious natural sunshine, though! I will see if I can find any good ideas...

OH, you know what I was just thinking last night! Getting one of those plastic POND molds to dig into the ground and then maybe fill in with some dirt for them to dig in and then cover with a nice hefty screen of some sort. It can be totally underground and easy to cover as well as non-obtrusive...just a thought.

[Fatal_S]

If you get the pond mold, burry the bottom of it, but leave a bit over the top. Snakes are generally ground animals, so a snake encountering a plastic (or any solid) barrier is more likely to go around it than a snake encountering wire. This also goes for other possible dangerous critters.

[lmb02]

I am not planning on leaving him outside 100% of the time; just a few hours a day. Time outside will not only give him access to sunshine but it will also give him enrichment activities like burrowing and digging. He will always sleep indoors and he won't be out when I go to work. I just want him to enjoy being outside without the dogs pestering him or me having to constantly watch over him!!
In Phoenix they use large bricks for block fencing the yards. I was thinking about using the fence as the back wall and then a white picket fence like barrier for the front wall. How far down should it be burried?
I am still not sure what I should use as a cover?

[Leigh]

As for how deep to sink the walls, you only need to go 3-4 inches, or you could put a line of bricks/stones around the inner perimiter stopping them digging down at the enclosure wall( they dig for food in the top few inches,not burrow like rabbits). For a top you'll need something strong that will still let sunlight through, if the temps get way high maybe have half solid covered (for shade)and the other half covered with a mesh frame. Keep in mind you need to be able to access all areas to catch the little bugger when play times over.