Outdoor madness Advice (turtles,lizards and fish)

[Squirtle]

Hey guys.

so after a bit of reading and planning well not very much but a bit, I have started my outdoor area, the goal here is to have some what a little zoo I guess, My plan is to have some murry turtles ( they will handle the melbourne cold better ) and some type of lizard or a water monitor a few fish and plants (also a water fall but that wont interest many people I dont think lol)

So today I got my pond (1.5m x 1.2m x 90cm LxWxH) and a fiber glass bath ruffly the same size I also have 2x 4ft fish tanks. the plan is to link them all together filter wise which is the easy part. I was just wondering what lizards I would be open too outdoors in melbourne? I am sitting on water dragons or a water monitor and build a mini house thats connected to my fish room (heated) and vent some heat into that area for winter so I guess that will open my options up a bit.

Now with the fence thats required to stop everyone running away will this have to be deep into the ground? or will they not dig very much? reason I ask the area already has wire fences all around but they dont go very deep.

any other advice would be great on anything, the building, spaces to consider etc. I will update this page as I go along but it will most likely be a rather slow process.

Here are some pictures of the area and pond/bath. its quite a large area.

Heres the tubby nice and deep, just needs a rubber duck!

Pond with 4ft tanks behind it and my amazing compost bin

pond in the ground now I just need to make it look pretty. you can also see the fence in the background.

 

[kukri-dragon]

water dragons aren't very active during winter (oboviously) but mine only comes out a few times a day just for a bath and to hide in an empty pot that's in his tank and i'm in QLD. So i don't know if you could keep one in melbourne with the weather. If you have an out door power point, u could some how get a heat light from it to the enclosure. You could dig a small ditch/ burrow in the gorund, fill it with snake bedding so the water dragons can bury down in and put a halved hollow log over the hole to create a warmish hide. btw not a full hole like an upside down cap shape so they can get out easily. do your research though and you should find out if they can go outdoors where you live.

 

[dangles]

water dragons aren't very active during winter (oboviously) but mine only comes out a few times a day just for a bath and to hide in an empty pot that's in his tank and i'm in QLD. So i don't know if you could keep one in melbourne with the weather. If you have an out door power point, u could some how get a heat light from it to the enclosure. You could dig a small ditch/ burrow in the gorund, fill it with snake bedding so the water dragons can bury down in and put a halved hollow log over the hole to create a warmish hide. btw not a full hole like an upside down cap shape so they can get out easily. do your research though and you should find out if they can go outdoors where you live.

Kukri the gippsland water dragons are found down that way (eastern vic) so shouldnt be an issue. Even the EWD near me survive close to 0* temps in winter and resurface on the other side. As long as they have a decent hide area to escape the extremes it will be ok

 

[Squirtle]

Thanks guys, Yes to my new knowledge one water dragon is from victoria.

 

[kukri-dragon]

ok, sorry forgot about the gippsland wd's. i'll admit the Eastern's are very hardy, mine jumped out of my hands at 90cm and still had the nerve to run under my bed. Oh and some water dragons have burried themselves in sand before and stayed there until it has warmed up so i agree with Dangles.

 

[Squirtle]

the idea with a lamp or heat source sounds good, I have lots of spare insulation from my fish room so can build a insulated hide out for summer, my main concern with this would be maybe they wont come out during summer ? ;( 50 50 i guess.

 

[crocodile_dan]

Chain link fence without being enclosed will enable lizards like water dragons and monitors to climb up and over. Chain link would also allow most average sized water dragons to pass through. IMO fencing would need to be addressed/altered to suit lizard inhabitants, either enclosing the area completely or using a material which prohibits movement through or ability to climb.

Best of luck, this seems like it will be a good thread to follow!

 

[WomaBoy]

Best of luck, this seems like it will be a good thread to follow!

Yep, subscibed !

 

[Squirtle]

ah thats right they can dig! sorry guys my heads been out of it today had to refit a huge sheet of glass onto an aquarium kind of blown my brain lol.

I guess the best way for the fence will be run some plastic sheets around it, or build a flower bed etc so they cant climb out. what about digging will they manage to dig deep? I have never seen lizards with dirt so unsure.

 

[mad_at_arms]

Yes water dragons will dig up to 90cm deep.

 

[WomaBoy]

Just a suggest, dunno if it will work, maybe brick the floor, then put 10-20 cm of soil, will this work ?

 

[Squirtle]

mmmm depends what you mean? my friend suggested something the same dig about 10cm and build the flower bed from there up but in theory if they dig 90cm deep that wont work. maybe I have to brick all around the pond like tile it :S

 

[dangles]

Others have used conveyer belt rubber as a floor then dumped the dirt and furnished from there. As for fencing colorbond sheeting can be found cheap from 2nds places

 

[Monitor_Keeper]

Just dig 30 cm down in the whole pit and put a cut ( measured ) piece of chicken mesh down or go to a local paver shop and ask for the left over tray ( you get like 60 kg worth of pavers for like $20 dollars ) and lay them down

 

[WomaBoy]

Maybe dig at 20cm or so hole, then brick or tile it so it cant dig anymore then cover up the hole, or dig the same hole and lay wire ? Im not sure of that would work tho, just putting out suggestions

 

[Squirtle]

yeah, I will do something like that. friend suggested just laying laser light 20cm deep then cover it with soil etc. lots of time to think lol. In all honesty I did not think of the fact they can climb doh!

 

[black_headed_mon]

i keep my gippys outside with no extra heating,only just started to pop there heads out the last week or so..........i crap myself every winter till i see them emerge still after 3 yrs

 

[Squirtle]

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Hey Guys, I finished my pond off just before start of feb.

I have a lot more pictures from the stages but issues uploading them I will try later...

I have 3 turtles in there so far, 2 shorts 1 long. the shorts are about 15cm shell size and the long neck is about 10cm so may not be able to last winter...

anyways I stole my pond filter from one of my fish tanks and a laguna pump, the water stays crystal clear thanks to the UV.

Only Issue is I still haven't got around to putting a wire mesh around the bamboo fence so the 2 short necks can get out, They just hang around the pond - fish room so I have no issue with them but the last week they have been going into the pool. We dont mind this but I feel all the chlorine in there is not good for them so I have tried to block the pool off for now but one still manages to get in some how... once his in its a real pain to catch him, sadly I cant swim as fast as the turtle

I also have to build a rock wall going back into the pond!

 

[reptilezac]

looks good squirtle cant wait to see it finished