Outdoor pit owners advice and direction

[Teamsherman]

Hi guys,

Long time no post!!

Well it seems life has advanced a fair bit for me lately, and next year my Fiance (wife to be in February) and i will be purchasing a home.

In this home, she has allowed me 3 things. To man up the garage into my own domain, a pet dog and to take up some of the backyard to build my very own lizard pit (as long as it has a nice waterfall and native plants...which is what i wanted anyway but dont tell her that!!!)

Now, my only concern is substrate and drainage.

The top of the enclosure is going to be wired off with chicken wire to stop birds ect getting in but to allow the weather to get in. I am planning on laying a slab of concrete about 2 feet down and using bricks around the perimetre about 3 bricks high to prevent rats and strays digging in, and my own guys digging out.

The problem is, im really unsure how i will go about setting up the drainage for the pit. Im thinking of using a centre drainage hole that the cement is angled down towards that is piped to the outside of the enclosure but grated off to stop any animals getting in or out. The first substrate on top of the cement will be grey washed gravel, the second will be sand. In one corner there will be a separate area of gravel then sand then topsoil to help the plants grow.

Im planning on housing in there some bluies, EWD's, turtles and possibly some Eastern Bearded Dragons (with some artificial heating source to aid them).

I want the sand and soil deep enough so if they decide to breed in there they can do it without any intervention from me in the way of incubation ect.

Also, how will i go with cleaning? Will mother nature take care of that for me, or will i be in there all the time cleaning up after the animals? (i wont mind housing a few kilos of earthworms to aid in the clean up duties) Also, will i need some super filter on the pond for the turtles? Im thinking of a pond about 30-60cm deep about 3x3 metres housing about 3-4 turtles.

Any tips, ideas or flaming would be greatly appreciated!!

Hope everyone is well!!!

Cheers,

Alan.

 

[zan777]

Sounds awesome, and you definitely need to take pics along the way.

There is an article in the current issue of Reptiles Australia that gives instructions on building outdoor pit enclosures that may be beneficial to you.

Zan

 

[Teamsherman]

Cheers Zan, i'll hit up the local news agents this weekend for it.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I'd not use a full concrete slab underneath, it will definitely lead to poor soil health and severely reduced drainage if water can't flow freely through the soil. Plants will have a short life if they put their roots into poorly drained, sour soil.

Rats shouldn't be a problem if you aren't putting anything they eat in there - they dig into aviaries because of the birdfood which they can smell for miles, but lizards, very unlikely. You can get plastic coated birdwire which I suggest would be suitable to lay in the ground, maybe 30cm from the surface if you want some depth for egglaying, half that if not. Be aware that eggs left in situ will hatch into tasty morsels for adult lizards, so you'll be risking the babies if you don't cover the egg laying site with a protective cage so you can catch and remove the bubs...

Not much time now, but do think seriously about the unsuitability of a full concrete slab - it'll be a bugger to break up and remove if it doesn't work, and even if you move the enclosure, half your yard will be affected by it forever.

Jamie

 

[Teamsherman]

Jamie,

You know what, i didnt even think of the option of using that plastic covered birdwire!! Thanks heaps!!

That would mean the plants roots would grow as well as they want, and the soil could do what it does naturally all the while keeping things where they should be!!!

Cement slab scrapped! Looking into mesh!

 

[cris]

You will need to clean and/or filter the pond with that many turtles, provided you dont have too many lizards you wont need to do any cleaning on the land.

For those species just have a barrier extending down about half a meter (or even a bit less) around the edges will be plenty to stop rats getting in or any chance of them digging out, complete floor covering is only needed for burrowing monitors. It would still be a good idea to have some sort of drainage as you mention to allow water to escape in heavy rain.

 

[FAY]

Teamsherman, check this out.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-discussion-42/building-pit-111301/page/2

 

[Nephrurus]

I like the idea of colourbond dug 50cms into the ground around three sides of the pit, then scrap glass sliding doors along the front (north) side. They can be dug in too. It'd have to be big, at least 8 meters along the longest side. Then inside? A pair of Heath Monitors.