Nemo is in for a treat...we hope. Brian has dedicated himself to giving Nemo an outdoor experience. Actually more like the ultimate turtle resort. Brian has begun the first tier of our very steep small backyard. Some may recall that the left side is my Zen garden shown in the photo. On the right, at the base, is the beginning of a Tuscan-paved patio area--it will be a beautiful setting for my container garden and we have a lovely water fountain picked out.
The second tier will be a 6' long, 3' high wood-beamed enclosure that will include turtle friendly plants, a small pond, earthworms, a duplicate "garage", and even a screened top to protect from predators. Even though we have a privacy fence, birds swoop and possibly a cat might get in (?). Where we went wrong last year was not realizing any open-spaced fencing is a magnet to turtles who feel they must get through. Yes, even the unturtle.
Nemo will be placed down into the raised enclosure where he can't get out by digging or climbing and won't see any "holes". It was always our intent for Nemo to have the outdoor experience until he freaked out each time he was outside. He wouldn't search for appropriate food because he was too busy escaping from having dirt on his feet (my theory). If he doesn't like his habitat, we still have a beautiful gardening space. When construction begins on the Nemo level, I'll post photos of the progress.
