**Welcome to part two of my tortoise enclosure series, be sure to check out [part one](https://steemit.com/blog/@daan/building-a-new-tortoise-enclosure-planning-and-overview-part-1) so you get up to speed. Today we've cleared out a large area behind the existing enclosure and we've also installed the new luxurious mansion for the tortoises.**

---
 
https://i.imgur.com/t7wBsum.png
 
---

# Hedges & Thorns
We did quite a bit of work by removing all of the shrubs and trees, it really opened the whole area up. There were a lot of bushes with thorns, so we got a bit scratched up. Dealing with all the roots was a real pain, but it'll save time on maintenance in the future. Check out the pictures below to see how we started. 

---

https://i.imgur.com/xgkOYH2.jpg

---

# Problems!
After we cleared all of the branches and hedge cuttings, we started to dig a hole for the bottom part of the tortoise mansion. It didn't take long before we had a small disaster; we had hit a drainage pipe and water was seeping into the hole. Luckily the pipe wasn't in use anymore, so we just covered that part back up and installed the new tortoise mansion partially in the hole. 

---

## Busted pipe
https://i.imgur.com/emQwu4J.jpg?1

---

## Still got it fixed!
https://i.imgur.com/HUMoRyn.jpg?1

---

# Finishing Up 
Now we just had to remove some of the hedges in the middle and make sure that the mansion was firmly secured. We will use some of the small bushes that were left to make bonsai out of, which will be covered in a different series. Finally, I'll show you how this whole area looked last time compared to now. 

---

## Last time
https://i.imgur.com/Vtm6BeV.jpg

---

## Today
https://i.imgur.com/YVbFbxo.jpg

---

## Future parts
In the next part of the series we will join the two enclosures by removing the hedges that are currently separating them. If we have enough time, we might be able to do some basic landscaping already, but we'll have to wait till spring before we can start adding vegetation. Part of the tortoise's food will just grow inside their enclosure, so stay tuned for that!

---
# Upvote, resteem or follow if you like this post and want to see more! -- @daan
#steemthatshare #steemthat

---
## [Building a new tortoise enclosure: planning and overview [Part 1]](https://steemit.com/blog/@daan/building-a-new-tortoise-enclosure-planning-and-overview-part-1)

---
# Image Sources

[image 1](https://i.imgur.com/t7wBsum.png)   |   [image 4](https://i.imgur.com/HUMoRyn.jpg?1)
[image 2](https://i.imgur.com/xgkOYH2.jpg)     |   [image 5](https://i.imgur.com/Vtm6BeV.jpg)
[image 3](https://i.imgur.com/emQwu4J.jpg?1)   |   [image 6](https://i.imgur.com/YVbFbxo.jpg)
*All photographs were taken by myself, thumbnail image is adapted work from Pixabay*

https://pixabay.com/en/turtle-brown-green-shell-animal-304426/ 
*free for commercial use, no attribution required*