Walls should be at least 3 m high. There must be adequate shade in the enclosure. A dam is not necessary for short-term accommodation. In hot weather, sprinklers can be used to help keep the animals cool. The floor of the pen should not be stony or rocky.
Concrete floors are suitable for short-term accommodation.
The loading ramp must be a solid structure, preferably consisting of compacted earth. If the ramp is unstable the animals will not use it to enter the crate. If hippos are to be kept for more than a few days then double enclosures are required. The animals are moved from one enclosure to the other every 2-3 days to allow cleaning of the enclosures. The water trough should be situated in a corner of the pen.