Enriching the Sulcata’s Environment

Kadels

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My Sulcata, Chuck Norris the Tortoise, is 6 years old. She is out in the back yard. While I was out of town, her caretaker noticed her walking in circles around the fence perimeter and asked whether she was bored. This led to a discussion of whether there is anything we can do to make things more interesting for her. Thoughts?
 

Toddrickfl1

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Chuck Norris the tortoise! That's great, why didn't I think of that!
 

Bambam1989

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To get a better idea of ways to possibly "enrich" your torts yard a pic or two or three would be helpful
 

TriciaStringer

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I saw a YouTube video about building a heated house and the person said she puts large empty cardboard shipping boxes in her tortoise’s pen sometimes bc he likes to push them around. He was over 100bs. If I’m doing any digging in other parts of my yard, I’ll take the huge chunks of dirt (grass on top) and put piles of it in our tortoise’s yard. He of course loves the new extra grass to munch on but it is at varying uneven heights so he can exercise a little while climbing over it. It’s not treacherous enough to risk a tip over for our 30 pound sulcata though.
 

Kadels

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To get a better idea of ways to possibly "enrich" your torts yard a pic or two or three would be helpful
It’s just an empty yard. Grass, one big tree, nothing else. There is a downward slope.
 

Kadels

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I saw a YouTube video about building a heated house and the person said she puts large empty cardboard shipping boxes in her tortoise’s pen sometimes bc he likes to push them around.

I’ll try it. Thanks!
 

Bambam1989

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It’s just an empty yard. Grass, one big tree, nothing else. There is a downward slope.
That may be part of it then. You may try making raised flower beds to break the "openness" and create sight barriers. This will help your tort feel like it's exploring.
Plant them with tort safe food. Make the beds tall enough that your tort can't get in them.
 

TriciaStringer

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Can you get ahold of some dirt to add a hill or two? It could provide more exercise. You can also add a piece of culvert for him to go into when he is hot. Put some dirt inside of it for him to lay in to cool off. I have plans for one I have right now. I'm putting it against his fence, covering the top with dirt and putting a half planter box around the side not on the fence so he can't try and climb on top. Then I want to plant some hibiscus. in the box. It will give him more places to go to cool off in the heat of the day and protect the growing hibiscus.
 

Big Charlie

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Pacing the perimeter is normal behavior. Charlie patrols his area every day. He covers the entire yard. They shouldn't be able to see through the fence. It helps to have obstacles, both sight obstacles, and things they have to walk around. We have trees, bushes, grass... Charlie has two houses - one heated, and the other just for shade that he uses in the summer.

How big is your yard?
 

Kadels

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[QUOTE="How big is your yard?[/QUOTE]

I'm really not sure - maybe 20x20?
 
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