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Cocorene'

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Hi. I am planning on adopting a Sonoran desert tortoise when they are available next April. Phoenix area (Buckeye, Arizona). In the meantime, I am trying to read and learn everything I can in order to be a good caretaker. I am looking for ideas for outdoor burrows, which is required before I can adopt. Glad to find this forum. I can't wait to get my new friend.
 

Tim Carlisle

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Welcome! I ran across this post from @Yvonne G earlier that might help you with the burrow:

"A few years ago Don Williams posted instructions for building a tortoise burrow, and that's what I used for my burrow. I'll try to explain here:
Get a piece of 3/4" or 1" plywood, a full sheet. Place it on the ground where you want the burrow and make an outline of the sheet, then remove it for later. Dig out the space within the outline. You want to end up with a 4'x8' hole in the ground that tilts down on one end to about 2'. So one end is at ground level, gently sloping down to 2' at the other end. Then dig a trench about a foot wide from the ground level end to the deep end. At the deep end, dig a turn-around. I made the trench about a foot deep. Then you put the sheet of plywood in the hole and cover it up with all the dirt you removed, leaving the upper end open for the tortoises. As the tortoises use the burrow, they dig it out more and refine it. Like I said before, I have two problems with it. 1. in the fall, it is sometimes hard to catch ALL the tortoises out of the burrow so that I can close up the opening, and 2. Because there are 3 tortoises in this habitat, sometimes one of them gets to the opening and just sits there and the others can't get out.

I also use cinderblock houses placed in the shade, but the tortoises much prefer the burrow.
"

You can also peruse thru the North American Tortoises forum for other ideas regarding care:
https://tortoiseforum.org/forums/north-american-tortoises-genus-gopherus.72/

"
 

Cocorene'

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Welcome! I ran across this post from @Yvonne G earlier that might help you with the burrow:

"A few years ago Don Williams posted instructions for building a tortoise burrow, and that's what I used for my burrow. I'll try to explain here:
Get a piece of 3/4" or 1" plywood, a full sheet. Place it on the ground where you want the burrow and make an outline of the sheet, then remove it for later. Dig out the space within the outline. You want to end up with a 4'x8' hole in the ground that tilts down on one end to about 2'. So one end is at ground level, gently sloping down to 2' at the other end. Then dig a trench about a foot wide from the ground level end to the deep end. At the deep end, dig a turn-around. I made the trench about a foot deep. Then you put the sheet of plywood in the hole and cover it up with all the dirt you removed, leaving the upper end open for the tortoises. As the tortoises use the burrow, they dig it out more and refine it. Like I said before, I have two problems with it. 1. in the fall, it is sometimes hard to catch ALL the tortoises out of the burrow so that I can close up the opening, and 2. Because there are 3 tortoises in this habitat, sometimes one of them gets to the opening and just sits there and the others can't get out.

I also use cinderblock houses placed in the shade, but the tortoises much prefer the burrow.
"

You can also peruse thru the North American Tortoises forum for other ideas regarding care:
https://tortoiseforum.org/forums/north-american-tortoises-genus-gopherus.72/

"
Thanks so much.
 

Yvonne G

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You have to do what the State wants you to do in order to adopt your tortoise, however, please bear in mind that the State doesn't always know the best way to care for your new tortoise. Good luck, and when you get him show us lots of pictures!
 

Cocorene'

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I would be interested in hearing what you believe is not accurate by the State. I have looked carefully at the Nevada Tortoise Group as well everything I can find from Tucson Desert Museum and Arizona Game and Fish, thinking this is the climate I live in. Can you help me out, as a for instance?
 

Cocorene'

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Also, Yvonne, I have gotten confused as to toxic plants. Some plants I find are listed on both lists, safe and toxic. Bougainvillea, asparagus fern, marigold. How's a girl to know? Thoughts? And thank you.
 

BrookeB

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Welcome and good job researching before you get a new pet. I hope you enjoy whatever you decide to get and that you can find all the information you need right here. (Honestly I wouldn’t go anywhere else for information on tortoises)
 

Cocorene'

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Thank you. What I will be getting is a Sonoran desert tortoise. I'm working on getting my burrow ready. Then I will send in my application, along with pics of burrow. Hopefully, I will get accepted. I have some confusion about certain types of plants that appear on both the toxic lists and okay lists. Hopefully, I can definitive answers here. Thank you again. I find myself obsessed with reading about Sonoran desert tortoises, and going down that tortoise hole, so to speak. can't wait.
 

kanalomele

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Welcome to TFO. We will get several California Desert tortoises through here a year. You will love their Sonoran cousins. Fantastic torts.
 

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