5 month old sulcata digs a burrow ?

[Bee62]

Hello tortoise friends,

I have observed one of my sulcata tortoises that he has dug in different places in the terrarium.
Are 5 month old tortoises digging their own caves?
I have now taken out a large block of soil from the garden and placed it in a corner of the terrarium. Now I'm curious to see if my "Leo" (I am pretty sure it is a male) is trying to dig a cave in this earth.
Leo is a really powerful tortoise.
What are your experiences with so young turtles and caves digging?

Best regards
Sabine

 

[cmacusa3]

Mine dug a lot when he/she was little and then stopped. What makes you think yours is a male at 5 months? Mine is over 2 years and I'm still not sure.

 

[Bee62]

It is his appearance and how he behaves, that I assume it is a male. I have three sullys who are from the same hatch. Leo is the strongest animal of these three. Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but it could be two female and one male tortoise.

 

[cmacusa3]

I was the same way but now mine is really starting to look female. Doesn't matter because like I tell my teenage daughter "boys are to stay away, FOREVER" lol

 

[Bee62]

"... boys are to stay away ..."
Do you have only one sulcata tortoise ?

 

[cmacusa3]

1 Sulcata 5 Leopards and around 20 box turtles.

 

[Bee62]

I always read that one should not keep tortoises together, but my three often lie together under the heat-lamp and together in their artificial cave. It does not look as if they would rather be alone.
How is that with your leopards ?

 

[cmacusa3]

I always read that one should not keep tortoises together, but my three often lie together under the heat-lamp and together in their artificial cave. It does not look as if they would rather be alone.
How is that with your leopards ?

I keep mine separate, I have two larger ones and 3 juveniles. The juveniles I will put together at some point when they are larger but I'm quarantining my new ones right now. Once they all get large, then as a group depending on sexes, I may put them together

 

[Bee62]

O.K.
I will observe my animals if they can tolerate themselves. And whether they are trying to dig a cave.

 

[cmacusa3]

I think that's great! Every one of them is different, and you may have a nice calm group or a few bullies. Only time will tell.

 

[Bee62]

I hope they are not all males.

 

[Bee62]

And now I go to bed. Its very early in the morning. 3:25 AM.
Thanks for the nice conversation with you.

Sabine

 

[cmacusa3]

And now I go to bed. Its very early in the morning. 3:25 AM.
Thanks for the nice conversation with you.

Sabine

Same to you! Good night.

 

[Tom]

Babies will dig into the substrate to get some cover, but they usually don't dig tunnels and burrows. Even non-burrowing species will do this sometimes. It quite common for leopard babies to hide under the substrate.

 

[Speedy-1]

Speedy always liked to dig in for the night ! I would fill it in during the day , but he was right back at it at bedtime !

 

[Bee62]

Hi Tom,
hi Speedy,


"Leo" also often digs up for the night, but I also saw him dig during the day. So I thought maybe he'd dig a cave himself. The three Sulcatas have a hiding place, a kind of artificial cave where they sleep at night.
My redfoots always dig themselves in the substrate.
Half covered, they watch their surroundings for hours.

 

[Bee62]

A little update:
And they dig !
I gave them some grasbuckles in their enclosure and they love it to climb on the "hill".
On the other side of their little hill they dug a burrow !
Look :


Lucky little torts....
Watching them grow is a great pleasure for me.

 

[Stuart S.]

Here is our 4 month old burrowing in his terrarium.

 

[dmmj]

it may sound cliche but tortoises really are all individuals some won't dig at all, others act like they want to dig to China.

 

[Fredkas]

it may sound cliche but tortoises really are all individuals some won't dig at all, others act like they want to dig to China.

Lol dig to china. Imagine it and this sentence make my day . So comical.