Anyone have a pond with their tortoise?

[Patr1ck]

I'm curious to see if anyone keeps their Sonoran or Mohave desert tortoise with access to a fish pond.

 

[Yvonne G]

Unless all the sides slope, I wouldn't do it. Some tortoises float, but desert tortoises aren't one of them. If they fall in, chances are pretty good they'll drown.

 

[Patr1ck]

I was thinking of only making it 2 or 3 inches deep. For him to drink and bask. I also wanted to put mosquito fish in it.

 

[Yvonne G]

It might be ok, but sloping sides! If they fall off a sharp edge they probably will end up on their back and will drown. Some tortoises (not species, but individual tortoises) have no depth perception and will walk right off the edge of something - the pool, the steps, a cliff, etc.

 

[mike taylor]

I have a small pond in with my sulcata Harry . Like Yvonne said its not deep and sides are sloped .

 

[Patr1ck]

Very nice picture. Thanks.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My Red foot has a pool. Sloped sides with stones attached for extra traction. Depth is height of shell.

 

[tortdad]

I have the same thing as mike for my sulcata. My pond is roughly 4' wide 6' long and about 6" deep. Sloped so he can walk in and out.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The Cee- ment pond.