Dig it?

[MonkeyMMA]

I notice that my girl likes to dig in the corner of her cage right around the time I shut her lights off. She quits after a while but I know they love to burrow. Is there a way to crate some sort of deep area like a sand box she can dig in to remedy this craving. I just feel bad that she reaches the bottom so fast and is just scarping the side. I though of maybe getting a kiddie pool and filling it with substrate or sandbox sand and let her dig holes etc. Since the substrate does not stick together to make tunnels etc.

 

[Yvonne G]

Russians don't actually make tunnels. They dig into the dirt and push it behind them, closing them inside.

No matter what you do, a tortoise is going to dig when it goes to bed at night. I have a 100lb+ male sulcata. His house is right outside the wall here where my computer is. He has a cement floor with a rubber horse stall mat over it. Every evening when he goes to bed I can hear him digging, digging, digging. He's rearranging his "burrow" and making it to his liking. It doesn't matter to him that he's not actually digging anything but the rubber mat. Its just what they do when they go to bed.

 

[MonkeyMMA]

Ok thanks that's great info. It does not bother me i just want to make sure she is not trying to get deeper and can't . Wow 100lbs that's amazing! How old is he? I love the big ones but I don't have the space and climate to take care of one so big. I have wanted a tortoise for about 10 years and always thought they all got huge. So my 4 year old has been wanting a turtle so I started doing research and found that not all tortoises are huge. So its great because its a pet for both of us and if he looses interest or goes to college someday she wont be unwanted since she is a pet/animal i have always respected and adored.

 

[Tom]

Can you make your current substrate a bit deeper?

 

[MonkeyMMA]

Its pretty deep already. but its a loose substrate so she just moves it around. But as emysemys posted they dont dig holes just move it around. I just was afraid she was trying to get deeper and cant. I was thinking that if I made her exercise area like a big sand box it might help her get that instinct out. I just want her to be happy in content. She's super active and eats really well so im not really concerned she's depressed or anything just want to be a good daddy.

 

[Tyrtle]

I noticed ours were hitting bottom too. So this time when I filled their tub, I made the cypress mulch deeper. Now I have seen her completely bury herself to the point where I don't even know where she is.

 

[lynnedit]

Russians just love to dig, dig, dig. If the substrate is 6" or so in one or two corners, that's all you can do. They settle down eventually.
If possible, eventually you can get an outside enclosure set up. She will love walking around and digging in the dirt, even if she goes out there during the day and sleeps inside at night. They thrive with natural sunlight.

 

[MonkeyMMA]

Yes im going to build an outdoor one when it gets hotter here in Rhode Island