Digs deeper

[Profitpak]

Hi. I’m new to Sulcata ownership. I recently took in a male sulcata about 17 years old and 90 lbs. he is quite friendly and I have built him his own enclosure where he sleeps at night. It’s large and he has plenty of room inside. During the day he roams around the backyard which is also large and mingles with my chickens and goats. All a happy family. The problems. He got out of the backyard once and I I’m still not sure where but I reinforced the chain link fence in some places that looked like might be where he pushed through. Luckily I found him a day later. From the moment I put the enclosure in The backyard he found it right away and made it his. The other animals don’t go in there except some chickens to steal some of his food. He has started to dig a very large deep long tunnel starting f at the enclosure and going down and out. The other day I couldn’t even see him because he was so far in. I’m afraid thst he will keep digging and collapse areas in the backyard or get out. I’ve bought some rebar and cut it to 3-4 feet and plan on putting it along the fence all the way Iin The ground so it doesn’t stick out. This is to try and keep him from escaping. That has already happened right by his shelter. What can I do? Do I fill it all back in and change locations and start over doing something different? The shelter sits right on the ground. Do I add a floor so he can’t dig anymore ? Please. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Also I want to put some sort of heating system for those colder nights. I have two lights about 250 w each installed in The roof of his shelter to keep him warm these past few colder nights but I’m not sure they are working very well. Does anyone have experience here ? Thank you all for your help.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I have little to no experience with Sulcata. But I know that a chain link fence won't keep one in your yard.
They'll push it and go under it or destroy it. No barriers that a large Sulcata can see through will work.
You're going to need a sturdy wall of some sort.
As far as digging. They come in and out of the same hole. They don't dig under and out usually.
My Redfoot don't dig.
I have little experience with digging tortoises.
I'd reccomend asking @Tom , @Yvonne G or even @maggie18fan as they are all long term keepers of Sulcatas.
So, even though we live near each other, my experiences won't be very helpful to you.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

A few things:

• For night time and winter, you need an insulted heated night box controlled by a thermostat. Here is an example, but you've need half this size for one animal: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/
• Chainlink is no good for tortoises. They will hurt themselves on it, or push through it, as you've already seen. They need a visual barrier. If you get some thin plywood and cut it into 12 or 16 inch strips, you can line the bottom of your existing chain link fence with it and solve some problems.
• You shouldn't let the tortoise burrow in winter. The nights and some of the days are too cool. Summer burrows are great. I don't worry about collapse. They can dig or walk out of just about anything, AS LONG AS they aren't too cold. In your area, you'll have to watch out for flooding too.
• Those 250 watt bulbs are going to burn the top of the carapace if they haven't already. Heat lamps aren't suitable for heating large tortoises. A much better strategy is either the radiant oil heater seen in the link, or a Kane heat mat in combination with a radiant heat panel over head.

Questions are welcome.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I have little to no experience with Sulcata. But I know that a chain link fence won't keep one in your yard.
They'll push it and go under it or destroy it. No barriers that a large Sulcata can see through will work.
You're going to need a sturdy wall of some sort.
As far as digging. They come in and out of the same hole. They don't dig under and out usually.
My Redfoot don't dig.
I have little experience with digging tortoises.
I'd reccomend asking @Tom , @Yvonne G or even @maggie18fan as they are all long term keepers of Sulcatas.
So, even though we live near each other, my experiences won't be very helpful to you.

"Or even Maggie18fan"...really?

 

[Maggie3fan]

This is how I keep my bigger Sulcata...In my own experience only...Sulcata don't dig if they are happy and all their care needs are meant. I'll post a picture of my Sulcata shed and pens. Also...I sure wouldn't want to have any tortoise in with farm animals. They eat damn near anything and goat or chicken poop can be dangerous. If your goats are wormed with Ivermectin and a tort eats it...he'll die. The shed is 20'x12', it has a radiator heater on thermostat for ambient heat, a 100 watt UVB basking bulb for each Sulcata, a sleeping box with a pig blanket inside for sleeping on also on a thermostat. Tom kinda said it all. My pens have a solid ceder fencing all around, then I make individual pens using cinder block...The
whole property is surrounded with chain link...

 

[Yvonne G]

If a tortoise can see through a fence (chain link), or if he can see daylight UNDER a solid fence, then that's where he'll try to escape. My suggestion for you is like what Tom said, line the bottom portion of the chain link with some wood so he can't see out.

I don't allow my tortoises to dig burrows. Yes, a burrow is natural, but I don't keep tortoises in their 'natural' range, so natural isn't good for them here. I have heated, insulated sheds for my tortoises. You don't need to go the shed route because your weather doesn't get as cold as it does here or where Maggie lives, but you DO need some sort of heated night box for those cooler nights. And by "cooler" I mean any night that gets down lower than what a sulcata is used to in his natural geographical area.

I use pig blankets and 250 watt brooder lamps in my sheds, but the shed is 8' tall and it's easy to hang the light high enough that it doesn't burn the top of the tortoise's shell. In a small night box you won't be able to get the light high enough, and tortoises don't seem to be able to tell that they are getting burned. I've seen quite a few sulcatas with burned carapaces. So your best bet for heating a night box would be radiant heat panels, pig blankets or oil filled electric heaters.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

"Or even Maggie18fan"...really?

You know better than to think that that was an insult. Far from it.
I'm just not used to you being on the forum much. (Like myself)That's the ONLY reason why I seldom tag you.
You have extensive knowledge with Sulcata.
That's why you came to my mind.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Here’s an example of a nightbox that I use in our Sully’s Winter enclosure. Kane heating mat on the ground, radiant heat panel in the ceiling, both tied to a LL Reptile thermostat. This is single walled, all seams sealed, since it’s inside our house....outside, a two walled insulated solution is best.

Just throwing this out as an example...(remember...this is inside...not exposed to weather).

 

[shellcior]

Mine started to dig during the summer. It was too hot and he was trying to get cooler. I made a shallow concrete pond which has a shade cloth over it so the water stays cooler. Solved all of the digging problems. he now sits in that pond for hours at a time. How he sleeps with his head up is beyond me but he does. It's only about 8" deep and Tank is around 100 lbs. I have a sump pump that I use to drain the water for cleaning. Works great!

 

[Maggie3fan]

Just awesome...

Mine started to dig during the summer. It was too hot and he was trying to get cooler. I made a shallow concrete pond which has a shade cloth over it so the water stays cooler. Solved all of the digging problems. he now sits in that pond for hours at a time. How he sleeps with his head up is beyond me but he does. It's only about 8" deep and Tank is around 100 lbs. I have a sump pump that I use to drain the water for cleaning. Works great!

 

[Maggie3fan]

You know better than to think that that was an insult. Far from it.
I'm just not used to you being on the forum much. (Like myself)That's the ONLY reason why I seldom tag you.
You have extensive knowledge with Sulcata.
That's why you came to my mind.

I'm so sorry I got offended. I was in the hospital feeling sorry for myself and read that, and I over reacted. You are one of my favorite people and my feelings got hurt...I apologize to you for thinking that you would hurt me...Sometimes I'm simply a wuss....

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm so sorry I got offended. I was in the hospital feeling sorry for myself and read that, and I over reacted. You are one of my favorite people and my feelings got hurt...I apologize to you for thinking that you would hurt me...Sometimes I'm simply a wuss....

You're still my friend the last time I checked!

 

[queen koopa]

Mine started to dig during the summer. It was too hot and he was trying to get cooler. I made a shallow concrete pond which has a shade cloth over it so the water stays cooler. Solved all of the digging problems. he now sits in that pond for hours at a time. How he sleeps with his head up is beyond me but he does. It's only about 8" deep and Tank is around 100 lbs. I have a sump pump that I use to drain the water for cleaning. Works great!

Same here.