Fencing

[KatJ]

Those of you who have land for your sulcata(s)- 1+ acres- what are you using for fencing? Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

I buy 16' planks of corral lumber and attach them horizontally to redwood 4x4s sunk into the ground. I also first put down cement rectangular pavers between the posts so the planks don't touch the ground.

 

[Paschendale52]

I don't recall where the thread is anymore, but I know one member uses the 55 gallon plastic barrels cut in half and filled with dirt. You can usually get them on craigslist/facebook for a few bucks each.

 

[Yvonne G]

@NorCal tortoise guy

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

New sulcata pen

Late this last summer I we moved to a new home. So of corse the sulcatas needed the biggest best pen yet! It’s still a bit of a work in progress but I thought I’d start sharing. It will take me a few posts to get caught up to the work bear with me. We picked the spot and started bringing in...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[KatJ]

New sulcata pen

Late this last summer I we moved to a new home. So of corse the sulcatas needed the biggest best pen yet! It’s still a bit of a work in progress but I thought I’d start sharing. It will take me a few posts to get caught up to the work bear with me. We picked the spot and started bringing in...

tortoiseforum.org

how big of an area did you end up with using those? We’re in VA and will eventually have a lot of farm land.. I’d prefer something a little more aesthetically pleasing, but we’ll do what we have to to keep costs down and our sulcata safe lol

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

how big of an area did you end up with using those? We’re in VA and will eventually have a lot of farm land.. I’d prefer something a little more aesthetically pleasing, but we’ll do what we have to to keep costs down and our sulcata safe lol

That sulcata pen is about 3/4 an acre i have several others that are smaller for smaller tortoises.

 

[Tom]

how big of an area did you end up with using those? We’re in VA and will eventually have a lot of farm land.. I’d prefer something a little more aesthetically pleasing, but we’ll do what we have to to keep costs down and our sulcata safe lol

The main point to remember for almost all tortoise species is that the fencing needs to be opaque. Nothing they can see through, or they will hurt themselves trying to push through it. I've seen sulcatas rip their leg scales off and still trying to get through chain link with bloody legs. I've seen others rub their snouts raw and bloody.

To be fair, I have seen Galapagos tortoises housed with hog wire, but its a different situation and we aren't talking about Galapagos tortoises here. I've also seen those same galaps push through the fencing when they want to.