Ground preparation question

[mylittlecholla]

In preparing new outdoor enclosure, is 12" deep enough excavation? Also, is hardware cloth at the bottom better than chicken wire for preventing tort from digging her way out?

Thanks in advance for y'all's advice.

 

[KarenSoCal]

. . . better than chicken wire for preventing tort from digging her way out?

Thanks in advance for y'all's advice.

Yes, hardware cloth is better. With chicken wire, she can get a foot and leg caught on it.

When we built our enclosure, we went down 12" below the wall. Then we used metal lath cut into 12" strips, and screwed it onto the wood. We put it vertically, but it could also be put horizontally facing inward into the enclosure. Then dirt over it, and grass or plants.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Extremely helpful response and photo. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

In preparing new outdoor enclosure, is 12" deep enough excavation? Also, is hardware cloth at the bottom better than chicken wire for preventing tort from digging her way out?

Thanks in advance for y'all's advice.

What species?

I've never buried wire for any species. If you have a burrowing species, they will need to get down much deeper than 12" to escape the summer heat topside.

 

[KarenSoCal]

What species?

I've never buried wire for any species. If you have a burrowing species, they will need to get down much deeper than 12" to escape the summer heat topside.

@Tom, you are correct.

The difference is intent. When feeling adventurous (looking for a lady?) Chug would try to escape by digging in the corners of his enclosure. Many times he went deeper than the bottom of the fence, but didn't have time to go another 12" before I would find it and fill it in.

When he dug a burrow, he had no intention of making a back door, so it didn't matter if he went deep.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The species is very important.
As I was building my Redfoot pen years ago, I placed 20" cement blocks about a foot underneath.
It was some totally unnecessary labor.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Thanks, everyone. I should have realized the species would matter.

My tortoise is a California desert tortoise, gopherus agassizii

 

[KarenSoCal]

Thanks, everyone. I should have realized the species would matter.

My tortoise is a California desert tortoise, gopherus agassizii

I should have said what Chug was also. He was a CA desert tort too.

 

[mylittlecholla]

What species?

I've never buried wire for any species. If you have a burrowing species, they will need to get down much deeper than 12" to escape the summer heat topside.

 

[Yvonne G]

Far as I'm concerned, burying wire around the fence line is an unnecessary expense and labor. In my experience,if a tortoise sees daylight at the bottom of a fence, that's where he'll dig under. Just make sure your fence is tight to the ground and it should be ok. What I did for extra security was to lay rectangular pavers down along the fence line with the bottom board on the pavers.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Thanks, Tom. Cholla is gopherus agassizii.

How deep do you recommend for the purpose of her escaping the summer heat?

Interesting about not using chicken wire or hardware cloth.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Far as I'm concerned, burying wire around the fence line is an unnecessary expense and labor. In my experience,if a tortoise sees daylight at the bottom of a fence, that's where he'll dig under. Just make sure your fence is tight to the ground and it should be ok. What I did for extra security was to lay rectangular pavers down along the fence line with the bottom board on the pavers.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Thanks, Yvonne. So you and Tom agree on that.

My husband would be happy not to have to deal with buying and burying wire.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks, Tom. Cholla is gopherus agassizii.

How deep do you recommend for the purpose of her escaping the summer heat?

Interesting about not using chicken wire or hardware cloth.

My desert tortoises have lived in this yard for over 20 years. They have NEVER tried to dig under the fence. They have everything they need, so have no need to try to get out.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Right on! Thanks.

 

[Tom]

How deep do you recommend for the purpose of her escaping the summer heat?

Depends on many factors. Only your thermometer can tell you for sure. The deeper it s the cooler it will be, in general.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Depends on many factors. Only your thermometer can tell you for sure. The deeper it s the cooler it will be, in general.

 

[mylittlecholla]

For sure! But can the depth be estimated? Filllmore temps, Fillmore soil, east side of house, shaded from afternoon sun.

A ballpark estimate might be helpful before we begin excavation.

 

[Tom]

For sure! But can the depth be estimated? Filllmore temps, Fillmore soil, east side of house, shaded from afternoon sun.

A ballpark estimate might be helpful before we begin excavation.

If you are doing a man made burrow, I'd go at least 18-24". If he digs it himself, or if you start one and let him take it over, it could go deeper. My sulcata burrow was 22 feet long. Based on the angle and depth, people who are better at math the me calculated the depth at around 15 feet. Your little man probably won't go that far.



You really don't need to excavate. I've housed lots of DTs over the years, and many other species, and none of them have ever tried to dig out. Just make an opaque fence one way or another. Yvonne has shown pics in the past of pavers lining the ground on the inside of the wall to discourage digging near the wall and block any gaps between the wall and the ground, but I've never even done that, and still had zero escapes or escape attempts. Its not a bad idea to do it though.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Thanks, Tom, for this extremely helpful response.