outdoor sulcata

[ki6ojv]

I have had my sulcata outdoors for over a year and he is doing great.

I always have worried about predators(not my dogs) getting to him. his pen is a 20x16' wooden structure with 4'walls and chickenwire around it. He is getting to about 14"s in length. He has a good heated home in there and is very happy and spoiled. I am wondering about Opossums. There are no other predators around my house but occasionally an opossum wanders by. He has never been bothered but i was wondering at that size do i need to not worry about him.

 

[shelber10]

you always have to worry they could be attacked by a predator at any time it doesent matter how big it gets

 

[chadk]

Do you have pics? an easy way to keep out raccoons and possums is to use that chicken wire. You just have to set it up around like a normal fence, but keep the top loose and kinda floppy. They hate climbing on something like that. A normal strong wood fence is nothing for the to climb over in seconds. But a top layer of flimsy chicken wire is a good deterant.

 

[ki6ojv]

Do you have pics? an easy way to keep out raccoons and possums is to use that chicken wire. You just have to set it up around like a normal fence, but keep the top loose and kinda floppy. They hate climbing on something like that. A normal strong wood fence is nothing for the to climb over in seconds. But a top layer of flimsy chicken wire is a good deterant.

I think i can fray the top of the chicken wire a bit and make it pointed and sharp. My dogs keep out most everything from the yard but they are inside snoozing at night.

 

[TortieGal]

I'm really glad you brought this up. I don't have to worry about my Sulcata yet he's still little. I can't imagine ever moving him outside here we have raccoons running around here all the time and there really good at getting into things, they managed to get in my chicken coop twice! They find the smallest hole they get in. My girl friend has a green house she put her birds in and they were fine for a year then a opossum got in and got them all but one, so I wouldn't put your gaurd dowm just because its been a year.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

No matter what size the tortoise is it needs to be kept inside at night. I mean in something safe for them to be in at night. I believe all tortoises should be shut in and night in a safe warm spot. The owner of our local pet shop tells of his neighbor who had an 100 pound Sulcata (think how big that is) and one night something got in his pen and because his keeper hadn't thought to put him away something ate the head off of that big Sulcata and then ate as far in as it could. Everybody thinks large tortoises are safe...but they are not
These animals are made the way they are to protect them against lions, but a raccoon or a possum have long muzzles and very sharp teeth, so it just ate everything it could.
My sister taught me to put all of my tortoises to bed at night in a predator safe place and I have always done that. Every night I go around and make sure everybody is safe in their beds. Bob is in a large insulated shed with 2 doors and every night when I go to make sure he is safe inside I also make sure the doors are closed and locked. I have raccoons, opossums, coyote and hawks that I have seen in my own yard.

 

[dmmj]

I don't want to ruffle any feathers but i have it under good authority that possums do not harm turtles and tortoises. It is simply not part of their diet, unlike racoons.

 

[-EJ]

Pretty strong comment... I've kept many small tortoises outdoors 24/7/365. Oh... possums are bug eaters.

I'm now in Georgia... not lost a tortoise to predation yet. Key point... a dog... you need a dog... to **** around the yard. That really helps.

No matter what size the tortoise is it needs to be kept inside at night. I mean in something safe for them to be in at night. I believe all tortoises should be shut in and night in a safe warm spot. The owner of our local pet shop tells of his neighbor who had an 100 pound Sulcata (think how big that is) and one night something got in his pen and because his keeper hadn't thought to put him away something ate the head off of that big Sulcata and then ate as far in as it could. Everybody thinks large tortoises are safe...but they are not
These animals are made the way they are to protect them against lions, but a raccoon or a possum have long muzzles and very sharp teeth, so it just ate everything it could.
My sister taught me to put all of my tortoises to bed at night in a predator safe place and I have always done that. Every night I go around and make sure everybody is safe in their beds. Bob is in a large insulated shed with 2 doors and every night when I go to make sure he is safe inside I also make sure the doors are closed and locked. I have raccoons, opossums, coyote and hawks that I have seen in my own yard.

 

[reptylefreek]

I thought possums were scavengers.... At least there are in my neighborhood. I also thought they eat meat, which means if they aren't technically scavengers they still might get super hungry and chow down on what looks good. I wouldn't put it past a wild mammal or rodent to eat a tort.... especially in the city

 

[-EJ]

Never worried about possums then or now (because of what I learned then).

Worse than the city... the sticks. A dog is the key for that.

I thought possums were scavengers.... At least there are in my neighborhood. I also thought they eat meat, which means if they aren't technically scavengers they still might get super hungry and chow down on what looks good. I wouldn't put it past a wild mammal or rodent to eat a tort.... especially in the city

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't want to ruffle any feathers but i have it under good authority that possums do not harm turtles and tortoises. It is simply not part of their diet, unlike racoons.

No feathers ruffled, however, I once lost a mother hen who was roosting on the floor of the barn with her 10 baby chicks. The chicks were found all over the floor of the barn with various body parts chewed off. I found the mother hen's body pulled up to a pallet. She was too big to pull in under the pallet. I moved the pallet and there was a 'possum under the pallet. So they DON't just eat insects. They eat meat. They'll eat your left-over box turtle food, fruit, veggies, cat food, etc. I'm sure if they ever realize that turtles are "meat" they will eat a turtle too.

Its just better to be safe than sorry.

 

[DAC8671]

Wow, I guess I was one of the ones thinking "he's big enough to be fine outside".

Ralph is in his heated dogloo, but only with a heavy towel and tarp over the door. An "intruder" can easily get in there. Any suggestions on what I can put on the door to a dogloo?

We have seen an occassional possum, falcon, and we have field rats/mice that come in. But those usually stay at the bird feeders across the yard. My thinking is that if they know food is there, they won't go looking in Ralph's enclosure. I could be way wrong too. But they also don't come every night.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Pretty strong comment... I've kept many small tortoises outdoors 24/7/365. Oh... possums are bug eaters.

I'm now in Georgia... not lost a tortoise to predation yet. Key point... a dog... you need a dog... to **** around the yard. That really helps.

No matter what size the tortoise is it needs to be kept inside at night. I mean in something safe for them to be in at night. I believe all tortoises should be shut in and night in a safe warm spot. The owner of our local pet shop tells of his neighbor who had an 100 pound Sulcata (think how big that is) and one night something got in his pen and because his keeper hadn't thought to put him away something ate the head off of that big Sulcata and then ate as far in as it could. Everybody thinks large tortoises are safe...but they are not
These animals are made the way they are to protect them against lions, but a raccoon or a possum have long muzzles and very sharp teeth, so it just ate everything it could.
My sister taught me to put all of my tortoises to bed at night in a predator safe place and I have always done that. Every night I go around and make sure everybody is safe in their beds. Bob is in a large insulated shed with 2 doors and every night when I go to make sure he is safe inside I also make sure the doors are closed and locked. I have raccoons, opossums, coyote and hawks that I have seen in my own yard.

I have seen coyotes, raccoons, possums and rats in my yard. So it's not a strong comment, it's reality. I think it is our responsibility to care for our chelonia in the best way possible. So I put all my guys to bed safe and sound every night. Even with both of my feet recently damaged, I hobbled around and put every body to bed. It's to protect them...I'd rather do that then have one get it's head or legs chewed off and THEN say...oh yeah possums eat meat...I don't have dogs and won't get a dog.

 

[TheACO731]

Judging by the type of animals you said you've seen in your yard, you probably have coyotes even if you have not seen them. A coyote can jump a 7' wall with no problem and I believe dogs(coyotes) are the #1 cause of death or injuries to torts and turts.

 

[Yvonne G]

Ralph is in his heated dogloo, but only with a heavy towel and tarp over the door. An "intruder" can easily get in there. Any suggestions on what I can put on the door to a dogloo?

Some of my outdoor houses don't have doors except for the vinyl strips, so I have cut pieces of plywood that are just a bit larger than the door. I put the plywood in front of the door then prop a cinderblock up against it to hold it in place.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Ugh, I am still shivering from Maggie's post. The very idea is emotionally overwhelming and too awful to think about...I saw on one of the many web sites I've visited that rats will chew on the legs of tortoises at night and that was enough for me! Taco comes in at night, period. I could never take such a chance with a creature that really has no natural defence to ward off attacks.

I don't let my cats out of the house either, and they are perfectly happy roaming the nice large (to a small mammal) indoor space, plus the sunporch for them to bask in. There have been at least a dozen neighborhood cats and dogs that have met their end with a coyote or two in the last 5 years...I figure coyote babies have to eat too, just not my pets!

 

[ki6ojv]

I have 2 dogs. I never see anything ever living in or around my yard. Between the Dogs and the BBgun. The dogs got a opossum a couple years ago and tore it up pretty good. I have not even seen one of them in a long time.

This is a great topic and some good information here.

 

[Shelly]

Before I made my pond deeper I lost several turtles to Raccoons, but have never had any problem with them messing with my torts for over 12 years. They stay outside 24/7/365 and my yard is overrun with Raccoons and opossums.