Outside living and digging

Mrnofun2

New Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
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5
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hello Tesla lives in an outide enclosure and dug a hole. I dug it out and created a "hole" out of a 12 inch wide by 12 inch deep red ceramic pot that is flush with the ground when on its side. She has a path that I placed 1/2 inch wood on the walls and floor. The top is covered with a piece of wood that i occasionally peek in to check on her. She comes out to eat then goes back in. As summer ends, the time she spends underground is longer and longer. Any tips on how I can be less invasive, but still know she is ok?20180908_073000.jpg 20180908_073016.jpg 20180908_073036.jpg 20180908_073043.jpg
 

Gillian M

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Welcome to the forum.

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread.

Sorry, cannot help - am no tort expert. Let's ask the experts to help.

@Yvonne G @ZEROPILOT @Tom

Your help would be appreciated, thank you all.:)
 

ZEROPILOT

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I've been tagged.
But I don't keep a digging species. So I can't offer any help.
Although a battery powered inspection camera can be purchased at Harbor Freight for $80.
It's a long, thin tube with a monitor on the end held in your hand.
I use one to inspect fuel tanks. But it will work for any situation like that.
 

Gillian M

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5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
I've been tagged.
But I don't keep a digging species. So I can't offer any help.
Although a battery powered inspection camera can be purchased at Harbor Freight for $80.
It's a long, thin tube with a monitor on the end held in your hand.
I use one to inspect fuel tanks. But it will work for any situation like that.
Apologies Ed, and many thanks your reply. Appreciate it.
 

Yvonne G

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Clovis, CA
It would help if we knew what species of tortoise Tesla is?????

Tortoises dig to
. . . regulate body temperature
. . . hide from predators
. . . feel safe enough to drop their guard and sleep
. . . hibernate
 

Yvonne G

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My desert tortoise shelter is, first of all, built on cement stepping stones:

742786400284.jpg


It's a solid floor coving the whole inside of the shelter.

Then I add cinderblock walls and a plywood roof. Once it was complete, I raked up all the leaves I could find and stuffed them inside their new house. As the leaves break down, I add more. I've never had one of MY deserts tortoise dig a burrow. Almost every rescue I take in does though. I try to place them as soon as possible!

My sulcata's shelter is built a little differently. He has the same floor, but then I added rubber horse stall mats. I build a wooden shed on this floor. He has a pig blanket, so I don't have any substrate or leaves in his shed. At night I can hear him digging away in his corner of the shed, but he's not able to dig through the rubber mat. Thankfully, he has never offered to dig a burrow. He shelters under a large shrub during the day, and in his shed at night.
 

Mrnofun2

New Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I've been tagged.
But I don't keep a digging species. So I can't offer any help.
Although a battery powered inspection camera can be purchased at Harbor Freight for $80.
It's a long, thin tube with a monitor on the end held in your hand.
I use one to inspect fuel tanks. But it will work for any situation like that.
Great idea. i was thinking about a camara and theres a harbor freight close by.
 
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