Prevent tortoise dig out

[missjacky954]

Hello,
I have had m sulcata tortoise, Sully for over a year now (he is about 3 years old). He has had run of the back yard for about six months. He has burrowed a whole that he retreats to at night and throughout the day. Today he escaped and dug out into the front yard. A neighbor told me he was wondering all around the neighbor hood, back and forth across the street. She didn't know he was a pet and was going to take him to a pond! I'm so glad I came out when I did because if she would have took him, he would have sank like a rock. I walked the perimeter of the fence and found where he dug out. It was a low spot and he took the opportunity to dig out. I filled it in with dirt and pavers and blocked the whole section off.
My question is this: Do I have to use wire under the fence or can i use rocks? I was thinking of getting some garden rocks and piling them up along the fence.. I adore Sully and need to fix this before it happens again.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Miss Jacky:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Is it a wood fence? If a tortoise can see light under the bottom of the fence, then that's where he'll dig. There are many ways to fix the problem, and none of them is going to be cheap or easy.

You can lay rectangular stepping stones (masonry caps) all along at the bottom of the fence.

You can dig wire down all along the fence line.

But mainly, just make sure he can't see through the fence, or see light under any part and it might be ok as is.

May we know appx. where in the world you are?

 

[dmmj]

HA that is a good one preventing a sulcata from burrowing. Seriously it is hard to stop them, filling their burrows won't really prevent them. Blocking their favorite digging spots should help. I am glad mine never developed the digging habit.

 

[EricIvins]

My Sulcatas test the fence every day.......Putting rocks against a fence is not going to do anything, as they will push them up or dig under them......They know there is more to just where they are.......Mine go nuts when certain things are pollinating or blooming, and they will test the fence 10x what they normally do when this happens.......

 

[missjacky954]

I live in South FL. Thanks for the advise...I'll probably go with masonry caps.

 

[lynnedit]

What kind of fence do you have? Can he see through it? then a visual block might also help so he can't see past it.
I also have used and like the masonry or 8"x16" pavers lined up along the edge.

If it is a cyclone fence you can use rebar stakes every foot or so, also potentially expensive (unless there is one side he seems to prefer)
http://www.deerbusters.com/deer-fen...d-stakes/ground-stakes-18-j-hook-rebar-20-pk/