Sulcata Nesting

[Fungooli]

Ok, if it worked, first shot is whole pen with penthouse or right
2nd pic is penthouse. Put her in just to show size comparison, moss is still cold from outside, waiting for dirt, she seems to like it. #3 and 4 are my big guy Jimmy last in at 102lb with some Canadian goose that I rescued from the mouth of a dog and raised for the summer and the other by his house with one of my 4 shepherds. I have one more sulcata that looks just like the female in penthouse, only younger and smaller.

 

[Fungooli]

Well, went over to Lowes today and grabbed 12 bags of this Lite top soil at $2.50 a a bag, real nice stuff for a substrate if you want a non experts opinion. Mixed in 50lb of sand, compacted and soaked it down and now I'm sitting at about 30 inches as my slapped together project is only maybe 8 " higher. She's in there and seems to love as she went right for the water and kale so I'm pretty sure the stress of moving was minimal. Incubator should be here any day, now all I need is some eggs. I figure, the way my stuff goes, at the very least, now that all my work is done, it'll warm up outside to 70 degrees and I can bring her outside. One thing I have been noticing over the last few days is that she always finds the darkest or shadiest spot in the pen to rest in while the big guy likes the lamps or close by. Wondering if this is some type of gravid sign.

 

[Mick.Ire]

Hey that looks brilliant, well done for acting so fast. Some thing we've noticed with some female torts is they will climb the walls, pace the enclosure for a few days and relax for up to 3 weeks and then start again. It's usually the second phase when they lay. Not sure about her sitting in the shade being a sign of gravid, the fact she's drinking a lot and staying in ye shade makes me think it could be too warm. Might be no harm to check your temps.
The classic sign of a gravies tortoise is they will appear to do anything to get out of where they are. Literally climb the walls. Your tortoises are beautiful by the way, all look in great shape and your set up looks top class. Fair play.
If she lays outside she lays outside but at least you have a back up space for the future.

 

[Fungooli]

Hey that looks brilliant, well done for acting so fast. Some thing we've noticed with some female torts is they will climb the walls, pace the enclosure for a few days and relax for up to 3 weeks and then start again. It's usually the second phase when they lay. Not sure about her sitting in the shade being a sign of gravid, the fact she's drinking a lot and staying in ye shade makes me think it could be too warm. Might be no harm to check your temps.
The classic sign of a gravies tortoise is they will appear to do anything to get out of where they are. Literally climb the walls. Your tortoises are beautiful by the way, all look in great shape and your set up looks top class. Fair play.
If she lays outside she lays outside but at least you have a back up space for the future.

Thanx Mick, she's definately climbing the walls, Temp is fine, if anything a bit on the chill but ok. Would of liked to have made it bigger as originally planned but just didn't work out way. May have to relocate to a warm island somewhere heheh. By the way, caught the male drinking out of the water dish too. Was thinking it may be too dry down there but I actually built the pen around a dehumidifier (just a location thing) that was going non stop down there til I turned it off.