(07-16-2012 02:52 PM)motero Wrote:  I dug a 5x8 hole 4feet deep. Divided the interior into three parts each with its own half pipe tunnel entrance. Covered the top with railroad ties and dirt. I have a hatch in the roof for access. I only have to heat one space in the winter, heat is optional but i like them to stay more active. On a 110 degree day the burrow will climb up to 85. With out heat on a frosty night the burrow will get down to 45. I went this route for there comfort and for access to them. Don't be surprised when the weather changes and they don't come out for weeks at a time with a natural burrow. Use caution with this(don't drowned your tort) if you have to get them out turn a small trickle of water down the burrow, when they feel their toes get wet they will scoot out of there shortly.

You've got to post a pic of this enclosure. Please.

It would actually have to RAIN here for the burrow to flood. Doesn't seem likely anytime soon.... Seriously though, they will only be using this until the end of summer, then I will fill it in or cover it and they will have to use their above ground heated house.

I discovered that water trick about a year ago... it really works. I'm not sure it would work on a cold tortoise though.

(07-16-2012 07:09 AM)Neal Wrote:  My worry would be the tunnel collapsing. Do you have a back hoe or something on sight to get them out quickly?

I've given this a lot of thought. There is no denying that it is a risk. However, I think the soil where I am holds a burrow pretty well. Since it doesn't rain here during the warmer months, flooding and collapse due to flooding, is not much of a possibility.

Burrows are mentioned all throughout the "Crying Tortoise" book too. The author is clearly in awe of their burrowing ability. He states that a 60 kilogram tortoise can dig a burrow its own length in 3 minutes. In discussing collapse, he speculates that because of their strength and digging prowess, "...tortoises are able to emerge, and the collapse of a burrow probably never leads to the death of a buried animal."

I don't know Neal... It IS a concern, but given all my factors, its a risk I'm willing to take. I will be watching very closely to see if there are any problems associated with it. So far, its pretty cool watching them "do their thing". Plus "I" wanna go down there and check it all out!

Very cool pics. I bet they look primordial when emerging from the burrow.

(07-16-2012 08:49 PM)acrantophis Wrote:  Very cool pics. I bet they look primordial when emerging from the burrow.

Yes, that part is very cool, but what is even cooler is when they just sit there in the mouth of the burrow basking and surveying their territory. I'll try to get a pic of that today. They just look so regal, so "at home", it just makes everything seem so right with the world.

Yes, a cold tort will take his time, hence the caution, but the water will still motivate to vacate.





The upper level is for the little ones, other areas are for the ones that don't get along. The dirt is like cement torts wear down their claws before they get to far. Twice a year I have to haul out tons of tort poop.

I just love love love how folks have such a wonderful imagination to do these things!!
Thanks nay

Sigh ........ I only have a small suburban lot. I have no idea what I will do with my sulcata when he gets big. He's only 10 inches long and 7-1/2 pounds now. It's easy to control him.

(P.S. - I didn't choose him; would have researched and decided against. He was abandoned at my house almost 3 years ago, and I'm very fond of him.)

Great ideas there Motero. I love the double decker design. What is the cover/top like?

Rail road ties and 10 inches of dirt.

motero Wrote:Yes, a cold tort will take his time, hence the caution, but the water will still motivate to vacate.

The upper level is for the little ones, other areas are for the ones that don't get along. The dirt is like cement torts wear down their claws before they get to far. Twice a year I have to haul out tons of tort poop.

I love your set up.. Would love to see more pictures of the outside of your tort yard.. It looks super cool.

There is not much else to see, the rest looks like the first picture. Four shade trees that are twice as big now. Three patches of grass and a lot of dirt. The fence is old telephone poles cut and wired together.

motero Wrote:There is not much else to see, the rest looks like the first picture. Four shade trees that are twice as big now. Three patches of grass and a lot of dirt. The fence is old telephone poles cut and wired together.

It looks like your shade trees are palo verde trees, right? Do they eat the leaves?

I haven't seen any eat the Paloverde, The mesquite drops bean pods and a couple older torts like to eat them. Most just ignore the trees.

I'm having technical difficulties getting temp readings. My remote probe's signal appears to not be able to penetrate the earth. The main unit can't seem to find the signal when the probe is down at the bottom of the burrow. I made a little capsule out of a plastic food jar with a string on it to put the probe down there. The problem is that I can't leave it down there unsupervised because the behemoths will get tangled up in the haystring that I am using. Unless someone has a better idea, I thin I will have to put a regular thermometer down there, leave it for a while and then pull it up to get my readings.

Put a hay bale over the opening of the burrow or maybe something else that is on hand that you could use. I wanna see these temps!!!