Introducing Mr. Turtle, the Sulcata Tortoise!

[Mamadee]

Remember me, the enthusiastic newbie with the pond? Well Mr. Turtle arrived today and we were all ready for him. He is just a baby at 14 years old. He weighs in at around 40 pounds. He was adopted from a friend who's husband was sick of the basements Mr. Turtle attemped to dig in their yard. Basements in Florida aren't a very good idea!

I was blessed by two friends who put up a sturdy fence around the portion of the yard that is now Mr. Turtle's. I hired someone to build him a house but I am still trying to figure out a ramp system so he can get up in it. I put flagstones around in front of all the fences. His former owner said that was the most effective thing she had found. When he digs by one it tips and boops him on the nose so he stops digging there. He can dig away anywere except by the fences because I have a pond and two of my four neighbors have pools.

Any and all advice still welcome because I am still a newbie!

 

[Killerrookie]

Welcome to the forums and you ma'am have the best specie of tortoise!!!!

 

[WallieWay]

Mr. T is adorable! I love your pond, btw...so creative

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a really good-looking sulcata. I do have one suggestion to offer. Buy some 1x12 boards and affix them to the wire fence all around the bottom so the tortoise can't see through. That wire is nothing to a sulcata bulldozer.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Mr.Turtle already seems quite at home.
Lovely home for a lovely tort.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Mamadee]

Anyone got any ideas on how to make the house a little more accessible for Mr. Turtle?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just a simple ramp should do it.

 

[DawnH]

What a sweet baby! For the entrance you could either build a ramp or use pavers/bricks widely stacked (like bring the red ones you used out another two feet then place another layer one foot deep to the house.) I would defiantly create a wall around the enclosure as suggested by Yvonne. If they can see through the other side you are gonna have problems. If a wall is up the other side disappears to them. I would hate for him to make his way through the current set up and sink in that (beautiful!) pond. He is ADORABLE!!

 

[Mamadee]

As a widow construction projects are a bit beyond my expertise. Will tortoises willingly walk on gravel? I was thinking of getting garden edgers and filling in between with gravel on a grade.

Also even though I live in North Florida it does get chilly outside at night even at this time of year. At what outside temperature should I start using a heat lamp in his house?