First tortoise

Michelle 80

New Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Devon
Hello! So pleased to have found a forum. I'm getting my first ever tortoise in a few weeks which I'm so excited about. It is a 20 year old marginated tortoise. I just wondered if anyone knows how deep down they dig. I'm obviously terrified of losing it. My husband is going to build a pen in the garden but we don't know how far down we should dig. Thank you!
 

Steviemonty

New Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2020
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
Norwich uk
Hello! So pleased to have found a forum. I'm getting my first ever tortoise in a few weeks which I'm so excited about. It is a 20 year old marginated tortoise. I just wondered if anyone knows how deep down they dig. I'm obviously terrified of losing it. My husband is going to build a pen in the garden but we don't know how far down we should dig. Thank you!
Hello welcome to the group don't worry there are many wonderful members on here with an astounding knowledge for all tortoises they will always help..iam a new owner too and iam still learning myself so unfortunately I don't know too much yet.lol but you will get all the help and advice you need here....happy tortoising xx☺??
 

Michelle 80

New Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Devon
Hello welcome to the group don't worry there are many wonderful members on here with an astounding knowledge for all tortoises they will always help..iam a new owner too and iam still learning myself so unfortunately I don't know too much yet.lol but you will get all the help and advice you need here....happy tortoising xx☺??
Thank you! That's good to know.
 

franklin444

Member
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May 6, 2020
Messages
79
Location (City and/or State)
U.S.A
What are the temperatures where you live. And how drastic are the season changes
 

wellington

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Tortoise Club
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Sep 6, 2011
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Chicago, Illinois, USA
I can't help with them. However I have a Russian that can also dig. I laid a dog exercise pen I had laying around down on the ground and built the enclosure on top of it. I then added some black dirt and let the weeds and grass grow through.
Congrats on joining the tortoise world.
 

KarenSoCal

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Tortoise Club
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Jul 8, 2017
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5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I had a California Desert Tortoise (CDT). When we built his enclosure, we used metal lath and went about 12-13 inches (30-33cm) straight down into the ground. I do know that most tortoises that dig a burrow only make one entrance. They don't dig back up and make an exit.

This is the metal lath being installed.
20170802_091733.jpg
 

Michelle 80

New Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Devon
I had a California Desert Tortoise (CDT). When we built his enclosure, we used metal lath and went about 12-13 inches (30-33cm) straight down into the ground. I do know that most tortoises that dig a burrow only make one entrance. They don't dig back up and make an exit.

This is the metal lath being installed.
View attachment 296476
Brilliant. Thank you!
 

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