Building a burrow

[Stev0623]

So i go outside and what do I see? She's building a burrow right in the middle of my yard(actually has dug two holes).

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g101/TevanBP/e66f0c53.jpg

Normal behaviour?

 

[dmarcus]

Yes this is normal, Vegas has a nice sized burrow underneath the house we built for him and I am constantly filling in holes where he did some test digs, lol.

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And now would be a good time to Sulcata proof your perimeter fence because it won't take long to dig a hole under a fence.

 

[Jacob]

Always Happnens, how long was it digging for?

 

[dmarcus]

Its hard to see it but this was all flat ground and the hole goes completely under his house, we pick his house up every once in a while to see how far he has gone. When he is in the hole you can't even see him.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Steve (I'm making an assumption here, as I don't think you've ever told us your name):

It has been my experience that if a tortoise can use his "house" to cool off in the summer and warm up in the winter, then his house is satisfactory and he won't try to dig a burrow. I have a 100lb male sulcata that I've had since he was 35lbs. He has never started digging. He lives in a insulated dog house with access to outside, 24/7/365. When he goes into the house at night I hear him digging and digging for about a half hour. The floor of the dog house is a thick rubber mat, so he can't dig, but its just nature for them to do some rearranging before they go to sleep.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

The same thing with Bob, he has never tried to dig outside, but when he goes into his sleeping box at night (every night) I can hear him digging and trying to rearrange the wood before he goes to sleep.
I personally think that if they are comfortable in their house and they have a warm, safe, secure place to sleep they don't dig a burrow...

 

[dmarcus]

I actually like the Burrow, make me think that he is happy with the hole he dug.

 

[dmmj]

More than normal I think, mine shows no inkling to digging a burrow in his enclosure.

 

[Tom]

Some of them dig a lot and some don't dig at all. One of mine will give it a go every 6 months or so. I usually just move them out of the way and fill in the hole. After that I drop a brick or paving stone there and they don't try again for a long time.

I think its kinda cool when they dig, but the temps aren't good enough here to let them dig and stay down there all the time.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Yes, just watch out for the digging under structure foundations. We have gotten one drop off because he caused damage to the porch foundation and it collapsed in the corner!

 

[RV's mom]

sorry I didn't see this sooner. RV has dug herself quite a burrow, but our soil is highly mineralized and almost hard as a rock. I would be careful if your soil isn't same.


teri