Hello from Las Vegas, NV
I am thinking about getting a Mediterranean tortoise most likely a Russian tortoise. I was wondering if anyone here has made / dug an outdoor burrow for your tortoise to hibernate outside?
I was reading the Nevada Tortoise Group website and if you adopt a Desert Tortoise, you must make a burrow for it, either above or below ground and they provide info on how to make them. http://tortoisegroup.org/burrows/ as it is required that they live outdoors year round.
So, I was thinking that since the Mediterranean species all hibernate in wild and can tolerate the Las Vegas, NV climate year round, why not make a burrow for them and let them live outdoors year round, like the desert tortoise? Wouldn't this be better for them as opposed to being in a smaller pen or indoor tortoise table during the winter?
I am hoping to get a captive breed Mediterranean tortoise (just not sure which one as I like them all ) and make a burrow as per the specs on the tortoisegroup website to let the tortoise live in my back yard year round. I dont have any other pets, the yard is fenced in with cinder block walls has a patio covering and I covered the back gate so the tortoise will not be able to see outside the yard.
The tortoise will have access to the entire yard which is small about 600 sqft (I actually thought it was bigger around 900 sqft, but I was wrong). There will be plenty of plants, hiding places, shade, water, etc. for the tortoise to enjoy.
So I was just wondering if anyone else has done something like this. What are thoughts on doing this?
Thanks for the info.
I am thinking about getting a Mediterranean tortoise most likely a Russian tortoise. I was wondering if anyone here has made / dug an outdoor burrow for your tortoise to hibernate outside?
I was reading the Nevada Tortoise Group website and if you adopt a Desert Tortoise, you must make a burrow for it, either above or below ground and they provide info on how to make them. http://tortoisegroup.org/burrows/ as it is required that they live outdoors year round.
So, I was thinking that since the Mediterranean species all hibernate in wild and can tolerate the Las Vegas, NV climate year round, why not make a burrow for them and let them live outdoors year round, like the desert tortoise? Wouldn't this be better for them as opposed to being in a smaller pen or indoor tortoise table during the winter?
I am hoping to get a captive breed Mediterranean tortoise (just not sure which one as I like them all ) and make a burrow as per the specs on the tortoisegroup website to let the tortoise live in my back yard year round. I dont have any other pets, the yard is fenced in with cinder block walls has a patio covering and I covered the back gate so the tortoise will not be able to see outside the yard.
The tortoise will have access to the entire yard which is small about 600 sqft (I actually thought it was bigger around 900 sqft, but I was wrong). There will be plenty of plants, hiding places, shade, water, etc. for the tortoise to enjoy.
So I was just wondering if anyone else has done something like this. What are thoughts on doing this?
Thanks for the info.