Maybe it's just the Rocky Mountain soil here (dense clay and rocks), but I don't think I can dig a 12"-deep trench without renting a hydraulic trencher. I've got 24"-wide planks that I plan to use for my outdoor enclosure, sinking half and leaving half above ground. What am I missing? How do you do it?
How do you bury perimeter 12" deep?
- Thread starter Cksnffr
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Cksnffr said:
I feel your pain, I live in the mountains too. I have to use a pickaxe any time I want to dig in my yard.
What kind of turtle/tortoise do you have? If it's an adult sulcata, good luck! Them stinkers seem to be strong! You could use a trench shovel, I it's a Russian, or a box turtle, and dig the 12 inches. Or you could use a pick ax, those worked wonders when I dug in the hardest dirt when I worked in landscaping. I was also 120 pounds and a sophmore in high school. so I bet you could do it!
It's easiest to do if you just move to the flatlands. Lol. What type of tortoise do you have? I've found that placing tiles or decorative flagstone or pavers along the inside edge of the enclosure will stop your tortoise from digging or trying to dig at the fence line. Also, adding areas that offer easy digging under cover, (elevated boards) can go far to discourage them from working the fence line.
Dig as far down as you can then anchor your board down with rebar stakes. Then fill the ditch with crushed rock (2-3in)
I have solid clay dirt here---when dry. I will use a soaker hose;
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...JMjxiQK0gYHYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CFwQ9QEwBA&dur=2761
Let the water soak 8 to 12 inches down into the soil each time you water. Figure out how long you need to keep your hose on by watering for 30 minutes and then checking how far down the water has seeped. Tweak your watering time accordingly.
I will do this the day before I am going to dig----that hard clay concrete type soil turns to butter and is a pleasure to work with..I will not ever try to dig without doing this....also, you can lay the soaker hose down into any design and where the water soaks is where you dig....curves or sharp 90's...and works well when planting as well....
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...JMjxiQK0gYHYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CFwQ9QEwBA&dur=2761
Let the water soak 8 to 12 inches down into the soil each time you water. Figure out how long you need to keep your hose on by watering for 30 minutes and then checking how far down the water has seeped. Tweak your watering time accordingly.
I will do this the day before I am going to dig----that hard clay concrete type soil turns to butter and is a pleasure to work with..I will not ever try to dig without doing this....also, you can lay the soaker hose down into any design and where the water soaks is where you dig....curves or sharp 90's...and works well when planting as well....
I do the same thing that Cowboy Ken does. I use the masonry caps (rectangular stepping stones) all along the inside of the fenceline. The tortoise goes right up to the fence to dig, which means, he's standing on the cement stone. They don't have the intellect to tell them they need to back up and dig under the stone.
But once a tortoise is used to his new home, he'll stop trying to dig out.
When I first prepared an outdoor pen for my then herd of 30 russian tortoises, I dug a 3" trench along the fence line. Then I prepared a strip of chicken wire 7" wide and 8' long. I bent the wire lengthwise at the 3" mark into an 8' long "L". Then I stapled the 4" side to the fence so that it went down into the trench and the "L" part was out towards the yard. Then I filled the dirt back in. Eventually the wire rusted away, however, in all the time those tortoises were in that yard, they never tried to dig under the fence.
But once a tortoise is used to his new home, he'll stop trying to dig out.
When I first prepared an outdoor pen for my then herd of 30 russian tortoises, I dug a 3" trench along the fence line. Then I prepared a strip of chicken wire 7" wide and 8' long. I bent the wire lengthwise at the 3" mark into an 8' long "L". Then I stapled the 4" side to the fence so that it went down into the trench and the "L" part was out towards the yard. Then I filled the dirt back in. Eventually the wire rusted away, however, in all the time those tortoises were in that yard, they never tried to dig under the fence.
To keep my Russians from digging out I drove a 12" piece of rebar into the ground every four inches or so
What species are you doing this for? Sulcatas don't need it, and 12" isn't deep enough to stop a russian anyway. Other species don't need it at all.
I did the same thing as Cowboy Ken and Yvonne; 8x16" pavers in a row along one side. They walk the perimeter but don't try to burrow. It keeps their nails trimmed.
As Cowboy Ken suggests, nice hides and mounds with burrows in the middle create attractive areas for them to use.
My enclosure is too large for a trench, and I certainly could not go deep enough to keep a Russian out IF they decided to burrow in that particular area. But the pavers are their walkway, no interest in burrowing there.
As Cowboy Ken suggests, nice hides and mounds with burrows in the middle create attractive areas for them to use.
My enclosure is too large for a trench, and I certainly could not go deep enough to keep a Russian out IF they decided to burrow in that particular area. But the pavers are their walkway, no interest in burrowing there.
I dig down a few inches and lay down hardcloth around the perimeter. That keeps my Russians from digging out (but it doesn't stop them from climbing out - which seems to be more of a problem with them.) My Hermann's honestly don't have an issue with digging out. Not one of them has ever dug under or climbed out. Good luck!
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