How separate do they have to be...

[klharte]

Hi, all. I haven't posted before because the search tool has been my friend. However...now I need specific help. My 2-months-missing Russian tortoise just showed up crossing the street a few streets over (!!!). However, not expecting to be reunited, I let my son accept the offer of his 5th grade teacher's box turtle. We've built a new enclosure for the box turtle in a different area using the cinderblocks from the old enclosure.

Sooo... I've read that Russians and box turtles should be kept separately. What I'm wondering is HOW separately? Would it be ok to extend the current enclosure and use the existing 2 deep cinderblock wall as a barrier, or do they need to be in entirely separate areas of the yard? (see attached picture)

Thanks in advance! Katherine

 

[wellington]

Wow, that's great hexshowed up. Probably never was that far away.
Yes you can have the block wall separate them. Keep in mind that both can dig under them and Russians are great climbers. Mine climbed up a tree. Be sure to put a ledge hang over so they cant climb out and bury the blocks into the ground or I laid fencing as a floor and let the grass and weeds grow thru it.

 

[klharte]

I think he must have been in some bunch grass (that's where we swore we heard rustling) but I was afraid he had died in there. He certainly wasn't "prepared" for hibernation. His escape was my fault -- I was trying to give him some sun in the front yard after a cold spell where he was stuck in a box on the back porch. I'm just glad someone realized he was a pet! The entire thread on Nextdoor was with people having seen him and assumed he was wild.

Thanks for your response!

 

[Cathie G]

Wow, that's great hexshowed up. Probably never was that far away.
Yes you can have the block wall separate them. Keep in mind that both can dig under them and Russians are great climbers. Mine climbed up a tree. Be sure to put a ledge hang over so they cant climb out and bury the blocks into the ground or I laid fencing as a floor and let the grass and weeds grow thru it.

Omg! That's sooo funny...and why I don't put anything past my Russian turdess.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi, all. I haven't posted before because the search tool has been my friend. However...now I need specific help. My 2-months-missing Russian tortoise just showed up crossing the street a few streets over (!!!). However, not expecting to be reunited, I let my son accept the offer of his 5th grade teacher's box turtle. We've built a new enclosure for the box turtle in a different area using the cinderblocks from the old enclosure.

Sooo... I've read that Russians and box turtles should be kept separately. What I'm wondering is HOW separately? Would it be ok to extend the current enclosure and use the existing 2 deep cinderblock wall as a barrier, or do they need to be in entirely separate areas of the yard? (see attached picture)

Thanks in advance! Katherine

Hi and welcome.
So glad you have him back !

 

[Cathie G]

I think he must have been in some bunch grass (that's where we swore we heard rustling) but I was afraid he had died in there. He certainly wasn't "prepared" for hibernation. His escape was my fault -- I was trying to give him some sun in the front yard after a cold spell where he was stuck in a box on the back porch. I'm just glad someone realized he was a pet! The entire thread on Nextdoor was with people having seen him and assumed he was wild.

Thanks for your response!

I hope I didn't hurt your feelings by laughing about a tree climbing Russian. I should have said how truely blessed you are to have found your little one. The little tortoise must feel at home.

 

[TammyJ]

So glad you got back the little Russian! You must have been a bit disconcerted as well as happy! All the best with them both in their separate enclosures.

 

[wellington]

I hope I didn't hurt your feelings by laughing about a tree climbing Russian. I should have said how truely blessed you are to have found your little one. The little tortoise must feel at home.

No not at all. It was funny when I found him. He was stuck in the crotch of two branches. I just looked at him and ask what he planned on doing now lol. He's a pain in the butt. Has gotten out 3 times, luckily found each time and I have no idea how. I keep fixing all spots that looks like the escape just to find later he got out again. They are sneaky buggers.

 

[Yvonne G]

They have to be in totally separate enclosures, where they can't touch noses at all. A shared wall is ok.

 

[Cathie G]

No not at all. It was funny when I found him. He was stuck in the crotch of two branches. I just looked at him and ask what he planned on doing now lol. He's a pain in the butt. Has gotten out 3 times, luckily found each time and I have no idea how. I keep fixing all spots that looks like the escape just to find later he got out again. They are sneaky buggers.

I have to share my little Russian's last escapade. I generally use a lid on his enclosure made with hardware cloth...and I'm schmarter then him right. WRONG. I check on him all day but that time I found him just hanging out, by one toenail, from the hardware cloth. I'm still laughing about your little monkey.

 

[wellington]

I have to share my little Russian's last escapade. I generally use a lid on his enclosure made with hardware cloth...and I'm schmarter then him right. WRONG. I check on him all day but that time I found him just hanging out, by one toenail, from the hardware cloth. I'm still laughing about your little monkey.

Lol. Ya just want too leave them there to figure it out but no, we help them out. Knowing they will try it again lol.

 

[Mo & Bolt]

My boy used to keep escaping , he can climb and push almost anything out the way. I have made a lot of adjustments to keep him in. This is him wedged at the back of their pen . He climbed up a wall . Lol

 

[Relic]

No not at all. It was funny when I found him. He was stuck in the crotch of two branches. I just looked at him and ask what he planned on doing now lol. He's a pain in the butt. Has gotten out 3 times, luckily found each time and I have no idea how. I keep fixing all spots that looks like the escape just to find later he got out again. They are sneaky buggers.

For a couple of years I had the same escape problem with some box turtles - not all of them, just a few determined males. Their enclosure is comprised of stacked railroad ties, 3 beams tall. There are a couple of swinging metal gates in cut-out areas, resting on the bottom railroad tie, about 8 inches above ground level. Anyway, periodically, I'd find a turtle on the other side of the yard wandering around in the bushes or digging in the bark mulch or hiding in some ivy and would carry him back to the pen and then search for the escape route. Never found any digging under the railroad ties. Never saw any place they could climb up and over, but clearly they were escaping whenever they felt the need. It was baffling.

Then, after several YEARS, one day I finally caught the most frequent escape artist in the act. He had climbed up onto the bottom railroad tie that the gate rested on and had managed to push it open and was in the process of barreling through the opening. If I hadn't seen it I would have never guessed that was how they were getting out - the gate is rusty and swings with some difficulty, but a determined box turtle had it figured out. The others must have watched and learned. Reminded me of Steve McQueen in "The Great Escape" leaving camp whenever he felt like it.

So now I have bungee cords securing my gates, to keep turtles inside. Who knew...?