New Texas Owner

[dmarcus]

Our yard is not that big and we would love to give them half the yard, but we have bad kids on either side of us, so they are stuck in the middle of the yard until we move to a different house.

We also use the wodden fence like your back yard has for one of the walls that way we only needed to add 3 sides.

Yeah, as they get larger I could see them having the run of the whole yard, I need to reinforce some parts of the fence first though. I figure it's a lot easier for a 6inch tortoise to find a small hole than a 12 inch plus one. Where did you get your tortoises? I haven't been able to find any locally which I'd like if people wanted to get rid of them!

My almost 6 year old I got at a reptile expo in Las Vegas in 2005 my hatchling I purchased from a breeder who lives southeast of Arlington and the rescue I have was given to me by another forum member who lives in Arlington. I have seen people selling or "re-homing"there's here in the DFW but they are always over priced.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Texastort]

Hi everyone! So my two torts arrived about an hour ago! I soaked them then let them out into their enclosure outside. It's weird though, they have a huge enclosure and all they are doing is pacing along my back fence. They have both eaten a little bit which is good. Is this pacing normal? Are they stressed out?

 

[dmarcus]

I think its just a little stress and its something new. I just replaced most of the cinder blocks in my Sulcata's enclosure and he started pacing, he was not use to it so I think he was just trying to figure it out.

Congrats on you new tort's, can't wait to see some photo's...

 

[Texastort]

I think its just a little stress and its something new. I just replaced most of the cinder blocks in my Sulcata's enclosure and he started pacing, he was not use to it so I think he was just trying to figure it out.

Congrats on you new tort's, can't wait to see some photo's...

Thanks! One of them just tried to eat a feather that fell out of a tree! Is this normal! Am I being too paranoid??

 

[dmarcus]

they will eat what ever they find, mine has eaten cigerette butts, foil paper and other things that were in the yard when we moved in. We always try and make sure nothing new is in the yard because of that.

 

[DixieParadise]

Yep, agree that will eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first. I have feathers falling all the time into the outside enclosure. I am pretty quick to pick them up, but I am sure they have beaten me to one or two.

 

[wrmitchell22]

Sulcata's like to taste everything and seem to enjoy pacing, I wouldn't worry. Once they settle in you will get a feel for their personalities

 

[Texastort]

Sulcata's like to taste everything and seem to enjoy pacing, I wouldn't worry. Once they settle in you will get a feel for their personalities

Thank you! Should I worry about them getting sick, one just tried to eat a piece of bark! I guess they will figure it out. Just wanna provide a safe environment for them!

 

[dmarcus]

Just do a good walk through of there enclosure and make sure that nothing dangerous or non-edible is in there...

 

[Texastort]

This forum has been so helpful on my first day with my torts! I am still conflicted on leaving them outside at night. I have several hides for them ( they don't seem interested yet) but I am not sure if that is secure enough. I can put them on an outdoor dog house but I don't know if they'll try and get out. Should I see what they do as it gets dark??

 

[dmarcus]

Go with your gut feeling, if you don't think they are ready to be out over night, then bring them in until you feel it's right.

 

[Texastort]

Ok so today has been quite eventful! While I was out to get some more enclosure supplies, my wife calls and tells me they are digging under the fence! So I rush home and sure enough they are working together to dig a whole by my fence. So I've spent the last two hours redesigning their enclosure away from the fence with a rock wall and I also built three rock caves for them. I think once it hit 110 here, they got hot and went digging for relief. I had one large hide for them but i don't think it was deep enough so that is fixed

These little guys are awesome I just want to take great care of them! I think with the new caves I will leave them outside tonight. They won't be up trying to dig at night will they?

 

[dmarcus]

If they are awake they may dig. You will have to dig proof the enclosure unfortunately..

This is what our rescue did the 2nd day we got her, she was half way into the neighbors yard...

this is my older male in his burrow, which is about 6 feet deep...

You will have to keep an eye out for the digging since both of yours like to dig and fill the holes in... Lots of luck and enjoyment your way..

 

[Texastort]

ok so new question! My two little guys are doing great by the way! So I have 3 really nice hides that go about a foot into the ground for them to hide in. I have been noticing during the heat of the day and at night they just kind of hunker down in the grass instead of going into their hides. I've been putting them in the hides at night just for protection but last night at 930 they were both out in the middle of their enclosure, sealed up for the night right out in the open. Will they learn where their hides are?

 

[SatchelMonster]

ok so new question! My two little guys are doing great by the way! So I have 3 really nice hides that go about a foot into the ground for them to hide in. I have been noticing during the heat of the day and at night they just kind of hunker down in the grass instead of going into their hides. I've been putting them in the hides at night just for protection but last night at 930 they were both out in the middle of their enclosure, sealed up for the night right out in the open. Will they learn where their hides are?

Silly torts! Eventually, they'll figure out the hides you've provided for them or they'll find their own. You could try putting some yummy food inside the hide and then placing your torts at the entrance, looking in, so that they understand it's a good place to go inside.

They're stubborn little things. If you place them inside the hide they'll just want to walk out of it. If you place them outside of it, they might just want to go inside.

 

[Tortoiselover87]

I had the same issue with my little one. Eventually he figured it out and now he just goes there on his own. Once they get big though you will need to make sure they can't really see out of there enclosure much. They are very curious and if they see something they want to investigate then they will try to get at it, and they have been know to break through walls.

 

[Texastort]

Thanks everyone! My little guys are doing so great. It is so interesting watching them. Another question: They have been sleeping outside at night. I have been putting them in their hides but the past two nights, they huddle up together by some rocks and just sleep there out in the open. Is that normal? It makes me nervous because I think they are more vulnerable. It is amazing to me that they hang out together, they sleep right next to each other and I often find them both squeezed into a cave sleeping during the day. I had no idea they were this friendly with each other!

 

[dmarcus]

Vegas will do that sometimes, even with a burrow and a house he will sleep out in the open, so sleeping out in the open is normal especially when the weather is good at night. Can't help with the huddling together part.