New to the forum :))

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

New to the forum. New to Sully ownership but I have been doing web research like crazy. What is the Tom's house people are talking about? If I use wire fencing for the enclosure, how small do the openings need to be? I plan to adopt an adult Sulcata. Will a 6 gauge or 4 gauge wire be strong enough? Is 4"x4" small enough squares in the fence?

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

I am new too. Thank you all for the info. I love the babies. They are so cute. I am big supporter of rescues. So I am adopting and hoping for an adult that needs my love. That's my plan anyway. I am researching now, building an enclosure, volunteering at a rescue facility to learn more.
Does it stress them out to have humans visit their enclosure daily? I want him to be happy. Do they like to be touched? I hope so. Will a 32'x32' enclosure be big enough? Is 4"x4" square, 6 gauge wire fencing with wooden fence posts be strong enough and small enough openings?

 

[Blackdog1714]

For fencing think TANK not dog. They push like bulldozers and a solid wall would be better. Check https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-hobbit-sully-hut.172762/ They build a Cadillac of enclosures, but the priciples are the same. Space, Heat, Protection, Food and Water. Good luck

 

[Tom]

New to the forum. New to Sully ownership but I have been doing web research like crazy. What is the Tom's house people are talking about? If I use wire fencing for the enclosure, how small do the openings need to be? I plan to adopt an adult Sulcata. Will a 6 gauge or 4 gauge wire be strong enough? Is 4"x4" small enough squares in the fence?

Black dog is right. You need solid walls, not wire. Visual barrier. For smaller sulcatas you can stack cinder blocks three high, and use a half block to start the middle row, so they are offset. For larger sulcatas, plant some pressure treated 2x4s or 4x4 posts 24" in the ground on 8 foot centers. Then use 2x12s or plywood to make a wall all the way around. You really only need to go 18-24" tall, even for a large sulcata male.

Some people use corrugated sheets stuck vertically in the ground, or railroad ties the same way. Many ways to do it.

Here is the night box info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/h...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-youll-need-to-build-a-night-box.171435/

 

[Yvonne G]

The size of the enclosure depends upon what species of tortoise you end up getting. And it's best to have a solid portion of the fence around the bottom so the animal can't see out. If he can see out he's going to always be trying to get through that portion. They don't seem to realize that their body is bigger than their head. Do you have a species in mind? I know when you rescue, you have to take what you can get, but are you more interested in one rather than the other?

We have care sheets on the different species. You can find them pinned close to the top of our species specific sections. Be sure to read all of them before you start buying supplies. And we've started a good thread about things we wished we knew before we got our tortoise/supplies. You can find it here:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/things-you-wish-you-knew-before-getting-a-tortoise.174986/

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

The size of the enclosure depends upon what species of tortoise you end up getting. And it's best to have a solid portion of the fence around the bottom so the animal can't see out. If he can see out he's going to always be trying to get through that portion. They don't seem to realize that their body is bigger than their head. Do you have a species in mind? I know when you rescue, you have to take what you can get, but are you more interested in one rather than the other?

We have care sheets on the different species. You can find them pinned close to the top of our species specific sections. Be sure to read all of them before you start buying supplies. And we've started a good thread about things we wished we knew before we got our tortoise/supplies. You can find it here:

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/things-you-wish-you-knew-before-getting-a-tortoise.174986/

I am expecting to get an adult Sulcata. Thank you for the info.

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

Black dog is right. You need solid walls, not wire. Visual barrier. For smaller sulcatas you can stack cinder blocks three high, and use a half block to start the middle row, so they are offset. For larger sulcatas, plant some pressure treated 2x4s or 4x4 posts 24" in the ground on 8 foot centers. Then use 2x12s or plywood to make a wall all the way around. You really only need to go 18-24" tall, even for a large sulcata male.

Some people use corrugated sheets stuck vertically in the ground, or railroad ties the same way. Many ways to do it.

Here is the night box info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/double-door-night-box.129054/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/h...g-of-toms-night-box-with-exploded-view.97697/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-youll-need-to-build-a-night-box.171435/

I was worried they would chew on the treated work or the railroad ties. Is that a concern? Thank you for the information. That helps.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm pretty sure railroad ties have been outlawed for use as fencing due to the creosote in them. It supposedly leeches out of the wood into the soil. You don't have to worry about a tortoise chewing on the wood. They don't do that.

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

Thank you all. I am planning to get a rescued Sulcata from a rescue here in Texas that has at least 30 rescued tortoises of many types. I have plenty of space. I live on a 55 acre farm. I am planning a 32'x32' enclosure with a big terracotta planter base for water, a hill hiding a buried hard plastic barrel for a hide, a very large homemade dog house with a mud flap door or hinged door I can close for a night house. I have a large Mulberry tree for shad but am wondering if I need to not allow the berries to get in his enclosure. I also have spineless cactus and hen and chick that will be planted in the environment. I am also thinking of adding pompous grass if it is safe for him to eat. It would provide a great hide as well. Input on that welcome.

After your input, I am thinking 2x4 or 4x4 fence posts (yes always 2' in the ground), with R-panel tin or 2x12s as the "walls". I will read the further info that Yvonne and Tom provided before buying anything.

I was only thinking of keeping him from pushing out not thinking of not seeing out. So thank you, that helped. Thank you.

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

I just read on one site that hen and chick plants were ok to feed Torts and on the ASPCA it is listed as poisonous. Is it good or bad to feed to tortoises?

By the way, you guys are awesome. In one day I have learned more than my last 2 weeks of research. These forums have answered all my questions that came up during those last 2 weeks of research.
I can't thank you enough for having this forum here!!

 

[Tom]

Thank you all. I am planning to get a rescued Sulcata from a rescue here in Texas that has at least 30 rescued tortoises of many types. I have plenty of space. I live on a 55 acre farm. I am planning a 32'x32' enclosure with a big terracotta planter base for water, a hill hiding a buried hard plastic barrel for a hide, a very large homemade dog house with a mud flap door or hinged door I can close for a night house. I have a large Mulberry tree for shad but am wondering if I need to not allow the berries to get in his enclosure. I also have spineless cactus and hen and chick that will be planted in the environment. I am also thinking of adding pompous grass if it is safe for him to eat. It would provide a great hide as well. Input on that welcome.

After your input, I am thinking 2x4 or 4x4 fence posts (yes always 2' in the ground), with R-panel tin or 2x12s as the "walls". I will read the further info that Yvonne and Tom provided before buying anything.

I was only thinking of keeping him from pushing out not thinking of not seeing out. So thank you, that helped. Thank you.

Fruitless mulberries are GREAT. The leaves are excellent tortoise food and the shade is fantastic for hot summer days, but sulcatas shouldn't be eating fruit. The quantity of mulberries falling out of a tree could wreak havoc on their GI tract and possibly kill them. I'd put the enclosure elsewhere and just feed the leaves to the tortoise with no fruit.

32x32' is not the end of the world, but that is pretty small for an adult sulcata. I use that size for small juveniles. Tortoises need a lot of room to room. Much like a horse, they need locomotion to help keep their GI tract moving along. I'd go 50x50 if possible, or much larger would be better. Here is my adult enclosure. Its expanded a bit to about 8000 sq. ft. since I made this thread years ago:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/enclosure-expansion.38788/

It doesn't have to be as big as mine, but bigger is better in this case. And since you are in Texas, EVERYTHING should be bigger, right???

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

Wow! That is fabulous. I can do that. I am just so excited. Yes, everything is big here! Wouldn't know how to live anywhere else.
Thank you for the horse digestive reference. I understand that.

I think I will do the cinder block walls. Yours looks like they are 3 high on the short wall. Do I need to drive rebar down them to keep them from being pushed over? I could also plant leafy plants in them to hang over for him, like blue turf lily. Any ideas on how to fashion a gate for human visitors? I have nieces and nephews who live on our family farm who will want to come visit just like they do our goats, chickens, and horses.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome and best of luck to you.
As you must already be aware, adult Sulcatas do show up at "rescues".
They grow very large and are solitary animals. Most people buying an egg sized tortoise have little realistic expectations about what the future will hold for them.
Best of luck to you and congratulations on finding this forum.
Your new tortoise and this forum will become lifelong friends.

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

I have a spineless prickly pear cactus. As with many spineless cacti, there are actually small thorns. Do I need to remove the thorns before I feed them to my tortoise?

My plans are coming together. We have the enclosure planned out. I expect to build it next week. I hope to have my rescued gentle giant by the end of the month.

 

[calmingwind]

For fencing think TANK not dog. They push like bulldozers and a solid wall would be better. Check https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-hobbit-sully-hut.172762/ They build a Cadillac of enclosures, but the priciples are the same. Space, Heat, Protection, Food and Water. Good luck

So my big boy does push around and some how. Finds new ways to destroy my barriers.

 

[2wgasa]

I have a spineless prickly pear cactus. As with many spineless cacti, there are actually small thorns. Do I need to remove the thorns before I feed them to my tortoise?

Search forum for glochids and you'll find your answer. When I've given Bomber unprepared paddles right off my plant, they never seem to bother him. Regardless, I usually scrape as many off as possible or buy nopales from local store.

No idea why they don't bother him but if you search for how to remove from your skin, there's advice about eating doughy bread to remove from your mouth and throat...maybe there's something like that going on with the stuff they eat that simply dislodges the little spines and sends them through.

 

[Tortoise Rescue Brenda]

Search forum for glochids and you'll find your answer. When I've given Bomber unprepared paddles right off my plant, they never seem to bother him. Regardless, I usually scrape as many off as possible or buy nopales from local store.

No idea why they don't bother him but if you search for how to remove from your skin, there's advice about eating doughy bread to remove from your mouth and throat...maybe there's something like that going on with the stuff they eat that simply dislodges the little spines and sends them through.

Thank you

 

[calmingwind]

But s

So my big boy does push around and some how. Finds new ways to destroy my barriers.

lso I notice some times he will come out graze I’ll call him clap my hands to get his attention then yell his name he usually comes over and eats he will walk around then go back to his burrow more often he will come out and post up and look around for hrs then either go walk or go back in. Several times a day. One time he staid up till 830pm and decided to go sleep on the east side of the house I think he couldn’t find his burrow so slept order a rug is this normal?

 

[howard biolos]

normal is as normal does.

 

[jsheffield]

Welcome to TFO!

Jamie