I'm looking to get a Russian Tortoise which will be my first. I want to make an outside enclosure but I have a few questions. I live in SW FL Where the summers are in the 90's. The enclosure with be on the west where it will get all day sun. Will that be ok? I've read conflicting things about them and the FL heat. Also I have a huge clay pot and I was thinking about using it as a house to keep them cool from the summer heat. What are your thoughts? Also as they are diggers, how far down should I go into the ground when I build the enclosure?
Newbie with a couple questions
- Thread starter toocrazy
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Hi Too, and welcome to the Forum!
In my experience, my Russian tortoises won't use a house. I have a cinderblock laying on its side to keep them from a weak spot on the fence, and a couple of them usually park inside that during the day, but when they go down at night, they usually bury in loose dirt.
If you want to provide a cool spot for the tortoises, a flower pot won't do it. You'll need to place something like a little dog house under the deep shade of a tree. If there are no trees where you want your pen, then maybe you can buy a market umbrella and set it over a portion of the yard. But, when tortoises want to cool off, they dig down into the earth.
My Russian tortoises have never tried digging under the fence to escape. They dig to bury themselves. But to discourage them from digging next to the fence, I've laid down masonry caps all along the inside edge of the fence.
In my experience, my Russian tortoises won't use a house. I have a cinderblock laying on its side to keep them from a weak spot on the fence, and a couple of them usually park inside that during the day, but when they go down at night, they usually bury in loose dirt.
If you want to provide a cool spot for the tortoises, a flower pot won't do it. You'll need to place something like a little dog house under the deep shade of a tree. If there are no trees where you want your pen, then maybe you can buy a market umbrella and set it over a portion of the yard. But, when tortoises want to cool off, they dig down into the earth.
My Russian tortoises have never tried digging under the fence to escape. They dig to bury themselves. But to discourage them from digging next to the fence, I've laid down masonry caps all along the inside edge of the fence.
Welcome to the forum, and I am so happy to hear that you are already planning an outdoor space for your tortoise! 
I have made a few hides for the tortoises that stay cool even in hot baking afternoon sun. I take a heavy duty bucket (e.g. from Home Depot for $3) and use a Dremel cutting wheel to cut it in half (a hack saw would work too, if you don't own a Dremel). I loosen up the dirt a little, then place the half-bucket over that spot, then dump a bag of additive-free topsoil (I like the ACE brand from ACE hardware - cheap and additive free) over the top. Then I put rocks on top of that to help prevent erosion, and seed out some grass seed or weed seeds (Carolina Pet Supply has some good seed mixes). The tortoises love burrowing down into those cool hides, and the half-bucket keeps it pretty dry in there, too. On a hot day of 95 degrees with direct sun, it is still 65ish inside there.
I dug a trench and filled it with river rock and pavers, and then put masonry caps over the trench, and then built the raised-bed type wall around the enclosure. That might have been overkill, but my male is a digger, he makes burrows that are 3ft deep. So I wanted to be safe.
I have made a few hides for the tortoises that stay cool even in hot baking afternoon sun. I take a heavy duty bucket (e.g. from Home Depot for $3) and use a Dremel cutting wheel to cut it in half (a hack saw would work too, if you don't own a Dremel). I loosen up the dirt a little, then place the half-bucket over that spot, then dump a bag of additive-free topsoil (I like the ACE brand from ACE hardware - cheap and additive free) over the top. Then I put rocks on top of that to help prevent erosion, and seed out some grass seed or weed seeds (Carolina Pet Supply has some good seed mixes). The tortoises love burrowing down into those cool hides, and the half-bucket keeps it pretty dry in there, too. On a hot day of 95 degrees with direct sun, it is still 65ish inside there.
I dug a trench and filled it with river rock and pavers, and then put masonry caps over the trench, and then built the raised-bed type wall around the enclosure. That might have been overkill, but my male is a digger, he makes burrows that are 3ft deep. So I wanted to be safe.
Wow he really is a digger! I've already made the enclosure and I put chicken wire on the bottom so mine wouldn't get out if he dug. After hearing about yours I'm even more glad I did that! I have one hide spot and a house but I think I'll put two more in there for it. Thanks for the bucket idea! I have both a Dremel and a bucket!
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