ramming an digging

[DAC8671]

I've been reading a lot about sullys digging and even ramming. Ralph doesn't do either....never has. Should I be worried or grateful? From the sounds of it, I think I should be greatful!

Just wondering, what is the reason?

 

[Laura]

wait till he gets bigger... and be gratefull for now.

 

[dmmj]

lol they ram because they can. no we just had a speaker at out turtle club from a man who lives in ojai and has 70 sulc. on over 13 acres, quite a show. and he has had quite a few burrows du gon his property and they mainly dig to escape the heat and to hide. as for ramming IDK maybe some are just jerks. but I think it is usually male behavior.

 

[Millerlite]

dmmj what tortoise club are you from where are you from? ojai is not to far from me.

 

[Yvonne G]

we just had a speaker at out turtle club from a man who lives in ojai and has 70 sulc. on over 13 acres, quite a show.

Was this the same fellow whose place was featured in last month's issue of the Gazette? A very impressive property...with many sulcata tortoises living together seemingly peacefully. I wondered how he kept them inside the wire fence, though.

Yvonne

 

[dmmj]

I belong to the foothill chapter, but the man who spoke is actually from another chapter he came to our's for a visit. I believe he was the same fellow who was in the gazette.

 

[spring pace]

galileo isnt a digger or a rammer either and i am oh so grateful for those little mercies, we have a great relationship my tort and i, always glad to see him and him me. big smiles from galileo & speing

 

[kimt]

The only time my sulcatas ram is when the female has just layed eggs and it is like she is protecting the nest. This doesn't last long though and before you know it she is back under the heat having a snooze.

 

[Yvonne G]

I used to have a large female sulcata who was a year older than Dudley, but had to adopt her out because it was too hard to keep them separated. But when I had her, she would ram whoever came into her pen. She was VERY territorial!! Dudley has never offered to ram anyone, but because of the female, I always warn people to be careful around him because you just never know. Thank goodness neither one of them ever started digging. Dudley's new resting spot is under a big bush, and the ground around and under the bush is now quite a bit lower than the surrounding area, however he's not actually digging, its more like scraping.

I like to think that they don't dig because they have a secure place where they can go to get out of the heat (or keep warm if it's winter). That's my opinion, and I'm stickin' to it! If you provide them with a safe and secure place that allows them to cool down or stay warm, they won't feel the need of a burrow.

Yvonne

 

[spring pace]

i agree as far as galileo goes (hes my one and only experience) ynonne, i give gali several outside above ground hides to mimic different atmospheres, gali uses all three during the summer and only the heated one in the winter. he gets to throw muck on his back in one, theres a scrape in another and do all night sleeping in the third, they all have high humidity levels and he feels protected. i for one am happy NOT to have a big hole in the middle of my yard, so are the land owners. galileo & spring big smiles