Russian Tortoise Burrow Ideas?

[The-Great-Stash]

I was curious as to how to set up one or two artificial burrows for a pair of Russian torts living in an outdoor pen. I understand that many suggest that, at least in regards to larger species, the entrances need to be elevated to prevent flooding, especially while they are hibernating or brumating. Yes, this is for a male and female pair, though I do plan to get another female or two for the sake of my lone female from stressing out in case the male decides to try any sexual advances and pester her to exhaustion.

Basically, I need help with some ideas in terms of what material to use, how deep and long the tunnel should be to the den, keeping the top of the den roof weather-proof in case I need to check up on how they're doing without disturbing the burrow now and then, etc. Any help would be appreciated very much. I only aim to provide the best for my animals, especially since I have them indoors in a zoo med Tortoise House at this time before I re-acclimate them outdoors come the spring (and as soon as their planted greens and veggies grow and survive the Texas winter. thanks very much, guys and gals!

 

[RosemaryDW]

You are likely better off to build a night box or two.

@Tom wrote the book on nightboxes, these threads will get you started: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/burrow-building.147535/#post-1393939

 

[Yvonne G]

Russian tortoises don't really make "burrows" like sulcatas and desert tortoises. They dig down under the roots, pushing the dirt behind them and actually filling in the space behind them as they go forward. It is my experience that a Russian tortoise doesn't use something you provide for him, but rather makes his own space.

I have a nice little dog house in my Russian tortoise yard and I've loosely filled it with dried leaves. When the tortoises use that end of the yard to hide, they dig UNDER the dog house and never go inside it. I put down a small piece of plywood next to one of their fences, just to keep the grass away from the fence, and one of the tortoises dug a space under that plywood, and uses it every night.

Every Autumn, I have to take a probe and go all over my Russian yard, probing down into the ground to find them to take them in to hibernate. They are excellent at disguising their hiding places.

 

[The-Great-Stash]

Russian tortoises don't really make "burrows" like sulcatas and desert tortoises. They dig down under the roots, pushing the dirt behind them and actually filling in the space behind them as they go forward. It is my experience that a Russian tortoise doesn't use something you provide for him, but rather makes his own space.

I have a nice little dog house in my Russian tortoise yard and I've loosely filled it with dried leaves. When the tortoises use that end of the yard to hide, they dig UNDER the dog house and never go inside it. I put down a small piece of plywood next to one of their fences, just to keep the grass away from the fence, and one of the tortoises dug a space under that plywood, and uses it every night.

Every Autumn, I have to take a probe and go all over my Russian yard, probing down into the ground to find them to take them in to hibernate. They are excellent at disguising their hiding places.

Thanks for the info. For the past couple years, Ive had my male (just recently obtained the female in september) use a cement slab, and he took to it good for the most part. The top was flat so that he could eat off of it. This time, id like to upgrade to something abit more spacious for the number of ani.als that I plan to house together (1.3 to be exact). I may have to make a dirt mound and sew some grass to keep it stable enough to where it stays "dry" come a future thunderstorm.